On 6 March, the OECD presented its report on the Brussels labour market at BECI. Representatives of the Region's businesses, government and trade unions met to discuss the report. What are the recommendations for increasing the employment rate in the Brussels Region? Employment, insecurity, governance and solutions: a look back at the discussions.
The call has been launched for Brussels, and the objective is clear: to double the number of jobs. The latest report from the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) has revealed the major challenges facing the Brussels labour market. Jan De Brabanter, CEO a.i. of BECI, Bernard Clerfayt, Brussels Minister for Employment, Caroline Aelvoet, Director of Sodexo and Michael Dufrane, Brussels Regional Secretary of the CGSLB (Centrale Générale des Syndicats Libéraux de Belgique) spoke about the solutions recommended by the organisation.
Karen Maguire, Head of Division at the OECD, emphasised the potential and diversity of skills present in our Region: ‘Brussels is a metropolis of talent, 50% of whom were born abroad’. However, despite this wealth of talent, Brussels is struggling to make the most of it. In a situation where a significant number of people remain inactive, how can we increase the employment rate?
Challenges facing the Brussels labour market
Among the difficulties highlighted by the OECD are the low geographical mobility of less-skilled workers and a lack of continuing training. The OECD also points to the obstacles encountered by new arrivals in integrating into the workplace, the high language requirements, and ‘working conditions that weigh on the attractiveness of certain shortage occupations’.
Michael Dufran refers to the complexity of these issues, pointing out that there is no single, simple solution. Nevertheless, the OECD does suggest a series of solutions that could be adopted to increase the region's employment rate.
Towards professional integration
Mobility and training: To offset the low geographical mobility of less-qualified Brussels residents, the OECD suggests facilitating access to transport and encouraging people to work outside the capital. At the same time, it mentions the importance of strengthening apprenticeships.
Recognition of skills: ‘Having a professional qualification is essential for maintaining employment’, points out Caroline Aelvoet of Sodexo. The OECD recommends that institutions set up a regular regionalised public survey of the profiles sought by employers. It also recommends closer cooperation between Actiris and the training system.
Integration of new arrivals: To facilitate their integration into the labour market, the OECD recommends facilitating access to childcare services for parents entering training. It also suggests speeding up the recognition of qualifications acquired abroad, and stresses the need to promote diversity in the public sector and actively combat discrimination in the labour market.
Language learning: The OECD recommends strengthening language learning in vocational training and modulating language requirements according to the real needs of the sector.
Job quality: In order to improve the attractiveness of shortage occupations, it is crucial to support job quality, in particular through in-company mentoring initiatives. However, in order to move forward in a coherent way, it is essential to agree on a common definition of ‘job quality’, warns the CEO a.i. of BECI.
These recommendations aim to remove the barriers specific to the local employment sector, and to fully exploit its potential. But are these expectations realistic? Yes, under certain conditions.
Rethinking local governance
The response is unanimous: job creation depends on the public budget, and the institutional complexity of the Brussels Region distorts efficiency. It is therefore more than imperative to ‘rethink local governance’, explains the Brussels Minister for Employment and Vocational Training, Bernard Clerfayt. Jan De Brabanter proposes to favour communicating vessels and to decentralise the decisions taken by the government: ‘we need to centralise and simplify access to employment’. To boost the labour market, ‘political parties and businesses must work hand in hand’.
In the run-up to the elections, the Brussels Chamber of Commerce and the Union of Enterprises in Brussels recognise the importance of this issue. From 20 March to 24 April, BECI is mobilising and calling on representatives of the regional political parties to speak during four evenings of electoral debates.
➤ Join the debate between Barbara Trachte (Ecolo), David Leisterh (MR) and Jan Busselen (PVDA) on 20 March at 6 pm by registering here.