Bureau Debate – Next Generation Skills: Regions shaping the Future of Work

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Barcelona, Catalonia – 29 June 2023 10.00 – 12.00

The Fourth Industrial Revolution along with the digital transformation driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, the demographic change and the digital and green transition, are profoundly changing the nature of work, leading to new ways of working and creating new jobs.

Maximising the opportunities these trends offer will be paramount to boost economic growth, employment and productivity, encourage economic, social and territorial cohesion and improve quality of life across Europe.

This debate, organised in the framework of the European Year of Skills by the AER Task Force on the Future of Work, chaired by AER by Vice-President Lilijana Madjar (Zahodna Slovenija (SI), and hosted by the Government of Catalonia, will bring together representatives of local and regional authorities, Institutions and other stakeholders to discuss the challenges and opportunities that regions face in adapting to the changing nature of work, and how they can best prepare for the future.

What are the challenges and opportunities facing regions in the future of work? How to prepare the current and future workforce to make sure they enjoy a successful transition to digital and green economy? How can flexible working, in particular remote working, support labour market participation, equality, work-life balance and quality of life? What are the opportunities arising from the future of work for the revitalisation of rural regions?  These are some of the questions that will be explored during the debate.

Speakers

Lilijana Madjar, Chair AER Task Force on Future of Work and AER Vice President for Cohesion, Digitalisation and Public Services
Patrick Daru, Head of Operations, Global Programme on Skills and Lifelong Learning, International Labour Organization
Kristine Langenbucher, Head of the Employment and Skills Unit, Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Andrea Glorioso, Policy Officer, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Núria Vergés Bosch, General Director for Care, Time Organization and Equity at Work, Department of Equality and Feminisms, Government of Catalonia

With regional insights from:

Charlie Boyle, Chair of the Human Skills Working Group of the Global Opportunity Initiative – for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Juan José Torres, Director of the Public Employment Service of Catalonia & Presidency of the AER Eurodyssey Programme
Jim Simonsen Jenssen, President AER Youth Regional Network (Nordland, NO)
Mícheál Ó hÉanaigh, AER Vice President, Donegal (IE)
Aud Hove, Chair AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy and Skills and Deputy Mayor of Innlandet (NO)
Albert Castellanos, Chair AER Working Group on Green Hydrogen and Secretary for Business and Competitiveness of the Government of Catalonia (ES)