Three major transitions — digital, green and demographic — influence the current labour market, and women are disproportionately affected by these shifts, experts warn.
During a panel discussion held in Brussels on Monday (13 October), trade union representatives voiced concerns that future-oriented jobs in the digital and green sectors remain significantly male-dominated, with men representing over 60 percent of employees in these fields.
Jobs in construction, transport, industry, and agriculture are those often regarded as “future-oriented occupations" or, in other words, they are expected to grow and remain relevant in the future.
Earlier this year, the European Commission published a report on the future of jobs in the EU, revealing that women are concentrated in professions most vulnerable to automation and the growing influence of AI — making them more at risk of job displacement.
Men tend to work in fields where higher digital skills are needed and are more likely to finish training that enhances these digital skills, Nora Wukovits-Votzi, co-author of the report, said during the discussion on Monday.
It is estimated that about one-in-five jobs could be affected by AI, with the most hit areas being financial services, education, public administration, health services and construction.
In so-called “green jobs,” a term used for occupations connected to sustainability and the environment, the commission found that women account for only 28 percent of the workforce.
“The high digitally-skilled male-dominated jobs [are] being much more prioritised," warned Agnieszka Piasna, a senior researcher from the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), referring to the new competitiveness policies currently driven by the commission.
She added that female-dominated professions are often overlooked in the name of economic growth.
In addition, Europe's current AI workforce, those working and having the expertise to build and sustain AI systems, is seen as small and predominantly male.
Stan De Spiegelaere, director of policy and research at UNI Europa reminded participants that major shifts in the labour market are nothing new.
As an example, he noted that while the decline of the retail sector has long been predicted, it continues to expand in absolute numbers. Yet, this sector, which is predominated by part-time contracts and precarious employment conditions, remains largely female-dominated.
To counter the problems women are likely to face the commission brought forward a STEM education plan with the goal to increase the number of girls and women enrolled in STEM fields to at least 45 percent by 2030.
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Hannah Kriwak is a junior reporter from Austria at EUobserver, covering European politics.
Hannah Kriwak is a junior reporter from Austria at EUobserver, covering European politics.