Finland, Spain and Portugal have very different vocational training systems, labour markets and ways of recognising skills. So when researchers looked at how each country’s car repair sector is coping with electric and digital vehicles, you might expect three very different stories.
Instead, the AutoCredify project found a striking amount of agreement.
How the evidence was gathered
The findings come from several layers of work:
- analysis of patent data and online job postings to spot emerging technologies and skills
- country reports on national policies, qualification systems and existing training
- webinars, national workshops and consultations with employers, training providers and sector organisations
This mix of data and real-world input gives the conclusions a solid footing.
Each country, in brief
Finland sees rising demand for high-voltage safety, battery diagnostics and EV servicing, alongside advanced diagnostics and driver assistance systems (ADAS). Stakeholders raised concerns that these topics are only partly covered by current vocational training.
Spain points to electrification, connected mobility and digitalisation as the main drivers of change. Gaps were found in EV systems, ADAS calibration and even cybersecurity, showing that digital change affects technical repair roles, not just IT jobs.
Portugal puts strong weight on high-voltage safety, EV maintenance, batteries and diagnostics. Stakeholders repeatedly stressed the importance of proper high-voltage qualifications and authorisation to work safely on electrified vehicles.
The shared priority list
Despite national differences, the same themes came up again and again:
- electrification of vehicle fleets
- high-voltage safety and safe intervention procedures
- battery technologies and battery diagnostics
- electrical and electronic systems maintenance
- advanced diagnostics
- growing use of software in vehicles
- increasing complexity of vehicle systems
All three countries also described a similar route for workers: starting from traditional maintenance skills and building up towards specialised work on electric vehicles and high-voltage systems.
Electrification is the most pressing need
A clear pattern emerged across the countries. Digital skills matter, but the most urgent training needs named by employers and training providers relate to electric vehicles, high-voltage systems and batteries. This is the area where workshops feel the pressure most directly today.
Why this agreement matters
When different countries face the same skills challenges, they don’t need to solve them alone. This convergence opens the door to:
- shared European reference points for describing skills and job roles
- easier comparison of training offers between countries
- better portability of learning, so skills gained in one country are understood in another
- joint development of training, rather than each system starting from scratch
For policymakers and education providers, this is a strong argument for European cooperation on automotive skills. For technicians and students, it suggests that the skills in demand at home are likely to be valued across borders too.
In the next article, we look at the two European job profiles the project used to bring these national findings together.
This article is based on AutoCredify deliverable D5.1, “Occupational and Learning Pathways for the Twin Transition”, co-funded by the European Union.