The EU “Union of Skills” strategy: focus on skills and competitiveness, but action required to recognise inequalities and barriers for adult learners The Union of Skills strategy identifies some reasons for issues with skills across Europe:

Decrease in digital and literacy skills in schools
Shortage in craft occupations as well as in sectors like agriculture and fishing in what the EU calls VET (Vocational Education and Training)
Lack of basic literacy and overall participation in adult education
Gender gap inequality in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths)
Lack of financial and entrepreneurial training
Lack of necessary skills relating to rapid societal and cultural transformations and crises

The Union of Skills strategy…
https://www.aontas.com/knowled....ge%2Fblog%2Fthe-eu-u