The Talent for Growth Task Force was set up in the context of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council and the European Year of Skills. It brought together government and private sector leaders from business, trade unions, and organisations that provide training. Building on existing initiatives on both sides of the Atlantic, the goal of the Task Force was to exchange best practices and to serve as a catalyst for innovative skills policies.
Since its inaugural meeting on 17 May 2023, it has acted as a platform for sharing policies, tools and data on skills development in both regions and works to develop a shared understanding and recommendations to drive development of the talent and skills needed for emerging and existing technologies.
Deliverables
At the 6th Ministerial meeting of the TTC in Leuven, the Task Force presented their deliverables to the TTC Co-Chairs, European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager and US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.
In a final statement, endorsed by the Members, the Task Force summarised the key messages that emerged from the discussions during its one-year mandate.
The Task Force statement is complemented by workstream activity reports, adopted by the workstream leaders, and by OECD analytical papers. Workstream 1 and 2 were co-chaired and led by US Members, while workstreams 3 and 4 were co-chaired and led by the EU side:
- Workstream 1: Training workers to meet business needs
- Workstream 2: Including women and underrepresented groups in technical jobs
- Workstream 3: Skills-based hiring
- Workstream 4: Credentials, including micro-credentials
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) provided analytical support, in particular, on the topics of attracting underrepresented groups in technology jobs, adopting skills-first approaches and developing and issuing micro-credentials.
The publication Bridging Talent Shortages in Tech combines the set of recommended policy actions and case studies drawn from existing, real-world implementations developed by the OECD.
Talent for Growth Task Force members
The Task Force was co-chaired by Ms Zoe Baird, Senior Counselor to the US Secretary for Technology and Economic Growth, and Mr Stefan Olsson, Deputy Director-General of DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission.
The following persons were appointed as EU members of the Task Force:
- Mr Markus Beyrer - Director General, BusinessEurope
- Ms Esther Lynch - General Secretary European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
- Ms Giulia Meschino - Secretary General of the European Vocational Training Association (EVTA)
- Mr Claes-Mikael Ståhl - Deputy Secretary General, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
- Ms Marloes de Vries - Head of Zadkine Vocational Education College, Rotterdam
- Ms Véronique Willems - Secretary General, SMEunited
Mr Maxime Cerutti (BusinessEurope), Mr Adam Weatherley (Irish SME association, ISME), Ms Elena Crasta (ETUC), and Mr Hans Daale (VET4EU2, CHAIN5) representing the six member associations of the Platform of European Associations of Vocational Education and Training Providers also supported the work of the Task Force.
The following persons were appointed as US members of the Task Force:
- Mr Gregory Haile - Director, Achieving the Dream
- Mr Sal Khan - Founder & CEO, Khan Academy
- Mr Michael Lynton - Chair, Snap Inc.
- Mr Chuck Robbins - Chair and CEO, Cisco
- Ms Elizabeth H. Shuler - President, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
- Ms Ameenah Salaam - Secretary-Treasurer, Communications Workers of America
Background
European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager and US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo first announced the creation of the Task Force in December 2022.
On 5 December 2022, the Trade and Technology Council announced the establishment of the Talent for Growth Task Force.
The Task Force has a one-year mandate and contributes to the common EU-US objective to recognise and develop the talent of their working-age populations. The Task Force provides a platform to share best practices, policies, tools and data for talent development, and foster a shared understanding on specific skills needs that could inspire training programs in EU and US companies, including SMEs.
Trade and Technology Council
The EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) serves as a forum for the United States and European Union to coordinate approaches to key global trade, economic, and technology issues and to deepen transatlantic trade and economic relations based on these shared values. It was established during the EU-US Summit on 15 June 2021 in Brussels.