As Europe’s automotive industry continues to face change, the Automotive Skills Alliance (ASA) reaffirmed its commitment to regional collaboration and skills development during a high-level conference of the Automotive Regions Alliance (ARA) in Strasbourg.
The event, held on 16 and 17 June during the European Parliament’s plenary session, brought together regional leaders, Members of the European Parliament, and key stakeholders to assess progress on the Action Plan for the European Automotive Industry. Discussions centered on the role of regions in implementing the plan, particularly in areas such as employment, innovation, and skills development.
Representing ASA, President Jakub Stolfa took part in a dedicated roundtable on jobs, skills, and innovation. He shared the Alliance’s experience in supporting education and training initiatives aligned with the sector’s green and digital transitions.
“The automotive sector is at the forefront of transformation and facing challenging times. It was great to attend this well-timed conference of the automotive regions, which are at the heart of the transition and play a crucial role in implementation. The demand for innovation and talent is putting real pressure on both initial and continuous education systems. I appreciated the opportunity to exchange with regional representatives during the workshop on skills, where I was honoured to share the ASA perspective on the skills agenda, the implementation of the Action Plan, and the Union of Skills — along with concrete actions we can take to further support the regions,” said Stolfa.
ASA has been closely collaborating with ARA from the beginning and continues to contribute to its work, also through a working agreement between ARA and the European Committee of the Regions’ Automotive Intergroup (CoRAI). ASA views the regional pillar as an essential part of its mission to ensure a fair and forward-looking transition for the automotive workforce.
© European Union / JL STADLER