Skills-OVATE (Skills from Online Vacancies)

CEDEFOP needed a clearer and more standardized way to understand how skills demand was evolving across European labor markets, particularly as employers adopted new technologies and shifted their hiring expectations. Existing data sources did not consistently capture real-time changes in job requirements, which made it difficult for policymakers and education providers to adjust training systems. Lightcast supported CEDEFOP by analyzing millions of online job vacancies across EU member states and identifying patterns in skills demand, emerging occupations, and cross-country differences in workforce needs. This work produced a structured dataset that allowed CEDEFOP to compare trends across sectors and provide a more accurate picture of skill requirements throughout Europe.

These insights gave CEDEFOP a stronger foundation for informing skills policy and advising national education and training systems. The findings helped leaders understand which competencies were becoming more important, where shortages were emerging, and how different countries were responding to shifts in the labor market. By grounding its guidance in real-time labor market evidence, CEDEFOP strengthened its ability to support strategic planning and to encourage training programs that reflect the actual needs of European employers.