A Data-Driven Approach to Workforce Development 

As part of the DS4Skills project, Scheer proudly leads the use case: Mind the Gap: Skill-Driven Strategic Workforce Learning and Development. This initiative explores how trusted European data spaces and AI-powered services can transform the way organisations understand, manage, and develop their workforce skills. In other words, it’s about moving from fragmented information to strategic intelligence—turning skill data into a driver of innovation, agility, and growth. 

But why does this matter? Because across Europe, the message is clear: the skills gap is no longer an abstract challenge – it’s a measurable economic reality. According to the OECD Skills Studies (2024), more than half of firms across OECD countries report difficulty finding employees with the right competencies, identifying skill shortages as a key constraint on productivity and innovation (OECD, OECD Skills Studies – Understanding Skill Gaps in Firms, 2024). The OECD’s Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) adds that around one-third of adults are in roles that do not match their skills, a misalignment that correlates with lower wages (−12%), reduced job satisfaction, and lost economic potential (OECD, Do Adults Have the Skills They Need to Thrive in a Changing World, 2024). 

From an EU perspective, the problem is equally visible. Cedefop’s research shows that skill mismatch remains a structural feature of European labour markets, particularly as digitalisation and the green transition reshape the demand for work (Cedefop, Skill Mismatch). Meanwhile, new findings from the EU-funded TRAILS project (2025) reveal that 53% of micro firms, 65% of small, 68% of medium-sized, and 72% of large companies struggle to fill positions due to missing skills—especially in technology and data-related domains. Even more striking, nearly 40% of European workers are considered digitally under-skilled, yet less than half participate in any digital training (TRAILS / Ipsos, From Data to Action: Tackling Europe’s Skills Mismatch, 2025). 

At the same time, research shows that investing in learning and leadership development delivers real, measurable returns. Empirical studies have found that well-structured programs can generate productivity gains and ROI figures of up to 200%, depending on context and evaluation design (Avolio et al., Estimating Return on Leadership Development Investment, 2010). More recent frameworks confirm that organizations maximizing alignment between learning, business goals, and data achieve significantly higher impact and sustainability (Geerts, Maximizing the Impact and ROI of Leadership Development, 2024). 

For Scheer, these insights reinforce the urgency and value of its DS4Skills-GO use case, “Skill-Driven Strategic Workforce Learning and Development.” The initiative directly addresses the fragmentation of workforce skill data by connecting multiple systems—project platforms, learning systems, and HR databases—within a trusted European data space. By doing so, Scheer transforms scattered information into actionable intelligence, enabling smarter, faster, and more transparent decisions about upskilling, recruitment, and strategic workforce planning. In a Europe where skill mismatches hold back innovation, Scheer’s approach shows what’s possible when trusted data and AI come together to make skills visible, measurable, and future-ready.