Mapping the Future of Work in Baden-Württemberg: TRAILS Workshops Advance Regional Pilot Planning

19/12/2025

Following successful workshops in Borås and Tuscany, the TRAILS – Enabling data analytics for actions tackling skills shortages & mismatch – project continued its journey to Baden-Württemberg (Germany) on 9–10 December 2025. The workshops were organised by Andrea Bernert-Bürkle (Volkshochschulverband Baden-Württemberg) and Regine Zizelmann (Landesnetzwerk Weiterbildungsberatung Baden-Württemberg), with facilitation support from EARLALL, of which Baden-Württemberg is a member. The sessions were led by Sylvana Hiltrop and Mary Ramsis from SkillLab.

The event brought together a diverse group of regional stakeholders, including representatives from counselling organisations, adult education providers, and universities. The discussions focused on understanding the regional ecosystem of education, guidance, and employment support services, while highlighting the added value of a skills-based approach to better connect people, learning opportunities, and jobs.

Day 1 – Organisational Strategy and Ecosystem Mapping

The first day engaged ecosystem actors in exploring how the TRAILS pilot could be integrated into existing regional guidance and counselling structures. A key objective was to strengthen skills-based approaches without creating duplication, ensuring that AI-enabled tools complement and enhance current services.

Day 2 – Practical Application and User Perspectives

On the second day, caseworkers, teachers, and migrants actively seeking employment were invited to test SkillLab’s AI-powered skills assessment tool, which draws on a database of more than 13,900 skills aligned with the ESCO taxonomy.

Participants showed strong interest in the tool’s ability to capture informal learning and life experiences. For many migrants, the AI-supported assessment helped translate diverse backgrounds into detailed and recognisable skill profiles, supporting more informed career choices and enabling counsellors to adopt a more skills-oriented approach.

These workshops are a core element of TRAILS’ wider research on how personalised skills assessments can increase participation in training across Europe. By generating and applying detailed skills intelligence, the project aims to better align learning pathways with evolving labour market needs, reinforcing the role of regions as key actors in shaping inclusive and responsive lifelong learning systems.