Rapid labour market changes leave too many workers at risk of losing their skills Skill obsolescence is an integral part of technological progress and, in many cases, it is not a problem. It is natural that some previously necessary skills are no longer needed as people progress in their careers. However, skill obsolescence has become more important as jobs have become more demanding and complex. As technology progresses, this trend is expected to speed up in the coming years.

To obtain a clearer picture of the largely unexplored question of skill obsolescence, Cedefop launched a pilot survey in four European Union Member States (Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands and Finland). The survey looked at how many people in work aged between 30 and 55 felt their skills were, or were becoming, obsolete. It also examined the type of skills and people most affected by skill obsolescence and what enterprises and policy-makers can do to reduce it. This briefing note provides an overview of major findings of the survey.