The BuildSkills Academy Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) brought together leading European experts, policymakers, vocational education and training providers, industry representatives and social partners in Brussels for its first international Masterclass, hosted by the European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC). The event, entitled “The Pact for Skills and what new skills will drive the twin transition?”, focused on the skills transformation required to support the green and digital transition of Europe’s construction sector.
Organised within the framework of EU Green Week, the Masterclass highlighted the growing importance of collaboration between BuildSkills Academy and the Pact for Skills in Construction, one of Europe’s flagship initiatives for workforce development. The event was co-organised with FIEC, which serves as a coordinator of the Pact for Skills in Construction together with the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW) and the European Builders Confederation (EBC).
The two-day programme explored emerging skills needs driven by decarbonisation, digitalisation and industrial transformation. Participants exchanged experiences on labour market intelligence, innovative training approaches, certification systems, apprenticeships, lifelong learning and large-scale upskilling and reskilling pathways for construction professionals.
A key focus of the discussions was the role of the Pact for Skills in mobilising stakeholders across Europe to invest in vocational education and workforce development. The Pact promotes stronger partnerships between industry, education providers, social partners and public authorities, helping to anticipate future skills needs and accelerate the delivery of training opportunities across the construction ecosystem.
The Masterclass also demonstrated the strong alignment between the objectives of BuildSkills Academy and the Construction Blueprint 2 initiative. While BuildSkills Academy is developing a European framework for certification and upgrading green and digital skills in the built environment, Construction Blueprint 2 is working to develop strategic approaches, curricula and training solutions under the Pact for Skills framework. Together, these initiatives contribute to a more resilient, competitive and future-ready construction workforce across Europe.
Through this collaboration, BuildSkills Academy and the Pact for Skills in Construction are helping to strengthen the European skills ecosystem, ensuring that workers, companies and training providers are equipped to meet the challenges and opportunities of the twin transition. The Brussels Masterclass marks an important milestone in building a shared European vision for skills development and reinforcing cooperation across the construction value chain.
