The EU has a proven leadership record in the global automotive sector. Adapting to drivers of change is vital in maintaining this leadership. Across the EU, regions with automotive clusters have a key role to play in helping local workforce to acquire skills required for current and future industrial transition. The session highlights the EU Sector Skills Alliances' beneficial impact on regional prosperity and economic development. DRIVES project is the showcase for the important work being conducted to redesign the sector's skills approach and Mangualde Region will share how these can be implemented.

Moderators:

• Pavol Krempasky, Project manager, DG EMPL, Slovakia.
• Anja Suknaic, Policy Assistant, DG GROW - Automotive and Mobility Industries Unit, Slovenia.

Speakers:

• Ana ABRUNHOSA, President of CCDRC and president Managing Authority of Centro Region’s Operational Programme 2014-2020, Centro Portugal Region, Portugal.
• Zdenek Karasek, Moravia-Silesia Governor’s Deputy for Coal Platform and Restart programs, Moravia-Silesia Region, Czechia.
• John Mountford, DRIVES project team leader, SEMTA, United Kingdom.
• Jakub Stolfa, DRIVES Project Coordinator, Project Manager & Researcher, VSB - Technical University of Ostrava, Czechia.
• Sigrid de Vries, Secretary General, CLEPA - European Association of Automotive Suppliers, Netherlands.