More than 6.1 million workers trained under the Pact for Skills

More than 6.1 million people have received training under the Pact for Skills since its launch in 2020, according to the results of the 2024 annual survey. Over 3,200 organizations investing in skills development have joined, including industry, social partners, education and training providers, local authorities, and employment services.

The Pact for Skills is central to delivering the Union of Skills, the EUs strategy to support skills development and strengthen competitiveness. The Pact unites public and private organizations to identify skills gaps and take action to address them.

Acting to Close Skills Gaps

The 2024 annual survey shows how Pact members across Europe are taking steps to close skills gaps – offering training, investing in skills development, and building partnerships in key sectors.

The survey also shows that the Pact has accelerated its support for workers and companies. The 20 large-scale skills partnerships remain key drivers of action. In 2024, members of these partnerships trained 33% of their workforce on average. Together, they remain committed to upskilling and reskilling over 25 million people by 2030. In the Union of Skills, the Commission called on Pact members to double their pledges for up- and reskilling.

Accelerating Skills Development Across Europe

The survey also found that:

Pact members developed or updated nearly 48,000 training programs in 2024.
More than 42,000 stakeholders joined skills networks supported by Pact members, enhancing cooperation among education and training stakeholders.

Members value large-scale skills partnerships, as joint actions and better networks led to improved skills monitoring and enhanced the quality and number of training activities.

84% of respondents consider the Pact a valuable initiative, especially for collaboration, funding access, and skills intelligence.

The survey also highlights the growing importance of regional skills partnerships, with 12 regional partnerships now active across Europe. These partnerships ensure training aligns with regional skills needs. Recently, two new partnerships were established: the Regional Skills Partnership for the Iberian Peninsula, enhancing skills for aerospace and defense sectors in Spain and Portugal, and the Regional Skills Partnership for the Western Balkans, supporting cross-border cooperation to strengthen skills for green and digital transitions in the region.

Background

The Pact for Skills was launched in November 2020. It supports skills partnerships addressing labor market needs, fostering green and digital transitions. The Pact also supports the European Pillar of Social Rights and EU targets on employment and training set in the Pillar Action Plan.

In the Union of Skills strategy, the Commission committed to strengthening the Pact for Skills to become the framework for EU skills initiatives and grant programs.

Pact members sign a charter and pledge actions on upskilling and reskilling, in line with principles of quality training, lifelong learning, and inclusion. The Pact offers access to networking, knowledge-sharing platforms, and EU funding guidance.

The 2024 annual survey was open from January 28 to February 25, 2025. It received responses from 999 Pact members across EU Member States and 9 candidate or EEA countries. Read the full survey report.