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Skills shortage in France and Hungary: insights from two LIFE projects
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European Countries,
France,
Hungary
Skills shortage in France and Hungary: insights from two LIFE projects
Hungary faces an annual shortfall of 13,600 construction workers, while France needs 430,000 skilled workers by 2030 to upgrade millions of buildings for energy efficiency, highlighting significant workforce challenges in meeting EU clean energy objectives.
Luca Papapietro
Europe’s buildings urgently need upgrades, with Hungary and France among those most affected. In Hungary, 70% of buildings (4.2 million) require renovation, while France must upgrade nearly 1 million residential buildings by 2030. High energy costs disproportionately affect low-income households, with Hungarians spending 14% of their income on energy in 2023, and the French nearly 7%.
To address workforce shortages, Hungary’s ConstructSkills4LIFE found a shortfall of 13,600 workers annually, and France’s LIFE BUS2-FRANCE identified a need for 430,000 skilled workers by 2030. Both projects contribute to EU goals on energy efficiency and workforce development aligning with initiatives like the European Green Deal, the New European Bauhaus, REPowerEU.
