The Eurobarometer has recently published an interesting analysis of skills shortages in Europe, with a particular focus on SMEs. You can find the report, a summary, data sheets and single-country analyses here: https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2961
One of the main problems is finding technical staff, a point we have been making for some time: technical staff is mainly trained and qualified in work-based learning, with consistent learning and working shares of time inside companies. This means all efforts the European Commission is putting into improving skills during this European Year of Skills should be focussed on this training approach and not on University studies or professional schools.
Incentivise and help companies to train the people in-house (with dedicated support from professional schools during 30-50% of the learning time), convince learners and parents that work-based learning leads to secure jobs and good incomes, and we will do only good to the European Real Economy
