Motors of Growth

Improving policies for attracting and retaining skilled workforce in regions in industrial growth

An initiative to improve policies that attract and retain skilled workers for fair green and digital transitions in 6 EU regions in growth.

GA number: 03C0887

Funded by: INTERREG Europe      Duration: 01/05/2025-31/07/2029


Challenge

Attracting and retaining skilled workers is a growing challenge for EU regions in growth—especially those with industrial legacies now facing aging populations, depopulation, and skill shortages. While these regions have strong potential to benefit from global trends, they struggle with outdated skill sets, low productivity, and gaps in digital and green job readiness. The Future of Jobs Report 2023 and the European Commission both highlight skills gaps and labor shortages as key barriers to green and digital transitions. Addressing this requires strategies that improve working conditions and create attractive urban, social, and economic environments for diverse talent.

Innovation

Motors of Growth tackles the skilled workforce shortage by improving policies and programmes that attract and retain talent in EU regions.

Action

A regional assessment of national/regional or local needs for skilled workforce and how regions reply to them.

At least 48 Regional Multistakeholder Group (RMSG) meetings involving local actors to identify needs, co-create solutions, and support policy improvements.

9 interactive events combining thematic workshops, peer reviews, and study visits to facilitate exchange and inspire regional policy improvements.

Partners provide feedback to each other through structured peer reviews, resulting in practical recommendations aligned with thematic focus.

The capacity building workshops strengthen partner and stakeholder capacity for innovation-led growth. The workshops focus on key themes such as building and improving AI readiness, attracting and retaining a skilled workforce, enhancing access to capacity for skilled professionals, and fostering collaboration between public administrations, businesses, and research institutions.

Identification and exchange of at least 20 good practices across all participating regions, facilitating transfer and learning.

A final synthesis document outlining key findings, successful strategies, and policy recommendations to attract and retain skilled workforce.

Tracking the implementation of policy changes and action plans with two follow-up interregional events and standardized evaluation tools.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or INTERREG Europe. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Project Partners

KMOP Policy Center, Belgium
Region Västerbotten, Sweden
(Coordinator)
CNA Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Ajuntament de Sant Quirze del Vallès, Spain
National Employment Agency, Bulgaria
Metropolitan Region Rhine-Neckar, Germany
Normandy Regional Council, France

 

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