Regions Lead Skills & Innovation for Green & Digital Shift

Regions Lead the Way in Aligning Skills with the Twin Transitions

On 17 June 2025, over 40 participants joined the webinar “Smart Specialisation Skills Ecosystems for the Twin Transition: Regional Pathways to Inclusive Growth and Innovation,” co-hosted by the European Association of Regional and Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning (EARLALL) and the Tuscany Region.

This was the second webinar in the SKYLA series, following the session on “Upskilling for Smart Specialisation Strategies” held on 12 June 2025.

The event stressed that green and digital transitions are not just technical—they are social and economic transformations. As Lorenzo Sabatini (Empolese Valdelsa Development Agency) noted, regions are key drivers of this change through local innovation, data, and strong governance, placing Vocational Education and Training (VET) at the heart of strategy.

From Policy to Practice

Opening the session, Alicia Gabán (EARLALL) and Miriana Bucalossi (Tuscany Region) explored how skills support regional growth and smart specialisation. Bucalossi presented Tuscany’s dual apprenticeship model—such as in the wine sector—which integrates innovation and sustainability with training.

Greening VET Systems: EU and Global Insights

Keynotes by Stelina Chatzichristou (Cedefop) and Kenneth Barrientos (UNESCO-UNEVOC) addressed greening VET systems.

Chatzichristou showcased Cedefop’s tools for anticipating labour market needs, highlighting that even non-green jobs now demand green skills. In particular, she presented Cedefop - UNESCO-UNEVOC's practical focus on skills intelligence and VET for the green transition. She underlined the role of apprenticeships, micro-credentials, and local governance in preparing green-ready workforces.

Barrientos shared global examples—from Thailand to Mauritius—demonstrating how countries are integrating sustainability into VET. While 68% of UNESCO Member States have policies for green VET, fewer have prioritised green skills implementation. She invited participants to explore the UNESCO-UNEVOC online portal, Greening TVET for a greener future.

Local Innovation in Fingal (Ireland)

Aoife Sheridan presented Fingal County Council’s Skills Strategy 2024–2029. The strategy focuses on labour forecasting, digital and green upskilling, and support for vulnerable groups, addressing gaps in childcare, transport, and digital access.

SKYLA Regional Good Practices

Following the presentation on the benefits of the  Policy Learning Platform by Arnault Morisson, a panel highlighted local innovation, regional good practices from SKYLA:

• Sweden – AMK Labour Market Insights:
  Richard Greyling and Charles Hallworth explained how the AMK Labour Market Insights uses real-time labour data to tackle a forecasted shortage of 40,000 skilled workers by 2035 and inspire youth through school outreach.

• Bulgaria – Hack TUES:
  Denitsa Marinova introduced a student-run hackathon that boosts IT and soft skills via mentorship and peer collaboration, strengthening school-business ties.

• Lithuania – KURSUOK Platform:
  Julija Lekavičiūtė presented the national adult education platform launched in 2024. With €500 training vouchers and over 70,000 users, it supports flexible upskilling in digital, language, and business skills.

Ecosystems for Inclusive Growth

In closing, Lorenzo Sabatini emphasised the importance of regional skills ecosystems in tackling employment barriers. He called for stronger cooperation, better use of data, and adaptable apprenticeships—especially with the rise of AI and digital tools.

Initiatives like those in Tuscany and Fingal demonstrate how local strategies can bring EU priorities to life through innovation, inclusion, and place-based solutions.

Looking Forward

The webinar offered both inspiration and direction. It confirmed that regions are not only implementing EU goals—they’re helping to define them. By aligning skills with smart specialisation and sustainability, they can lead a just and impactful twin transition.

Missed the event?

The full recording is available here.

Presentations

• Stelina Chatzichristou, Team facilitator, Skills intelligence and foresight, Cedefop – Presentation
• Kenneth Barrientos, Programme Officer and thematic Team Leader, UNESCO-UNEVOC – Presentation
• Aoife Sheridan, Senior Executive Officer | Fingal County Council – Presentation
• Arnault Morisson, Policy Expert at the Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform – Presentation
• AMK Labour Market Insights –  Richard Greyling (Industrial Development Center South –Presentation
• By students, for students: Hack TUES inspires innovation and IT learning – Denitsa Marinova (Cluster of Mechatronics and Automation, Bulgaria) – Presentation
• KURSUOK (Lithuania): Ms. Julija Lekavičiūtė from the Lifelong Learning Department of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport – Presentation