Bridging the Gap: Generative AI Training and Skills Needs in Europe

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly emerged as a transformative force across industries, reshaping not only technological development but also the skills required in the labour market. A recent analysis conducted by the GenAISA project, combining survey results from education providers and job market data across Europe, highlights both the progress and the challenges in aligning training with workforce needs.

Expanding Educational Offerings

The survey, conducted across 14 European countries with 96 participating organizations, shows that AI education has become an established part of the European educational landscape. Currently, 63% of organizations already offer AI-related training, while a further 24% plan to introduce such programs within the next two years.

Generative AI, in particular, is gaining momentum: 49% of respondents already provide dedicated training, most commonly in the form of workshops and online courses, while nearly one in five plan to do so in the near future. These initiatives are often led internally, covering subjects from engineering and business to education and user-centred applications.

This reflects a growing institutional commitment to generative AI education. However, the survey also indicates challenges, including limited resources, difficulties in curriculum design, and restricted access to relevant technologies.

Skills in Demand: Insights from the Job Market

An analysis of 15,621 job postings across the EU provides critical context for understanding how well current training aligns with labour market needs. Several key findings emerge:

• Core technical skills remain essential. Python programming stands out as the most consistently demanded competency, appearing across both technical and hybrid roles. Other technical skills, such as Natural Language Processing, continue to feature prominently.
• Soft skills are indispensable. Communication, cross-functional collaboration, and teamwork appear frequently in job postings, underscoring their importance even in highly technical domains.
• Hybrid and interdisciplinary roles are increasing. Skills such as project management, user experience design, and data governance are being embedded into roles that were traditionally more technical. This trend signals a shift toward multidisciplinary competence.
• Generative AI is spreading beyond the tech sector. Occupations in design, engineering, and even manufacturing increasingly reference AI-assisted tools, demonstrating the technology’s diffusion across diverse industries.

These findings highlight both the complexity and dynamism of demand, which extends far beyond traditional AI roles.

Gaps Between Training and Labour Needs

While education providers are expanding their offerings, the research identifies gaps in scope and alignment. Many current courses still treat generative AI as a module within broader AI curricula, rather than as a distinct and specialized area of study. This creates a shortfall in preparing learners for sector-specific applications and emerging professional roles.

In particular, the job market points to growing demand for nuanced skills clusters that cut across disciplines, combining technical expertise with business acumen, design thinking, ethics, and regulatory understanding. These requirements are not yet fully reflected in the most common educational formats.

The Case for Agile and Aligned Education

The final conclusion of the analysis is clear: there is an urgent need for more agile and better-aligned generative AI training programs in Europe. The rapid pace of technological development demands curricula that are not only updated regularly but also responsive to regional and sector-specific dynamics.

Preparing the next generation of AI professionals will require integrated programs that foster technical, strategic, and collaborative skills simultaneously. This approach will enable learners to succeed in a fast-evolving labour market where generative AI is no longer confined to specialized fields but embedded across industries.

To get more insights you can access the deliverable “D2.1 Generative AI education and training offerings and skills needs” here.