29/06/2026
A new peer-reviewed article based on findings from the TRAILS project Deliverable 3.1 has been published in the British Journal of Industrial Relations, one of the world’s leading journals in the field (ABS 4 ranking). The article is open access and available to the public.
The study is authored by Lorcan Kelly, Paul Redmond, and Luke Brosnan from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), Dublin, Ireland.
The publication provides one of the most comprehensive analyses to date of how rapidly changing skill requirements are affecting workers across Europe, and how training can help reduce the risk of skills mismatch.
Understanding how skills are changing across Europe
The research uses data from approximately 70 million online job vacancies, covering EU Member States as well as Norway and the United Kingdom. It maps how occupational skill requirements evolved between 2019 and 2023.
The findings show that:
By linking job vacancy data with labour force survey data, the study provides robust evidence of the relationship between changing job requirements and workers’ ability to keep pace with new skill demands.
The role of training in reducing skills mismatch
A key contribution of the study is its analysis of how different types of training can help mitigate skills gaps.
The research finds that:
This suggests that the effectiveness of training depends not only on access, but also on its structure, intensity, and combination.
A new dataset for future research and policy
As part of the publication, the authors also release a new dataset on occupational skill change, developed under TRAILS Deliverable 3.1. This dataset is published as an accompanying data appendix and is expected to support further research in:
The dataset provides a valuable resource for understanding how skills demands evolve in real time across European labour markets.
Strengthening the evidence base for skills policy in Europe
The findings from this publication reinforce key messages from the TRAILS project: that labour markets are changing quickly, particularly in high-skill and STEM-intensive occupations, and that policy responses must focus not only on education, but also on effective and targeted training systems.
By identifying which types of training work best in practice, the study provides actionable insights for policymakers, social partners, and education providers working to reduce skills mismatches across Europe.
Access to the publication
The full open-access article is available via the British Journal of Industrial Relations:
British Journal of Industrial Relations article (open access)
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101132673
