Conference: Skills (R)evolution in the Automotive-Mobility Ecosystem

Europe’s automotive industry remains one of the foundations of Europe’s economy - supporting more than 13 million jobs, contributing around 7% of EU GDP, and representing roughly one-third of Europe’s private R&D investment. That is huge...

That made the discussions at the Skills (R)Evolution Conference on 21 + 22 April 2026 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, especially relevant.

The conference, organised in the framework of the TRIREME Project and co-hosted with the European Chips Skills Academy, highlighted how rapidly automotive, semiconductors, AI, digitalisation, sustainability and advanced manufacturing are converging.

During the panel discussion Industrial Jobs in the Spotlight: Securing Today’s Workforce, Shaping Tomorrow’s Talent, our Director European Affairs, Rolf Schreuder, joined representatives from industry, trade unions and policy to discuss how Europe could respond to accelerating technological change, workforce transformation and growing global competition.

One message clearly emerged:
Europe did not only need more technical skills. It also needed stronger and more connected learning ecosystems - linking education, industry, regions and society much more effectively, from early education through lifelong learning.

At the EU STEM Coalition, we shared the view that Europe’s competitiveness and resilience will increasingly depend on its ability to connect talent development, industrial strategy and societal transitions.

Thank you to all organisers, speakers and participants for the inspiring exchanges in Cluj-Napoca.