On 11 December as part of the 2020 Skillman International Forum, the Assembly of European Regions hosted the webinar “New mobility services: Anticipating skills and job roles“. This webinar brought together experts working in the new mobility sector, who exchanged perspectives and examples of how emerging skill needs and professional profiles are being integrated into this growing sector by regions and private stakeholders.

The event was part of the series of webinars on EU funding opportunities organised by AER within the Erasmus+ project Skillnet. These webinars bring together experts in different fields linked to vocational education and training (VET) and aim to build partnerships for future EU project proposals. 

Transformation of mobility services and the need to embrace the change

New mobility services offer potential solutions to a wide range of growing challenges like congestion, lack of space, rising populations, air quality, noise pollution, social inclusion, health, economic development, and job creation. However, the sector must be fully prepared if we are to make the most of these opportunities. Edwin Mermans, Senior advisor at the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure of the Noord-Brabant Process (NL) and process manager of New Mobility Services, highlighted that there is a growing skills shortage in the mobility services sector which could seriously delay the development of the services and hurt customers’ expectations. To bridge this gap, it is vital to understand what skills the future workforce will need, and retrain workers so they can make the best of this emerging labour market.

Regional perspectives on re-skilling for new mobility services

Two examples from regions were presented during the webinar, which shed light on how regions are tackling the skills shortage within new mobility services.

Ms Federica Rossetti, Innovation Manager at Innovazione Automative e Metalmeccanica based in the Abruzzo region (IT), presented the Erasmus+ project ‘A.U.T.O 4‘. This project focused on meeting the skill needs within manufacturing companies in the area of smart technologies by developing tailored training and education programmes; supporting the transition towards new mobility services.

A.U.T.O 4 brought together partners from four countries (Italy, Spain, German, and the UK) who worked together in the identification of “qualification profiles” and/or “occupational profiles” for the workforce in the automobile production. Using a mutually developed methodology, they identified newly required skills that have been analysed to define existing job profiles to adapt, as well as new job profiles to be boosted. As a result of the analysis, a new job profile, “Automotive Digital Mechatronic X.0.”, has been identified at the European level.

As explained by Carlo Poledrini, Director at the Arst (Sardinian Regional Transport Entity), new mobility services also offer solutions for the creation of new jobs. Mr Poledrini provided a detailed overview of the how the transport sector has evolved in the Sardinian region, the new skills demanded by the sector, and how the region is assessing these needs. He underlined that a greater emphasis on soft skills, digital skills, and enhanced specific managerial competences are fundamental and urgent for the development of the sector. Actions must be supported with innovative and up-to-date education and training schemes, as well as the establishment of specific career paths from secondary school onwards (as for the electrical transition of buses and rolling stocks).

Both speakers concluded that the mismatch between the current skills and the new mobility services sector’s needs can only be tackled through joint action, and underlined the importance of EU funding opportunities in bridging this gap.

Currently open EU funded opportunities and activities:

• Update on EACEA’s new generation of funding programmes 8 January 2021 EACEA’s new generation of funding programmes for the period 2021-2027 has now been politically agreed. EACEA’s funding programmes for this period will be Erasmus+ Creative Europe the European Solidary Corps the Citizenship, Equality, Rights and Values programme (CERV).
• Selection Results: European Policy Experimentations EACEA/38/2019 8 January 2021 Selection results for the call European Policy Experimentations EACEA/38/2019 have been published. Go to the selection results.
• Selection Results: Civil Society Projects – 2020 8 January 2021 Selection results for the call Civil Society Projects – 2020 have been published.
• Selection results: Town Twinning 2020 – Round 2 6 January 2021Selection results for the call Town Twinning 2020 – Round 2 have been published.
• Selection results: Networks of Towns 2020 – Round 2 4 January 2021Selection results for the call Networks of Towns 2020 – Round 2 have been published.
• Partner Search: Develop innovative land-based and offshore renewable energy technologies with the team from Umbria
• Partner Search: New project proposal to boost the circular economy!
• Are you developing a project in the tourism sector? Umbria is keen to join!
• Horizon 2020-funded European Green Deal Calls for Proposals
• National Student Fee and Support Systems in European Higher Education – 2020/21  It provides the reader with insights on whether any fees are charged to students in higher education, which students may have to pay such fees and how much.
• Third European Education Summit – 10 December 2020: save the date! 1 December 2020
• Implementing Joint Degrees in the Erasmus Mundus action of the Erasmus+ programme 27 November 2020 The aim of this report is to present the state of play and the lessons learned from the delivery of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees (EMJMD) in the Erasmus+ Programme Countries.
• Structural Indicators for Monitoring Education and Training Systems in Europe 2020: Overview of major reforms since 2015 26 November 2020
• Jean Monnet Activities – Kick-off meeting 2020 25 November 2020 Information on the upcoming Jean Monnet Activities – Kick-off meeting 2020 is now available
• The European Higher Education Area in 2020 – Bologna Process Implementation Report 13 November 2020 The new edition of the Bologna Process Implementation Report shows all the progress made over two decades on mobility, quality assurance and recognition, but also points to the work we need for the future on some areas such as the social dimensions and the inclusion of under-represented groups.
• Selection results: Support for Development of Audiovisual Content – Single Project 2020 – deadline 2 11 November 2020Selection results for the call Support for Development of Audiovisual Content – Single Project 2020 – deadline 2 have been published. Go to the selection results
• The Structure of the European Education Systems – 2020/21 and Compulsory Education in Europe – 2020/21 30 October 2020 This report illustrates schematic information on the structure of mainstream educational systems in European countries, from pre-primary to tertiary level. It includes national schematic diagrams, a guide to reading the diagrams and a map showing the main organisational models of primary and lower secondary education.
• New interactive maps related to Youth Work are now online 29 October 2020
• Selection results: The Distribution “Selective Scheme” – Support for the Distribution of non-National Films 2020 – EACEA/21/2019 – deadline 16/06/2020 22 October 2020