What happens when jobs change faster than people can acquire the skills to do them?
We live in a high labour shortage in the market that relies on courses and training that have become easily obsolete. With the fast transformation, traditional training has lost their effectiveness because they simply cannot keep up.
We can see mainly two areas that conventional business struggle to adapt and compete .
Environmentally sustainable practices, with traditional roles declining and a high demand for new green skills; including roles in cleaner production and reducing emissions that are constantly merged with a digital profile and the technological revolution with the tech boom and integration of AI, where the employee must learn digital competencies while the enterprise must integrate digital transformation within the staff.
The digital gap worldwide has increased. While some people cannot imagine their lives without a smartphone or internet connection, as of 2025, more than 20% of the population still do not use it. For some workers, learning to use a new digital tool is an effortless part of their everyday life. For others, simply accessing and navigating the internet remains a daily challenge .
Understanding the urgency of reducing the skills gap is a key step towards reducing disparities between different groups, and that’s why Diesis Network has been focusing on developing the skills of employers and job seekers with projects all over Europe, maintaining the inclusivity in the core of our actions.
No one left behind; but how?  The current digital gap has increased in the last decades, and technological progress will not stop now. Take the example of a modern car mechanics; nowadays it may require using diagnostic computers, requiring not only basic digital skills to access the system but also the ability to interpret data to determine the right repair. This means that the job market will demand new skills and for these groups lacking digital skills, their access to employment and opportunities in society in general will be much more limited.
What are the solutions? The EU has created different strategies and tools to support re-skilling and up-skilling of the European labour force. One of the plans (EU Skills Agenda) includes 12 actions to strengthen sustainable competitiveness and ensure social fairness, raising the participation of unemployed and low-qualified adults in learning experiences.
Since then, the EC has approved 55 projects to address sector skills mismatches. Among them, the baSE project – selected to identify priorities and milestones for action and develop concrete solutions for the Social Economy and Proximity Skills, including creating and updating curricula and qualifications based on changing or new occupational profiles (OPs).
However, the main problem cannot be summarised only as never-ending research on skills for being suitable for the evolving job market. As a matter of fact, once a course is published, it can be defined as outdated after a short period. Therefore, we focus on constant research and innovation, partnering with different stakeholders to bring together a systemic solution. We see the current landscape as an opportunity to restructure the economy in a more sustainable and inclusive way. An economy that understands the need for digital modernisation but considering the human and environmental aspects behind it, using clean energy and creating quality jobs. Focusing on transversal skills that do not get outdated is essential.
Diminishing the skills gap
Diesis took the co-lead of the baSE project, and a key strength was the innovative consortium: VET providers using their know-how for training efficiently people, Universities bringing to the table a solid academic background, and SE representatives at national and EU level, contributing with social inclusion and advocacy topics. Leveraging the strengths of each actor, we interconnected theory and practice from the grassroots level to EU policymaking.
What do people and organisations need for fair transition? The digital and green transition cannot be just without inclusivity. Therefore, based on already existing tools and EU competence frameworks, we developed the SocioComp framework, providing the theoretical foundation (Knowledge), the practical application (Competences), and the mindset required (Attitudes) to equip individuals and organisations towards the triple transition.
The SocioComp goes a step further by incorporating social impact, ethical decision-making, and democratic governance aspects, strengthening its position in the development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem that is socially conscious and respectful of people and planet boundaries.
But who are THESE PEOPLE that will navigate the green, digital and fair transition? With a significant gap related to SE in the ESCO database, baSE project developed 4 Occupational Profiles, delineating personas that meet the diverse requirements of the social economy and aligns with its workforce competencies. The profiles were created based on EU frameworks (ESCO and EQF levels), ensuring a common understanding across Europe and that they remain relevant and reflective of the evolving labour market demands. They can be used as practical tools to help organisations identify skills needs, shape training and development opportunities, and better understand the roles and competencies needed for the social economy to navigate the transition.
More than 1.000 people all over Europe have been upskilled or reskilled through baSE trainings, fostering a skilled and value-aligned workforce within the SE landscape. These trainings have different levels, directed to SE workers or managers, and are based on EU needs but adapted to a local level, so any SEOs can also tailor them to their specific needs.
What is next after BASE?
What comes next after baSE? Building on the experience, knowledge and results developed through the project, Diesis will bring the lessons and tools from baSE into the Pact for Skills, using them to support further skills development initiatives and to encourage their wider use across the social economy. In doing so, Diesis aims to turn what has been learned through baSE into lasting opportunities for people and organisations, helping Europe create new pathways to decent work and a more inclusive economy.
Skills are not just about employability. They are about making sure people can keep learning, adapt to change and can take part in what comes next.