WOW believes it is time for action to secure the future workforce. Therefore, we propose:
- Legally secured right to one week of paid leave for development and further education
- Social responsibility for (further) education
- Mandatory individual development plans
- Transparency in the education system
WOW-Europe’s President, Wolfgang Pischinger, states:
« It is time for action if we are to secure the future workforce. We acknowledge that the EU, with ‘The Union Skills,’ is taking the development seriously, but it is crucial that the initiative also remembers the employees, their rights, and well-being. We must lift together. »
The European Commission proposal to « The Union Skills »: An Important Step in the Right Direction
The World Organization of Workers (WOW) recognizes the importance of a dynamic and competent workforce in a world of constant change. Based on the EU Commission’s proposal from March 2025 on « The Union Skills, » this policy paper presents WOW’s vision for education and lifelong learning. We see « The Union Skills » as a crucial investment in the individual worker, in strong trade unions, and in a robust European labour market. WOW believes that the future holds many opportunities if we act proactively and ensure that everyone has the necessary skills to thrive and contribute.
WOW notes with interest the European Commission’s initiative « The Union of Skills, » which was launched on March 5, 2025. The initiative recognizes the need to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness through investment in human capital and builds on existing frameworks such as the European Education Area and the European Skills Agenda. WOW views positively the EU’s focus on addressing challenges such as the shortage of skilled labour, the need for transition in light of the digital and green transition, as well as fragmented governance of skills development. The initiative’s strategic objectives of building skills for quality lives and jobs, promoting the mobility of skills, supporting upskilling, and attracting talent are important priorities that WOW shares.
WOW Vision for Education and Lifelong Learning: « Education Without a Deadline »
WOW sees lifelong learning as the key to personal growth, competence development, and well-being in a dynamic world. We believe that education should not have an expiration date but rather be a continuous process throughout working life.
Technological development, and especially the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), is creating significant changes in the labour market. Although some jobs are disappearing, a wealth of new opportunities is being created at the same time. The challenge lies in ensuring that the workforce has the necessary skills to fill these new jobs.
For WOW, lifelong learning is about ensuring that no one is « left behind. » In an era where jobs and industries are changing more frequently than ever before, a transparent and accessible further education system is crucial.
WOW’s Proposals for New Initiatives: Action Now for the Future Labor Market
WOW proposes the following concrete initiatives:
- Legally secured right to one week of paid leave for development and further education: All employees in the EU should have the right to one week of paid leave per year to complete an individual development plan. This plan should play a central role in the individual employee’s working life and ensure continuous development.
- Societal responsibility for further education: Further education is too important an agenda to leave to individual workplaces or collective agreements. WOW believes that it is a shared societal responsibility to ensure better opportunities for everyone in the future labour market. The EU should play a central role in coordinating and supporting this work.
Because of the urgency we ask the members of WOW to negotiate about this in their collective agreements or with their governments in order to put pressure on the EU - Mandatory individual development plans: To ensure that lifelong learning does not become just a platitude, WOW proposes that mandatory development plans be introduced for all employees. These plans should contain a strategy for the employees’ development throughout their working life and address professional, personal, and social competencies.
- Transparency in the further education system: The EU must work actively to create a more transparent and accessible further education system so that all employees can easily navigate the opportunities for upskilling.
Critical Considerations Regarding the EU’s « The Union Skills »
WOW views the EU’s initiative positively, but it is important to emphasize that the focus on competitiveness must not overshadow the rights and well-being of workers. We are concerned about whether « Union Skills » sufficiently addresses the needs of low-skilled and unskilled workers, and whether the initiative ensures genuine inclusion and equal access to quality education for all – not just within STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
WOW believes it is important that employers take real responsibility for investing in their employees’ skills development, and that financial support from the EU is conditional on social clauses that ensure fair pay and working conditions, as well as respect for collective agreements. It is crucial for WOW that trade unions are actively involved in the design and implementation of « Union Skills » to ensure that the initiative truly benefits employees.
Conclusion: Together We Create the Skills of the Future
WOW believes that an investment in « The Union Skills » is an investment in a strong and resilient workforce. By ensuring all employees access to relevant education and lifelong learning, we not only meet the challenges of the future, but we also create new opportunities for growth, innovation, and well-being throughout the EU. WOW looks forward to constructive cooperation with the EU and other stakeholders to realize this vision.
