Digitalization and Digital Skills within the Social Dialogue Agenda

Partner name is pleased to invite you to the third SuSodCo Capacity Building Event, aimed at equipping social dialogue partners with crucial capacities to support the industrial relations in Central and South-eastern Europe. Please find attached the Invitation and the Draft agenda.

This is the third out of four Capacity Building Events, conducted within the framework of SuSodCo project. The first event in December 2020 focused on the recent trends in the European construction sector – digitalization of the economy, innovation in digital economies, labor markets and management of change among others (Event 1). The second event in April 2021 was devoted to communication strategy and its importance for effective social dialogue (Event 2). The third event, organized by the Bulgarian social partners in June, is a tailor-made training on digital skills applicable to social dialogue. The fourth event in November 2021 will focus on training on communication skills and successful application for EU funds.

All Capacity Building Events are targeted at trade unions, employers’ organizations and other social dialogue partners at national, regional and European level. The events are suitable for CEOs, HR consultants, legal officers, negotiation group members and experts involved in industrial relations in the construction sector.

We are looking forward to seeing you at our online capacity building sessions on the 28th and 29th of June.

WHAT ARE THE KEY CONCLUSIONS OF THE CAPACITY BUILDING EVENTS CONDUCTED SO FAR

EVENT 3 – JUN 2021 – BULGARIA – Digital Revolution and Digital Skills

• The digital revolution has significantly changed the economy of each and every country. It also influences the social dialogue in the construction sector by changing the rules of the game.
• European social partners encourage their members in their attempt to digitalize the construction industry, which is very labor-intensive and still uses traditional building methods.
• In the last few years there have been pessimistic scenarios that robots will soon take over jobs, but this trend has another opposite effect – as a result of digitalization, atypical activities and new professions are emerging that transform the labor market.
• Many new professions will appear on the labor market as a result of digitalization, which requires certain reactions and actions on behalf of the social partners – foreseeing changes and analyzing their impact, developing policies for adapting professional skills to new technologies, developing skills for emerging professions.
• Robotics in the building industry would lead to the use of devices that perform repetitive processes, such as lifting heavy objects and placing them at the exact coordinates. These robots can contribute to safer and faster construction, reduce costs and at the same time give people with disabilities a chance.
• The development of artificial intelligence and robotics in any industry raises fears that many people will lose their jobs replaced by smarter algorithms or robots, but in the construction industry these technologies are in demand due to staff shortages and this suggests higher wages in the sector.
• BIM is a process related to the exchange of data between all parties related to the construction process, which has a significant impact on the working conditions during the design, project implementation and operation of buildings.

Read more about the outcomes of the third event here