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(Note: Opinions in the articles are of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the EU)
Introduction
The construction and building sector employs nearly 13 million people in Europe (6.1% of total EU workforce), while the broader construction ecosystem accounts for approximately 25 million workers. According to Eurostat, 55% of workers in the sector have a medium educational level and are aged between 25 and 49. Forecasts indicate that the number of people working in the secctor will remain stable through to 2035. However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, almost half a million workers became unemployed, and there is still a need to reintegrate them into the labour market. In addition, by 2035, nearly 4 million people are expected to leave the sector—mainly due to retirement—and will need to be replaced.
The construction and building sector faces a shortage of qualified labour and declining interest from young people. The European Commission has identified 42 occupational shortages across EU Member States, several of which relate to the sector—such as civil engineers, bricklayers, carpenters and joiners. Moreover, the sector’s transformation to meet decarbonisation targets and deliver zero-emission buildings, as required by the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), increases the need for workers to acquire new skills in areas such as digitalisation, the circular economy, energy efficiency and related technologies (such as heat pumps and solar energy systems), as well as occupational health and safety.
Moreover, the revised EPBD encourages EU Member States to develop training strategies tailored to their specific building stocks. For example, from 2027, the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI)—which assesses the smart capabilities of a building based on several criteria—will become mandatory for non-residential buildings. Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) will be harmonised across the EU, with increased focus on their dynamic features. In parallel, certifications such as LEED, BREEAM and WELL are increasingly in demand in the market to assess a building’s sustainability. This growing complexity highlights the need to skill young professionals and upskill senior workers.
Through the Union of Skills—a strategic framework proposed by the European Commission to guide long-term investment in skills—the Commission is laying the groundwork for robust action to support upskilling, reskilling and lifelong learning. The European Skills Agenda is a five-year, 12-point action plan to help individuals and businesses develop more and better skills. One of its flagship initiatives is the Pact for Skills. In the construction and building sector, the Large Scale Partnership (LSP) established under the Pact aims to upskill and reskill 30% of the workforce annually by 2030.
Finally, Article 18 of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources requires Member States to ensure that information, guidance and training are made available not only to citizens, but also to workers and professionals, on the implementation of energy efficiency measures and the use of renewable energy. In the upcoming years, building up knowledge and skills in the construction and building sector will be vital to achieving the EU’s decarbonisation targets and maintaining European competitiveness and growth.
EU policy and funding framework
Several EU policies and initiatives promote the acquisition of new skills, upskilling and reskilling among young and senior workers and professionals in the construction and building sector—starting now and continuing in the years to come. Since 2022, Europe has accelerated its efforts by supporting the development of national roadmaps and training programmes. The list below outlines the connection between these policies and skills development.
Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD): The revised EPBD, currently under transposition by EU Member States, explicitly addresses skills acquisition (Article 17). A key measure is the establishment of national building renovation plans (Article 3) to outline sustainable renovation strategies towards zero-emission buildings—requiring a highly skilled workforce to implement new tools and certifications. The directive also addresses skills gaps and calls for inclusive education strategies, with a focus on underrepresented groups (Annex II – Template for the national building renovation plans).
Renewable Energy Directive (RED): The revised Directive (EU) 2018/2001, adopted in 2023, highlights the importance of skills acquisition in achieving climate neutrality and renewable energy targets. It requires certification (or equivalent qualification) schemes for installers and designers of renewable heating and cooling systems, solar photovoltaic systems (including energy storage), and recharging points enabling demand response (Article 18). Member States must establish frameworks to ensure an adequate supply of trained and qualified installers, with appropriate training programmes to meet market demand and close skills gaps (Annex IV – Training and certification of installers and designers of renewable energy installations). If Member States identify a substantial gap in qualified professionals, they are required to take corrective measures.
Energy Efficiency Directive (EED): Updated in 2023, the directive raises the EU’s energy efficiency targets. It mandates that Member States ensure an appropriate level of competence among professionals involved in energy efficiency-related services—such as energy service providers, auditors, managers, and installers—through certification and training programmes (Article 28). The aim is to align professional competences with market needs and establish clear certification requirements.
BUILD UP Skills (BUS): Launched in 2011 and currently funded under the LIFE Clean Energy Transition sub-programme, BUS supports upskilling for all professionals involved in the construction and renovation value chains. It has established national skills platforms gathering key stakeholders, which have produced updated national roadmaps in 15 Member States. The initiative also funds pilot projects exploring:
Qualification and training schemes that better reflect the skills needed for the energy transition in the building stock;
Innovative tools and delivery methods (e.g. on-site or digital training) to increase participation in training;
Actions that boost demand for and recognition of skills, such as awareness campaigns, skills passports, professional registries, and integration of skills requirements into public procurement.
