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Buildings need to be carefully operated and maintained for optimum health, comfort, energy performance, and utility costs. The increasing use of Machine Learning combined with Big Data in the building services sector has shown the potential to bring energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, upskilling and reskilling the current workforce is required to realize new possibilities. In addition, sharing and preserving knowledge are also required for the sustainable growth of professionals and companies. This formed the basis for the Dutch Research Council funded TransAct project. To increase access to education on the job, online learning is experiencing phenomenal growth. A study was conducted with two focus groups - professionals of a building service company and university researchers - to understand the existing challenges and the ways to improve knowledge sharing and upskilling through learning on the job. This study introduced an Enterprise Social Network platform that connects members and may facilitate knowledge sharing. As a community forum, Yammer from office 365 was used. For hosting project files, a SharePoint page was created. For online courses, the company’s online learning site was utilized. The log data from the online tools were analysed, semi-structured interviews and webinars were conducted and feedback was collected with google forms. Incentive models like social recognition and innovative project results were used to motivate the professionals for online activities. This paper distinguishes the impacts of initiatives on the behaviour of university researchers vs company employees.
This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the AI-related skills and roles needed to bridge the AI skills gap in Europe. Using a mixed-method research approach, this study investigated the most in-demand AI expertise areas and roles by surveying 409 organizations in Europe, analyzing 2,563 AI-related job advertisements, and conducting 24 focus group sessions with 145 industry and policy experts. The findings underscore the importance of both general technical skills in AI related to big data, machine learning and deep learning, cyber and data security, large language models as well as AI soft skills such as problemsolving and effective communication. This study sets the foundation for future research directions, emphasizing the importance of upskilling initiatives and the evolving nature of AI skills demand, contributing to an EU-wide strategy for future AI skills development.
MULTIFILE
"The booklet presents curated real-world good practice examples that help translate our strategy into concrete actions, and in turn, into the design of education and training programmes that will contribute to skill, upskill, or reskill individuals into high demand professional software roles."
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The PANTOUR consortium builds on previous knowledge and tools produced by the Blueprint for Sectoral Skills project/NTG Alliance and will develop new tools and methodology to address strategic and sustainable approaches and cooperation between vocational education, training, higher education, enterprises of the tourism sector, looking to boost innovation in Europe (in tourism, leisure and hospitality).Societal IssueThe aim of this project is to map and bridge the existing skills gaps in Green, Social and Digital skills of workforce in tourism, leisure and hospitality.Benefit to societyMaking lifelong learning and mobility a reality, developing innovative learning solutions and promoting inclusiveness and access to education. Promoting active citizenship, building equal opportunities and addressing gender equality, diversity and inclusiveness in targeted actions.The consortium aims especially at designing innovative and cooperative solutions to address skills needs in the tourism ecosystem, with the development of outputs such as: the Sectoral Skills Intelligence Monitor, the Tourism Skills Lab, Resource Books for Trainers, the implementation of the National Skills Groups, a Skills Strategy Plan for 2026-2036, among others. With the exploitation of its outputs, PANTOUR seeks to benefit job seekers, unemployed and employed workers from the industry, employers, SMEs and micro entrepreneurs, dedicating a special attention in reskilling and upskilling the workforce on future skills needs in digital, green and social skills.The number of people benefiting from this proposal will be over 10 million that work across the tourism and leisure sector in Europe.The consortium is a multi-disciplinary partnership which comprises 13 European partners: Industry Partners and Tourism Sector Representatives, Universities and Transnational partners. Project lead is CEHAT (Spain). The other partners are GESTLABOR (Spain), Turismo de Portugal (Portugal), Zangador Research Institute (Bulgaria), Technological University Dublin (Ireland), Federturismo Confindustria (Italy), VIMOSZ (Hungary), European Tourism Association ETOA (Transnational), Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (Finland), Ruraltour (Transnational), Landurlaub (Germany), University of the Aegan (Greece).