Future-Proofing the Labour Market: Challenges and Solutions for Evidence-Based Labour Market Policy
Publication date: 20 May 2026 | Report language: DE
Labour markets in Germany and across Europe are undergoing profound transformation. Artificial intelligence, digitalisation, decarbonisation, and demographic change are fundamentally reshaping skill requirements, employment patterns, and career transitions. At the same time, structural skills shortages and labour market mismatches are becoming increasingly acute.
This working paper analyses how policymakers and public institutions are responding to these developments and which challenges continue to persist. Drawing on project experience from Technopolis Group, the paper shows that comprehensive strategies and initiatives have been established at both European and national level. These include the European Skills Agenda, the Union of Skills, the German Federal Government’s Skilled Labour Strategy, and the National Continuing Education Strategy. The focus is on measures relating to skills development and lifelong learning, the mobilisation of labour potential, and the expansion of skills intelligence, monitoring, and strategic foresight.
At the same time, it becomes clear that the key challenge today lies less in the absence of instruments or data than in their integration, utilisation, and effective implementation.
