The Future of work is a worldwide concern, strongly enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially target ;towards increasing the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship, and Goal 8 on  decent work and economic growth.

According to a recent Cedefop’  European Skills and Jobs survey, 43% of EU adult employees experienced new technologies at work, such as introduction of machines and ICT systems,  about 7 in 10 EU workers require at least moderate digital skills to do their job, and 1 in 5 adult employees in Europe considers it very likely  that their skills will be outdated in the medium-term.

In our global, fast-evolving, digitalised world, it is thus imperative to understand the impact – both in terms of disruption and opportunities – of artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and other digital technologies on employment and current and future labour market demand, including for new forms of digital labour and business models, to take the appropriate actions to re/up-skill the current workforce and make sure the skills of the young generations are future-proof.

As individuals, employers, education providers, policy makers, we all need to think how to develop the professional skills needed in this changing world, also going beyond technical knowledge, including emotional intelligence, as well as continuous learning, as careers are longer and paths increasingly less linear. But this requires both a certain mindset and probably a kind of paradigm shift for many.

ACCA (The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), PwC, BSA | The Software Alliance and European Movement International are delighted to welcome you to a thought-provoking discussion addressing tomorrow's skills and jobs challenges through the prism of digitalization and SDGs & Future ; This event is as part of the European Vocational Skills Week 2019 and a side event related to Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Confirmed speakers include: Eva Kaili, MEP & President of European Movement International, Mark Keese, Head of Skills and Employability Division, OECD; Kasia Jurczak, Member of Cabinet of Marianne Thyssen, EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility; Martina Bisello, Eurofound;  Helen Brand, OBE, Chief Executive, ACCA; Dr. Kristina Dervojeda,  leader of  PwC Innovation Research Centre of PwC Netherlands; Thomas Boué, Director General, Policy - EMEA at BSA | The Software Alliance; Anna Widegren, Secretary General, European Youth Forum; speaker from The Finnish Presidency of the EU (name tbc)