Page 159 - ePaper
P. 159
Chapter 3: The future of work in Europe: job quality and work organisation for a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth
4.4.1. Skills and training 4.4.2. Anticipating change, international cooperation and health and
needs in the green economy securing transitions safety more generally, via for instance,
and considering new the Green Growth Knowledge Forum( ),
81
The introduction of new products and health and safety risks can also provide innovative solutions.
processes associated with greening (e.g.
improving resource efficiency, recycling As stated, the greening of the economy 4.4.3. Addressing gender
waste or preserving biodiversity) are due can bring along many occupational risks. stereotyping
to entail changes in skills requirements Some new tasks (e.g. accessing the exte -
and occupational profiles. Traditional rior peak of windmills (AEE, 2012)) or Women are more often employed in
skills remain important but new tasks products (e.g. the use of microorganisms occupations that are seen as less closely
are required, with increased demand in the production of biofuels (Driscoll et related to the greening of the economy
for a skilled workforce in growing eco- al., 2005)), the use of nanomaterials) (e.g. health and social work, education
industries, up-skilling of workers across may involve risks in terms of workers’ and retail), while men are more likely
all sectors, and re-skilling of workers in health and safety (e.g. falls or respira- to be employed in research, engineer-
sectors vulnerable to restructuring. Work - tory illnesses). These uncertain risks are ing, manufacturing and construction
ers may not be fully prepared for such often without monetary compensation: of energy- and resource-saving tech -
82
tasks, or they may pose new safety and for example, intensive manual workers in nologies ( ), requiring STEM skills. Such
health risks (see below). For example, waste management face strong health activities are also often characterised
electricians are not trained to work at and safety risks and often receive low by a lack of managerial positions held
extreme heights and construction work- pay (e.g. Antonsson, 2014; EU-OSHA, by women. While the greening of the
ers may not know how to deal with new 2013). economy is likely to affect all sectors (for
material or electrical hazards. instance via the integration of environ-
Monitoring the impact of new technolo- mental considerations in education and
Opportunities to move to green jobs of gies on job quality may pose challenges, training, or adding skill sets in retail to
better quality will depend largely on in particular to SMEs, which may not advise customers on the environmental
workers’ ability to upgrade their skills. have the necessary resources to make performance), there is a risk that it may
This, in turn, will require enough flexibil- adequate assessments of new processes be perceived as primarily creating more
ity in educational and training schemes and products vis-à-vis larger firms. These and better jobs for men.
to keep pace with green products and have better access to financial resources
process innovations. and technologies, better access to infor- 4.5. Strengthening job
mation, internal human resources and quality to foster future
Education and training systems (voca- access to skills programmes. productivity growth in
tional training, life-long learning pro- the face of significant
grammes, on-the-job training) can These developments raise several impor - structural changes
be effective tools for coping with the tant challenges (which go beyond labour
demand for new skills and preventing market policies), including: filling the Ongoing structural changes are expected
skill bottlenecks. Targeted bridging pro- gaps in our knowledge to make more reli - to have a significant impact on job qual -
grammes which put low-skilled workers able risk assessments; promoting tech- ity and workers’ performance. They can
on a sustainable long-term career path nologies that reduce health and safety bring along a host of opportunities for
(e.g. pre-vocational training schemes hazards of intensive manual work such job creation and improving job qual-
providing basic skills to enter technical as in waste management and recycling ity. This may happen through: widening
training) could temper emerging inequal - (including collection, transport, and dis- the opportunities to exploit countries’
ities in job quality. E-learning through- posal and processing); promoting product comparative advantages through new
out the career supported by instruments designs that cover the whole life cycle production processes, new products and
such as online libraries and interactive of products, including their recycling at new markets; mitigating physical or
tools also constitute interesting options the end of their use; and integrating in psychosocial barriers to labour market
(e.g. Cedefop, 2010; EU-OSHA, 2013). the production process an independent participation, notably of more vulnerable
Anticipating future skill needs and sup- assessment of the health and safety workers (e.g. older and disabled workers);
porting the dissemination of new train- risks associated with the introduction of and generating greater (occupational and
ing opportunities, as outlined in the New new green products or processes (e.g. geographical) labour mobility and thus
Skills for New Jobs agenda and the Euro - EU-OHSA, 2013). a larger choice of jobs and the opportu-
pean Quality Framework for anticipation nity to perform tasks that best fit work-
80
of change and restructuring( ), in close Awareness-raising activities informing ers’ abilities and preferences. This may
cooperation with public employment workers of their employment rights and reinforce overall productivity growth and
services (European Commission, 2010a obligations and upgrading their skills earnings potential.
and European Commission, 2014e), are to include the new “greener” forms of
another policy priority. materials and production methods can
substantially improve working condi- ( ) See the Green Growth Knowledge Forum
81
tions and decrease safety and health launched by the Green Growth Institute,
the OECD, the United Nations Environment
hazards. Promoting social dialogue at Programme and the World Bank, see
industry and sector levels will be key http://www.greengrowthknowledge.org
82
( ) See, for example, http://ec.europa.eu/social/ in this respect (e.g. European Commis- ( ) For example, Blanco and Rodrigues (2011)
80
main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&newsId=201 report that 78 % of the workforce in wind
2&furtherNews=yes sion, 2014e). Further strengthening energy is male.
