Křesťan a práce, z. s., Czech Republic (KAP)
EZA-European Centre for Workers’ Questions, Königswinter, Germany
Programme of the KAP Seminar in Velehrad, September 12 to 14, 2025
Funded by the European Union as EZA project No. 70-04-25-SE
“The challenge of workforce and skills shortage“
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The seminar was attended by 80 participants in person, including 5 interpreters, 1 technician. Following EZA partner’s organizations participated – EBCA, KAB (Aachen & Hockenheim, DE), NKOS (SK), Nowy Staw (PL), SAUAT (AL), SIIAEC (AT), ZKRZ (SK). Number of foreign participants: Albania 2, Austria 3, Germany 3, Italy 1, Poland 2, Slovakia 14, Ukraine 2. From Czech Republic 53 persons – mostly members of KAP (except 1 of the presenters). A total of 19 speakers spoke from: Albania 2, Austria 1, Germany 3, Poland 2, Slovakia 1, Ukraine 2, Czech Republic 8.
First aim of the seminar was to evaluate trends related to the development of the labour force, including projections of its future growth focusing on specific labour force challenges and solutions proposals. Second objective was to identify specific challenges related to the labour shortage in the European Union and the lack of necessary skills and contribute to the debate on how to address them.
The nature of the topic allowed to approach its solution from two points of view: firstly, in the context of labour shortages in general, and secondly, in the context of labour shortages where there is currently a relatively higher demand for labour, which is related to structural mismatches in labour markets, where the qualifications offered to employees do not match the requirements of employers. Each of the mentioned options contains different potential solutions, both for employers and the government. In the case of government policy, a wide range of possible solutions was discussed, from active employment policy to social measures to structural policy.
The added value of the seminar was a better understanding of the consequences associated with high and unpredictable workforce and skills shortage developments due to rapid incorporations of new technologies in combination with the process of ageing population. Participants discussed the role of Christian-social policy in the context of the social doctrine of the Catholic church. This seminar contributed to a better understanding of the mentioned consequences within long life learning education, tripartite negotiations and collective bargaining framework.
The discussed topics included:
- Macroeconomic perspective: demographic trends, structural mismatches of workforce and skills;
- Individual perspective: prolongation of working life, retraining, adaptability of older workers, digital literacy;
- Impact of technological change on older employees;
- Role of Catholic social doctrine in addressing EU and global challenges workforce and skills shortage;
- Ethical perspectives on work, division of labour, and protection of vulnerable groups;
- Migration trends and their potential to mitigate workforce and skills shortage;
- Country case studies: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Ukraine, Poland, Austria, Albania.
Seminar results included:
- Recognition that workforce shortages and skills shortage are interconnected challenges, especially in post-socialist economies;
- Adaptability of the workforce, especially older employees, is key for long-term competitiveness;
- Adaptability of the workforce, especially older employees represents a challenge for life-long education and training systems;
- Catholic social teaching provides valuable ethical guidance for employment policies and social peace.
Resolutions and demands:
- Policy focus on the vulnerable: Governments must consider the weakest groups when addressing workforce and skills shortage;
- Shaping expectations: Fiscal authorities should work to form stable fiscal environment in the long run to provide social protection to most vulnerable groups of workforce;
- Support for retraining and digital literacy, particularly for workers over 50;
- Managed migration should be explored as a complementary solution to workforce shortage;
- Strong call for integrating Christian approach into modern economic and labour policy frameworks.
Consequences for daily work:
- Increased demand on HR strategies: retraining programs, active ageing policies, support for digital upskilling;
- Trade unions and workers’ organizations should strengthen advocacy for vulnerable groups in collective bargaining;
- Daily work requires awareness of international and historical lessons, to avoid repeating past mistakes;
- Managers and employees should be prepared for greater volatility in the labour market, requiring flexibility.
Realizing seminar results in daily work:
- Dissemination of insights within organizations, encouraging discussion of skills and workforce shortages;
- Pressure on policymakers: organizations and unions must actively lobby for policies that minimize social damage;
- Develop internal training and retraining systems;
- Introduce measures to support older workers’ adaptability;
- Align organizational culture with Christian social values, promoting dignity of work;
- Encourage international cooperation and dialogue among unions, NGOs, and policymakers to share best practices.
