Rapid digital transformation and skills obsolescence have created a professional gap that puts certain professions at risk in Europe. Iberdrola, together with other companies such as AstraZeneca, Nestlé, SAP, Sonae, Telefónica and Volvo Group are co-leading the European program Reskilling for Employment (R4E), are launching a website to promote training and the search for structural solutions to unemployment on the European continent.
Ignacio Galán, chairman of Iberdrola, a member of ERT and one of the main promoters of the initiative, stresses that, “in less than 30 years we must move from a world still highly dependent on fossil fuels to zero net emissions. The next decade will be decisive to achieve this, and innovation and talent – two fundamental values in our company – will be necessary.”
“In the next two years alone, Iberdrola will train 15,000 people through our green jobs retraining programs, creating high quality jobs to achieve a cleaner and smarter energy system,” Galán continues. Iberdola will train installers of solar panels and electric vehicle recharging infrastructure. “We invite all organizations and companies to join this initiative, thus contributing to the transformation that will improve efficiency, create jobs and, ultimately, make this planet a better place to live.”
The European Roundtable of Industry (ERT) has already launched the R4E program in Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. It is currently being prepared for launch in other EU nations with additional companies, recycling providers and innovative start-ups. This pan-European initiative promotes collaboration and partnership among training providers, companies, and job seekers with the goal of addressing skills shortages within emerging sectors at a moment when Europe’s employment landscape is changing rapidly.
The R4E initiative eventually aims at securing new jobs and improving skills for 5 million people by 2030. This initiative provides a training environment for adults where candidates can be introduced to training opportunities and employment opportunities. They also receive guidance, training, and access to a job that is future-ready. The process requires targeted training programs, candidate orientation, and well-connected local job ecosystems where companies and training providers can quickly connect with candidates for vacancies.
The R4E initiative is tailored to the needs and contexts specific to each country. It operates through four mechanisms: technological retraining that includes a common platform and recommendations driven artificial intelligence; a network made up of high-quality training providers and companies for job placement; creation of employment networks in cities to match labor demand and supply; and funding systems that align incentives for companies, candidates, and training providers.