The European Skills Deficiencies Index (ESDI): Understanding skills challenges across Europe
Where are skills shortages and gaps most significant across Europe? What structural pressures may be contributing to these challenges? And what factors may help mitigate them?
The European Skills Deficiencies Index (ESDI), has been developed to benchmark skills deficiencies across EU countries, occupations and sectors. Together with two complementary indices, it provides a broader picture of the skills challenges facing Europe.
The European Skills Deficiencies Index (ESDI) benchmarks skills deficiencies across EU countries, occupations and sectors, covering both skill shortages and skill gaps.
But understanding skills challenges requires looking beyond deficiencies themselves. This is why SkillsPULSE has also developed two complementary indices.
The Structural Labour Market Pressure Index looks at technological and labour market developments that may increase demand for skills and contribute to skills shortages and gaps over time. The Mitigating Factors Index looks at countries’ capacity to develop and renew skills through education and training, including formal education and lifelong learning.
Together, the three indices provide a broader picture of skills challenges in Europe: the ESDI benchmarks countries, occupations, and sectors based on skills deficiencies; the Structural Labour Market Pressure Index highlights structural pressures; and the Mitigating Factors Index captures factors that may help mitigate skills deficiencies.
Testing the SkillsPULSE platform
During the following weeks, SkillsPULSE platform testing workshops will be held with stakeholders. The workshops will help to test the platform and gather feedback from potential users.
The platform, which will be accessible through the SkillsPULSE website, will bring together the ESDI and the two context indices. The results can be used to benchmark countries, occupations and sectors, as well as developments over time.
The indices are intended for a wide range of users, including policymakers, trade unions, employers and industry associations. They may also benefit education and training providers, as well as citizens, such as students and workers. Stakeholders with access to more detailed data can also apply the SkillsPULSE methodology to generate indicators at more granular geographical, occupational or sectoral levels.
By using the European Skills Deficiencies Index and the two context indices, SkillsPULSE provides a common evidence base to help users better understand skills challenges and labour market pressures across Europe.
Once the testing phase has been completed and the feedback from stakeholders has been incorporated, the SkillsPULSE platform will be opened to the public through the project website. This will give a wider audience access to the European Skills Deficiencies Index (ESDI) and the two complementary indices, providing users with a practical tool to explore and benchmark skills challenges across Europe.
Stay tuned!
