In an international context marked by rapid economic change, European regions are becoming places for living, social inclusion and the redeployment of strategic economic activities. The project involved using tools for the forward-looking management of jobs, skills and career paths to support these transitions, with the aim of ensuring a better balance between labour supply and demand and training training professionals. We achieved our objective by enabling the various stakeholders to benefit from the partners’ experiences, adapting them to the specific regional context to better design our training programmes. We also took into account the inclusion of people furthest from the labour market by providing alternatives that enhance their employability. Finally, we tested protocols that were enhanced by the skills acquired throughout this project. In this way, we identified the strategic skills needed to offer training programmes tailored to the labour market and to bridge the gap between labour supply and demand by focusing on the needs of individuals and businesses.
We had been searching on our own for ways to provide skills that would benefit our local areas. This project enabled us to find solutions through the implementation of pilot initiatives at local level, involving businesses, professionals, local councillors and stakeholders in training and employment. Based on the regions studied, as part of the case studies carried out, tools for Regional Employment and Skills Forecasting were developed, helping to reduce imbalances between local labour supply and demand. We identified numerous barriers, particularly among young people furthest from the labour market who were unable to access jobs requiring ever-increasing levels of skills, autonomy and adaptability; yet, in each of our countries, we implemented initiatives that helped reduce this imbalance between labour supply and demand. The responses involved re-engaging young people and the workforce as part of their integration pathways, enhancing professional skills, adapting to the workplace, and providing more relevant qualifications for learners in training.