BUS focuses on piloting innovative approaches that can help unlock the skills challenge in the building value chain, rather than delivering large-scale training directly. As of 2025, the initiative has supported over 100 projects.
Green Deal Industrial Plan: Published in 2023, it complements actions under the European Green Deal by fostering the competitiveness of Europe´s net-zero industry. One of its four pillars focuses on skills. The green transition may affect 35%–40% of all jobs. Through the Net-Zero Industry Academies, the plan promotes upskilling and reskilling in strategic sectors such as sustainable construction. A ‘skills-first' approach supports recognition of existing skills, while new partnerships are being developed for training in heat pumps and energy efficiency, alongside efforts to improve qualification recognition and labour mobility.
Union of Skills: Introduced in March 2025, this Communication announces a suite of measures targeting skills development. It identifies construction as one of the sectors most in need of upskilling and reskilling to ensure future-oriented, quality employment. The Union of Skills framework is built on four macro-pillars:
Build skills for life (with the STEM Education Strategic Plan);
Upskilling and reskilling for the digital and green transitions (with the Reinforced Pact for Skills);
Circular Skills (through the Skills Portability Initiative to support mobility of competences);
Attract, develop and retain talent from third countries (with the Launch of the EU Talent Pool IT Platform).
Erasmus+: The EU’s flagship programme for education, training, youth and sport also co-funds skills development projects in the construction sector. The 2025 Erasmus+ Call for Proposals remains open for selected actions beyond May 2025, with specific deadlines varying by funding strand.
European Social Fund Plus (ESF+): ESF+ is the EU’s main instrument for supporting employment, education, skills, social inclusion, and related structural reforms.
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF): This fund aims to strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion by addressing regional imbalances. For 2021–2027, one of its five priorities focuses on employment, education and skills—including in the construction and building sector. The European Territorial Cooperation (Interreg) programme supports cross-border cooperation and includes 86 EU interregional projects with specific measures to foster labour mobility and skills development.
Just Transition Fund: As a key pillar of the Just Transition Mechanism, the fund supports upskilling and reskilling measures for workers in territories most affected by the transition towards climate neutrality.
InvestEU: This EU-level investment support programme provides technical assistance and financing, backed by an EU budget guarantee. It’s Social Investment and Skills Window supports the development of key competences across disciplines, including architecture and the built environment.
LIFE programme / BUILD UP Skills – call 2024
The nine new projects selected under the 2024 LIFE / BUILD UP Skills call are as follows:
AchieVE-ZEB: Training on zero-emission buildings (Austria, Germany)
DiVIRTUE: AR/VR training on nZEB and zero-emission building skills (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Romania, Greece)
BUSHROSSs: Training on one-stop-shops for building renovation (Ireland, Bulgaria, Greece, Poland, Ukraine, Slovenia)
RESSKILL: Training on renewable energy systems (RES) integration and building digitalisation (Italy, France, Ireland, Belgium, Greece, Spain)
Construye2030Plus: On-site training for blue-collar workers in thermal insulation, window installation and heat pump systems (Spain)
SKILLSAFE-EU: Training in safe handling of heat pumps using highly flammable refrigerants (Belgium/EU, Italy, Netherlands)
Re-Energize: Training for heat pump deployment (Lithuania, Bulgaria, Greece, Luxembourg, Spain, Romania, Portugal)
KnowHow HP: Training for heat pump deployment (Austria, Germany, Italy)
HeatCraft HP: Training for heat pump deployment (Netherlands, Belgium/EU, Germany, Austria)
Conclusion
In the construction and building sector, there is an urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and improve the energy performance of buildings. Achieving this goal requires a well-prepared workforce equipped with the right skills and knowledge to operate in high-quality, fast-paced environments. Skills acquisition, upskilling and reskilling are therefore essential for both professionals and on-site workers.
Professionals must remain up to date in order to carry out tasks such as calculating dynamic EPCs, assessing SRIs, and delivering internationally recognised sustainability certificates (e.g., LEED, BREEAM, WELL). for sustainability in buildings. Meanwhile, construction workers often face challenges in adopting new skills quickly, and retaining talent in certain sub-sectors—such as heat pump installation—is becoming increasingly difficult. These limitations must be addressed through appropriate combinations of policy measures, financial instruments and national action plans, enabling the sector to fully seize future opportunities.
In the coming years, the European Commission will deliver a robust framework for education, skills and training. EU Member States must also adopt ambitious national implementation plans—as outlined in Article 18 of Directive (EU) 2018/2001— to support competitiveness, growth and innovation at both national and EU levels.
