Europe Faces Leadership and STEM Shortages, Cedefop Data Shows
Work News | New Stardom
Photo by Martin Krchnacek
The latest Labour and Skills Shortage Index from Cedefop, released with its 2025 Skills Forecast, shows that labour shortages in Europe are not confined to healthcare or education. The data points to quieter but significant gaps in two areas that receive less attention, senior leadership roles and science and engineering occupations.
Chief executives, legislators, and senior managers register shortage scores close to the maximum level of 4.0. Unlike the technology sector, where shortages stem mainly from skills mismatches, the leadership problem is supply-driven. Large numbers of senior figures are retiring, but fewer replacements are entering the pipeline, raising concerns about succession in both the public and private spheres.
Science and engineering professionals also show shortages in the 2.7 to 3.0 range, reflecting sustained demand that outpaces available skills. These roles are central to Europe’s industrial strategy and the green transition, yet the index suggests that the supply of talent is not keeping pace. Without a stronger flow of qualified scientists and engineers, Europe risks slower progress in research, infrastructure, and technology development.
The index offers an EU-wide picture, but the pressures will differ by country. National education systems, labour policies, and migration flows will shape how these shortages play out in practice. It remains unclear whether existing mobility within the Union can cover the gaps, or if targeted immigration and reskilling will be required.
Europe’s workforce debate cannot remain limited to hospitals, classrooms, and technology firms. Leadership succession and the steady supply of scientific talent are emerging as equally structural challenges, carrying long-term implications for competitiveness and institutional resilience.
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