157
4.4.1. Skills and training 4.4.2. Anticipating change, international cooperation and health and
needs in the green economy securing transitions safety more generally, via for instance,
and considering new the Green Growth Knowledge Forum( ),
81
The introduction of new products and health and safety risks can also provide innovative solutions.
processes associated with greening (e.g.
improving resource efficiency, recycling As stated, the greening of the economy 4.4.3. Addressing gender
waste or preserving biodiversity) are due can bring along many occupational risks. stereotyping
to entail changes in skills requirements Some new tasks (e.g. accessing the exte -
and occupational profiles. Traditional rior peak of windmills (AEE, 2012)) or Women are more often employed in
skills remain important but new tasks products (e.g. the use of microorganisms occupations that are seen as less closely
are required, with increased demand in the production of biofuels (Driscoll et related to the greening of the economy
for a skilled workforce in growing eco- al., 2005)), the use of nanomaterials) (e.g. health and social work, education
industries, up-skilling of workers across may involve risks in terms of workers’ and retail), while men are more likely
all sectors, and re-skilling of workers in health and safety (e.g. falls or respira- to be employed in research, engineer-
sectors vulnerable to restructuring. Work - tory illnesses). These uncertain risks are ing, manufacturing and construction
ers may not be fully prepared for such often without monetary compensation: of energy- and resource-saving tech -
82
tasks, or they may pose new safety and for example, intensive manual workers in nologies ( ), requiring STEM skills. Such
health risks (see below). For example, waste management face strong health activities are also often characterised
electricians are not trained to work at and safety risks and often receive low by a lack of managerial positions held
extreme heights and construction work- pay (e.g. Antonsson, 2014; EU-OSHA, by women. While the greening of the
ers may not know how to deal with new 2013). economy is likely to affect all sectors (for
material or electrical hazards. instance via the integration of environ-
Monitoring the impact of new technolo- mental considerations in education and
Opportunities to move to green jobs of gies on job quality may pose challenges, training, or adding skill sets in retail to
better quality will depend largely on in particular to SMEs, which may not advise customers on the environmental
workers’ ability to upgrade their skills. have the necessary resources to make performance), there is a risk that it may
This, in turn, will require enough flexibil- adequate assessments of new processes be perceived as primarily creating more
ity in educational and training schemes and products vis-à-vis larger firms. These and better jobs for men.
to keep pace with green products and have better access to financial resources
process innovations. and technologies, better access to infor- 4.5. Strengthening job
mation, internal human resources and quality to foster future
Education and training systems (voca- access to skills programmes. productivity growth in
tional training, life-long learning pro- the face of significant
grammes, on-the-job training) can These developments raise several impor - structural changes
be effective tools for coping with the tant challenges (which go beyond labour
demand for new skills and preventing market policies), including: filling the Ongoing structural changes are expected
skill bottlenecks. Targeted bridging pro- gaps in our knowledge to make more reli - to have a significant impact on job qual -
grammes which put low-skilled workers able risk assessments; promoting tech- ity and workers’ performance. They can
on a sustainable long-term career path nologies that reduce health and safety bring along a host of opportunities for
(e.g. pre-vocational training schemes hazards of intensive manual work such job creation and improving job qual-
providing basic skills to enter technical as in waste management and recycling ity. This may happen through: widening
training) could temper emerging inequal - (including collection, transport, and dis- the opportunities to exploit countries’
ities in job quality. E-learning through- posal and processing); promoting product comparative advantages through new
out the career supported by instruments designs that cover the whole life cycle production processes, new products and
such as online libraries and interactive of products, including their recycling at new markets; mitigating physical or
tools also constitute interesting options the end of their use; and integrating in psychosocial barriers to labour market
(e.g. Cedefop, 2010; EU-OSHA, 2013). the production process an independent participation, notably of more vulnerable
Anticipating future skill needs and sup- assessment of the health and safety workers (e.g. older and disabled workers);
porting the dissemination of new train- risks associated with the introduction of and generating greater (occupational and
ing opportunities, as outlined in the New new green products or processes (e.g. geographical) labour mobility and thus
Skills for New Jobs agenda and the Euro - EU-OHSA, 2013). a larger choice of jobs and the opportu-
pean Quality Framework for anticipation nity to perform tasks that best fit work-
80
of change and restructuring( ), in close Awareness-raising activities informing ers’ abilities and preferences. This may
cooperation with public employment workers of their employment rights and reinforce overall productivity growth and
services (European Commission, 2010a obligations and upgrading their skills earnings potential.
and European Commission, 2014e), are to include the new “greener” forms of
another policy priority. materials and production methods can
substantially improve working condi- ( ) See the Green Growth Knowledge Forum
81
tions and decrease safety and health launched by the Green Growth Institute,
the OECD, the United Nations Environment
hazards. Promoting social dialogue at Programme and the World Bank, see
industry and sector levels will be key http://www.greengrowthknowledge.org
82
( ) See, for example, http://ec.europa.eu/social/ in this respect (e.g. European Commis- ( ) For example, Blanco and Rodrigues (2011)
80
main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&newsId=201 report that 78 % of the workforce in wind
2&furtherNews=yes sion, 2014e). Further strengthening energy is male.
157
