This introductory session will set the tone for Local Skills Week by providing an overview of challenges faced by local governments due to the twin transition.

How can local governments draw on the international skills agenda to encourage more citizens to learn skills for the jobs of tomorrow? In February 2024, the OECD Skills Summit gathered leadership from member countries to discuss national policy changes needed. Throughout 2023 and 2024, the European Year of Skills furthered initiatives within the EU to drive lifelong learning rates, such as EU Individual Learning Accounts. The ILO strategy on skills and lifelong learning 2030 supports skills systems that encourage decent work around the globe. This session will discuss how to transform this international-level momentum into local action on the ground. Esta sesión tendrá interpretación en español.

The green-digital twin transition is profoundly transforming sectors, jobs, and skills that are in demand. However, the challenges as well as opportunities differ across communities and between population groups within OECD countries. During this session, the OECD will launch its new “Twin Transitions Tracker: Assessing Regional Preparedness” that zooms in on regions’ preparedness for the twin transition. The dashboard allows users to compare their region with others in the OECD on the skills and labour market implications of the green and digital transitions. The session will explore possible local and regional policy actions that can boost the supply of green and digital talent, address labour shortages, or boost economic resilience in light of the twin transition and other economic transformations. Esta sesión tendrá interpretación en español.

Local governments in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) can harness investments in renewable energy and green infrastructure to provide quality jobs to rural or vulnerable communities. Local skilled workforces are necessary to make these investments a lever for social inclusion. Between 2015 and 2020, IDB research with LinkedIn data noted that green skills such as environmental services have grown by as much as over 100% in many Latin American countries. This session will bring together IDB project partners from the LAC region with policymakers to discuss strategies to bring together local government efforts, where many green investments are made, with nationwide vocational training systems. Esta sesión tendrá interpretación en español.

The construction sector faces mounting skills and labour shortages across communities in the OECD. In some OECD countries, it took an average of over 250 days to fill a vacancy in the sector in 2022. The sector’s activity is endangered at a time when construction is playing a vital role in retrofitting existing homes for climate imperatives. An OECD survey finds that 86% of subnational governments surveyed have urban decarbonisation strategies, but adequate financing and skills policies are needed to meet objectives. This partnership session brings together sectoral actors to discuss training strategies to upskill workers while improving the sector’s appeal, especially for women and minorities.

National and subnational governments are facing a formidable challenge: the rapid evolution of skills required to succeed in the labour market. This evolution is propelled by the increasing need for digital literacy and expertise in emerging AI technologies. To tackle the discrepancy between today’s skills requirements and those of tomorrow, OECD countries and subnational governments leverage forecasting, projections, and expert surveys to anticipate future labour market trends. These tools support policymakers in aligning workforce investment strategies and equipping learners with insights into potential training and employment pathways that match those future skills needs. This session will bring together labour market data experts and policy actors to explore the question of how new anticipation tools can guide governments, training institutions, employers and learners in investing in the right skills.

In this session, we unravel the opportunities and challenges involved in engaging employers and employer organisations in shaping the future of local skills ecosystems. To drive local productivity and innovation, employers not only need to identify skill needs but also roll up their sleeves to provide hands-on training through apprenticeships and on-the-job training. In this session, local governments and private actors will discuss how to build sustainable partnerships in an uncertain economic climate.

In the face of pressing challenges such as climate change, extreme weather events and supply chain disruptions, the green transition has become imperative. Initiatives such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act demonstrate the United States’ commitment to achieving a green transition, and are expected to create approximately 17 million new jobs over the next decade. With a national share of green-task jobs standing at 12.9% (4.7 percentage points below the OECD average), skill gaps and workforce bottlenecks across local labour markets are emerging as major challenges in filling the growing number of green vacancies in the United States. This webinar draws on subnational examples of workforce development for the green transition to provide actionable insights in three core areas: developing attractive career transition pathways, improving inclusivity, and promoting collaboration and policy coherence. This session is organised in partnership between the OECD’s Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities and the US Mission to the OECD.

Lifelong learning rates remain low in many OECD countries. In 2022, only 12% of adults participated in non-formal education and training in the OECD. These rates are far below objectives. Due to their policy responsibility in areas such as primary and secondary education, city governments have a unique role to play in instilling a culture of lifelong learning. UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities champions an all-of-government approach to this challenge. This session will bring together cities to share initiatives taken to encourage citizens to pursue education and training throughout life. Esta sesión tendrá interpretación en español. Cette session bénéficiera d’une interprétation en français.

Digital skills are increasingly in demand. At the same time, many young people continue to face obstacles to enter the labour market. In 2022, an average of 12.6% of people aged between 15 and 29 were not in employment, education or training (NEET) across the OECD. Innovative local initiatives are supporting vulnerable young people into digital jobs, also strengthening the inclusiveness of ICT occupations. This session will bring together a set of not-for-profit organisations and local government actors championing inspiring digital skilling initiatives for young people. All of them feature on the OECD PLACES portal – the new hub for local policy makers and practitioners featuring a growing number of case studies and evidence briefs on innovative solutions – along with many more. Esta sesión tendrá interpretación en español. Cette session bénéficiera d’une interprétation en français.

The twin transition requires local governments to put “all hands-on deck”. Over a third of jobs in the labour markets of many OECD regions require skills that are essential for the transition to low emission economies. The need for digital skills is booming in local labour markets, especially in OECD metropolitan areas. With ambitious learning policies, the twin transition can be a powerful lever for social inclusion of vulnerable groups. In all places, the twin transition and demographic changes are already causing labour shortages. Local governments will need to coordinate across levels of government, collaborating with national government, employers, unions and not-for-profit actors, to ensure policies meet the needs of the local labour market and its workforce. Please join us for this forward-looking close to Local Skills Week 2024. Esta sesión tendrá interpretación en español. Cette session bénéficiera d’une interprétation en français.