A debate on promoting vocational education and training in the era of labor market changes took place in Strasbourg during the European Parliament’s plenary session. PiS MEP Marlena Maląg spoke during the discussion.
The Polish politician pointed out that both small businesses and large corporations are facing a shortage of workers and skills. She added that a debate on issues in the care sector had taken place just moments earlier, but, as she argued, the problem affects many industries.
She noted that in the past, learning a trade guaranteed a job for life, whereas today we must continue learning new skills throughout our lives. “This is the result of rapid digitalization, the drive for competitiveness, and the pursuit of maximum economic growth. It is also the result of demographic changes,” she pointed out.
At the same time, Maląg noted, the European Commission is sending mixed signals. As she explained, the green transition was supposed to create new jobs, yet we are seeing mass layoffs in the automotive industry.
“The Green Deal was supposed to be the cure for Europe’s problems, but it may turn out to be an insidious disease that devastates the economies of the Old Continent,” she emphasized.
Noting that the European Union is already struggling with a shortage of workers and key skills, the PiS MEP wondered how it would cope once the new environmental regulations take effect.
