“More and better jobs for young people in
the commerce sector”
Project submitted in relation to the functioning of a EU Sectoral Social
Dialogue Committee, budget heading 04.03.03.01.
OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
Laila Castaldo and Ilaria Savoini
Brussels, 27 January 2015
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THE STARTING POINT
• The Commerce sector employs 29 mil people or 13 % of EU workforce
– 18.6 mil in retail
– 10.5 mil in wholesale
• The retail and whole sectors in Europe contribute significantly to the
European Economy
– 5.4 mil business of which 3.6 mil operates in RETAIL and 1.8 in
WHOLESALE
• In 2012, 17 % (18.7 mil) of 15-24 years-old (on total EU workforce)
worked for retailers and 3% for wholesalers
• 14 to 24 years-old represent 16 % of retail employment and 7 % in
wholesale compared to 9% EU average
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Employment trends: age
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 The overall economy experienced a significant ageing over the decade, while the
retail sector displayed a much more moderate ageing profile: much higher share of
young people and lower share of over 50
Figure: Distribution of employment in the retail sector by gender and age (%), 2001–2010
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UNEMPLOYMENT EU 28 AND YOUTH
• share of young employees in the industry has dropped from 16% in 2008 to
13% in 2012
• Over 2008-2012, the industry in the EU employed equal shares of young and
older employees, even though before the crisis (in 2008) the share of young
employees was considerably higher than that of older employees (16%
compared to 12%)
• However, the commerce sector will need more than 22 million employees
over the 2010- 2025 period, including 4.3 million new jobs and 17.7
million replacement demands
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THE PROJECT:
3 MAIN TOPICS
• Specific measures and contracts for hiring new
people RECRUITMENT
• Youth EMPLOYMENT in the European commerce
sector
• Intergenerational solidarity
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Outcomes of the project
• Video
• Workshop to validate survey’s results
• Reports
– REPORT N° 1: "Best practices for youth employment in the EU commerce
sector"
– REPORT N° 2: "Roadmaps for the adoption of new and innovative methods
and contracts for hiring young people in the EU commerce sector"
– REPORT N° 3: "Examples and scenarios for the concrete beneficial adoption
of intergenerational solidarity measures in the EU commerce sector“
– Recommendations by EU social partners
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VIDEO
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OUQaMMtkwE&feature=youtu.be
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Key words
Transition
between
education and
work
Workers’ skills
development
Attractiveness of
the sector
Guidance and
career information
VET programs for
youth
Career prospects
Job
description/qualific
ations
Skills recognition
and
transferability
Retention
Stability/flexibility
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Conclusions
Recommendations
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Recruitment (1)
lack of attractiveness
• Communication campaigns highlighting the most demanded job profiles can
help attracting more people to the sector and improving the recruitment process.
• improving communication across local communities attracting and recruiting
those young workers living in remote areas
• Communication campaigns shall be accompanied by concrete structural
measures
• investigate the rate of short term and part-time contracts and ease the
transition between these forms of contracts to full time jobs according to
companies and workers’ needs
• opportunities for career policy development should be offered and presented
to young workers when they are recruited
• secure access to funding for commerce social partners at national and European
level
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Recruitment (2)
skills recognition/transferabilty/ transition
• Improving transferability of skills would help companies in finding the rights
talents and would facilitate job searching and opportunities for workers
• Social partners and educational bodies should further cooperate towards the
continuous adaptation of VET programmes to the evolving needs of the
sector
• explore the feasibility of the dual system by assessing their application to a
particular national context.
• adequate and more financial resources available through both through
public and private investment and through a better cooperation between VET
bodies and national and EU funds
• Governments, local authorities and employment bodies shall continue to
financially support recruitment policies of young workers where this already
exists
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Employment (1)
job description/career prospects
• More research shall be carried out to assess the impact of current and incoming
new technologies on the commerce sector labour force
• An in-depth cooperation between HR Management and trade unions or
workers’ representatives regarding (re-)training shall be promoted
• Job profiling by social partners and relevant experts is fundamental to set up
qualification frameworks and career planning
• Career opportunities and training should be provided as well for low skills
workers
• Social partners should set up sectorial and inter-sectorial funds where they
do not exist.
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Employment (2)
stability/flexibility of employment/retention
• working time arrangements could be better promoted with the view to adapt
and meet the changing needs of workers in different moment of their working life
and equally respond to companies’ quest for flexibility
• The promotion of new forms of work organisation can support the
emergence of new job profiles
• Negotiated solutions can reduce and mitigate the negative impact of
flexibility on the rates of retention and of turnover
• continue to work together in identifying the best employment relationships
for young people with a view to improve retention, quality of the jobs, career
prospects.
• Social dialogue and collective agreements shall be further promoted with a
view to find adapted solutions that match the needs of workers and employers.
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Intergenerational approach
• The social partners at European and national level shall initiate a debate to
develop intergenerational schemes (surveys, mentorship, …) at sector or
company level in view of improving know-how and skills transfers between
experienced and less experienced workers.
• In the case of mentorship, the profile of tutors should be clarified and the
assessment of trainees should be formalised
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