What are the the skills that Europe needs for the Twin Transition?

The European Union’s Twin Transition is accelerating as the demand for AI and green roles grows across Europe. Since 2021, EU countries have witnessed an increase in labour market vacancies by 12% for green jobs and by 20% for AI roles. Across the EU, around 2% of all job vacancies require AI or green skills. Some countries lead the way: more than 4% of all job openings in Denmark ask for green skills, while 11% of all vacancies in Sweden require AI skills. 

The increase in the demand for green and AI roles is happening fast – potentially too quickly for conventional education to catch up. The majority (55%) of all green and AI job postings advertised in the EU in 2022 did not require any university degree. Only 16% of AI jobs and 11% of green jobs asked for a graduate degree. This indicates that firms are shifting to skill-based hiring; individual skills rather than formal degrees have become the entry tickets to twin transition jobs. 

Some of the most requested AI skills in Europe revolve around Deep Learning and Neural Networks – the backbone for current AI applications. The skills most in demand relate to the building of AI models such as ChatGPT or Dall-E. For green jobs, skills around renewable energy and recycling are most sought after. Firms focus on specific domains in different countries. German employers prioritise ‘computer vision’ skills, a term relating to teaching AI how to ‘see’. French firms have a strong appetite for skills in the field of Photovoltaics. 

Bruegel’s dashboard offers a snapshot of educational prerequisites, skills on the rise and growth patterns. It homes in on the specifics of AI roles, from ChatGPT to natural language processing and showcases green job requirements such as sustainable energy, conservation, or waste management. It outlines the different educational landscapes, role requirements and countries experiencing significant growth across Europe. 

Explore Bruegel’s Twin Transition dashboard online now.

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