Generation in Europe: 2024 in Retrospective
In 2024, Generation celebrated a remarkable milestone—10 years of transforming lives through training-to-employment programs. What began in 2014 as a bold initiative to tackle youth unemployment has grown into a global network operating in 17 countries and supporting the economic mobility of over 127,000 people globally (including midcareer and older workers). Europe has been central to this journey, starting with the launch of Generation Spain in 2015, followed by Italy in 2018, and France, the UK, and Ireland in 2019. This year, we took bold steps to deepen our engagement with Europe, setting the stage for even greater impact.
This year, our commitment to Europe became more formalized with the establishment of the Generation Europe entity in Ireland separate from our 5 existing European country operations. This step signifies our strategic goal to engage more intentionally at the European level both in terms of learning from peer organisations but also in contributing to efforts to promote vocational training excellence across Europe.
Brussels played a pivotal role in our European journey this year. In June, our European leadership convened in the heart of Europe to meet EC policymakers and representatives from pan-European organizations. Discussions centered on how to equip Europe’s workforce with future-ready skills. We shared our experiences from five European countries and explored how Generation could support EU-wide efforts to close skills gaps. In addition, we contributed to cedefop’s (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training) VET Toolkit for empowering NEETs by sharing a best practices case study regarding Generation’s approach in mobilising, selecting, training, and placing into jobs young people not in education, employment, or training. Generation Europe strives to share knowledge and foster collaboration across the EU, ensuring a unified approach to addressing skills gaps and learning from each other’s successes to drive greater impact.
Another significant milestone was the publication of our first European Impact Report, highlighting how our programs drive meaningful change through collaboration, innovation, and advocacy. The report reflects our continued engagement with policymakers and partners, emphasizing the power of data-driven insights in shaping employment policies and supporting inclusive economic growth across Europe.
Our work in the digital skills space received recognition from the EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative, which named us Trainer of the Year 2024 during the Deep Tech Skills Days in Warsaw, Poland. In his acceptance speech, our Europe COO, Minh-Huy Lai, highlighted that “This award reflects the dedication of a whole ecosystem that has come together to create lasting impact.” Indeed, the prize is a collective effort of our instructors, mentors, funders, employers and, last but not least, our learners and alumni, to whom we would like to thank. In addition, throughout 2024, collaborations with organisations such as the European Vocational Training Association, the European Institute of Technology (EIT), and the UK Mission to the EU further supported our mission as we worked together on innovative projects.
Technology and innovation also took center stage in November when we co-hosted, together with our partners from the European Institute of Technology (EIT), Age-Proofing AI, an event in Brussels addressing how AI will reshape the job market for workers aged 45+. Backed by a comprehensive research study spanning five countries, we explored how employers and employees can adapt to AI’s rapid integration. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the AI revolution is fully underway. Our research found that a low level of AI use among midcareer and older workers and that employers are missing the mark in doing what it will take to get the most out of AI, especially from experienced workers. We believe that workforce programs that serve midcareer and older workers need to be retooled. That they need to integrate AI skills into their programs and target both workers who need to reskill as well as those who need to upskill within an existing role. Our speakers and guests represented a wide range of organisations, such as the OECD, EVTA, EIT, the World Employment Confederation, Workday, PwC, and the European Commission, demonstrating that the entire skills ecosystem intends to take part in the AI revolution.
Throughout 2024, Generation experts shared insights and advocated for skilling and workforce development at key European forums, including the UK Mission to the EU Green Skills Workshop, the World Employment Conference 2024, the AmCham EU Navigating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the age of AI, the European Platform for Rehabilitation Conference, the Microsoft Roundtable on Skills, Friends of Europe’s Skills Panel and AI & Society Forum, and CEPS’ A Workforce Transformed Forum. These engagements amplified our voice, connecting us with industry leaders, policymakers, and educators united by a shared mission: building a skilled and resilient European workforce.
As 2024 draws to a close, we are encouraged to see our increasing impact across Europe. In 2024 alone, we supported 5,300+ learners across 5 countries in 27 cities, achieving a job placement rate of 79%. As we look ahead, we remain committed to empowering unemployed, vulnerable, and underrepresented individuals through life-changing careers, ensuring that skills development continues to be a driving force for economic and social mobility in Europe.
