Get to know the EU-US Trade and Technology Council Talent for Growth Task Force

Why has the Task Force been established? 

The main goal of the Task Force is to exchange best practises, and to serve as a catalyst for innovative skills approaches. It will prepare recommendations for the Trade and Technology Council on how to expand training and methods of recognising people’s talent,  in both the US and the EU. 

Who is part of the Task Force? 

The Task Force has 2 Co-chairs (Zoë Baird, Senior Counselor to the US Secretary of Commerce, and Stefan Olsson, Deputy Director-General of DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion) and 12 members from the EU and the US. More information about the EU members can be found here and about the US members here. 

How will the Task Force operate? 

The Task Force held its kick-off meeting on 17 May 2023 to kick-start the one-year mandate, identify common challenges on both sides of the Atlantic, and agree upon priorities for their work. 

The Task Force decided to move forward with its work by organising itself into four different workstreams (see below). The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will provide analytical expertise in support of the Task Force and its workstreams. 

 

Workstream 1: Training workers to meet business needs 

Businesses need to connect with training programmes to find skilled workers and to train their workers. Further, for businesses to find skilled workers, workers need to be able to find training from which businesses hire. This workstream will look at existing platforms, models, and tools to identify what works best to address these challenges for both SMEs and large enterprises. It will identify ways to best pursue what is available and make actionable recommendations to scale up and replicate successful models as well as new platforms and tools to fill key gaps. The workstream should consider how training providers, companies, and worker representatives work together to design, run, and evaluate effective training programmes. The workstream should consider guidance and communications aspects that would help maximise awareness and outreach. 

Workstream 1 Leader: Chuck Robbins (Cisco) 

Task Force Co-Chair: Zoë Baird (US) 

 

Workstream 2: Including women and underrepresented groups in technical jobs 

Women and other underrepresented groups face barriers to participation in jobs impacted by technology. Young people face barriers as well. This limits their opportunities for good careers, and it limits the talent available to businesses. Many more jobs that require technical talent are becoming available as the U.S. and the EU invest in existing and emerging technologies. This workstream will identify the specific barriers to focus on and strategies for overcoming them.  There is a need to increase awareness of the trainings and jobs available in these technologies and how to access them, particularly among working-age young people, women, and underrepresented groups who often do not see themselves represented in these types of jobs. This workstream should consider the use of social media and digital platforms to showcase the exciting promise of in-demand technology jobs and relevant training opportunities. 

Workstream leader: Michael Lynton (Snap Inc.) 

Task Force Co-Chair: Zoë Baird (US) 

 

Workstream 3: Skills-based hiring 

Given the shortage of talent, employers are resetting how they evaluate and recruit candidates and are moving to skills-based hiring – prioritising demonstrated skills over formal qualification requirements. This is commonly referred to as a ‘skills-first approach’. This shift opens opportunities to a large population of potential talent who have previously been excluded from consideration as candidates. This workstream will explore the benefits and challenges for employers and workers in using this approach, including by looking at examples of successful practices such as considering skills obtained in adjacent jobs, credentials and certificates, and tools to help workers and jobseekers create and build a skills-based resume. 

Workstream leader: Giulia Meschino (EVTA) 

Task Force Co-Chair: Stefan Olsson (EU) 

 

Workstream 4: Credentials, including microcredentials (This workstream will kick off late 2023/early 2024) 

Credentials may complement more traditional qualifications or can, on their own, signal skills to employers. Microcredentials in Europe target short-term learning programmes that provide a certification of the skills acquired through the programme. Microcredentials are particularly prevalent in the digital and technology fields. The EU has built a framework to promote quality of and trust in microcredentials while the U.S. has many ways in which credentials are established and recognized to validate skills. More work is needed for microcredentials and other stackable credentials to be recognised and rewarded by employers and learning providers. Based also on the preliminary outcomes of the other workstreams, this workstream will look into successful models of using credentials effectively, for instance to certify the outcomes of relevant training (links to Workstream 1), to reach out to underrepresented groups (Workstream 2), and to complement traditional qualifications (Workstream 3). 

Workstream Leader: TBD 

Task Force Co-Chair: Stefan Olsson (EU) 

 

More information 

• Announcement EU Members: Kick-off of EU-US Talent for Growth Task Force - Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion - European Commission (europa.eu) 

• Announcement US Members: Secretary Raimondo Announces U.S. Section of the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council Talent for Growth Task Force | U.S. Department of Commerce 

• Factsheet: U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) Talent for Growth Task Force Introduction 

• Announcement of the Task Force: EU-US Joint Statement of the Trade and Technology Council 

• Website: EU-US Trade and Technology Council