Labour Market Needs Analysis – Moldova
Comprehensive labour market analysis and VET policy strengthening
Comprehensive Labour Market Needs Analysis implemented under the Strong Businesses and Communities for Moldova project (GIZ-funded) to support the Ministry of Education and Research in strengthening VET policy and planning through evidence-based forecasting, stakeholder engagement, and international benchmarking aligned with EU Green Deal and 2030 Agenda priorities, including systematic development of the national State Order (SO) mechanism and integration of green economy and energy transition competencies for sustainable workforce development.
Moldova's European integration aspirations and commitment to the EU Green Deal necessitated comprehensive reform of its vocational education and training (VET) policy framework to align with European standards and address critical labour market mismatches. The country faced significant challenges including high youth emigration rates, skills gaps in emerging green economy sectors, inadequate alignment between VET outputs and industry demands, and limited institutional capacity for evidence-based workforce planning. The existing State Order mechanism lacked systematic integration of labour market intelligence and forecasting capabilities, constraining the country's ability to anticipate and respond to evolving workforce requirements in priority sectors including renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable agriculture.
Architect and implement a comprehensive Labour Market Needs Analysis framework for Moldova (2026-2030) that systematically strengthens VET policy and planning capabilities through evidence-based forecasting, stakeholder engagement, and international benchmarking, while aligning the national State Order (SO) mechanism with current and forecasted workforce demands in green economy and energy transition sectors, ensuring strategic integration with EU Green Deal objectives and 2030 Agenda priorities for sustainable development.
Specific Objectives:
- 1Develop comprehensive labour market needs analysis framework for 2026-2030 period with sector-specific workforce demand projections
- 2Strengthen VET policy and planning institutional capacity within the Ministry of Education and Research
- 3Modernize and align State Order mechanism with evidence-based workforce forecasting and green economy priorities
- 4Integrate green economy and energy transition competencies across national qualification standards
- 5Establish sustainable mechanisms for ongoing labour market intelligence and workforce planning
Key Activities
- Comprehensive labour market needs analysis for 2026-2030 period with sector-specific workforce demand projections
- Evidence-based forecasting of workforce requirements in green economy and energy transition sectors
- Systematic alignment of national State Order (SO) mechanism with current and forecasted labour market demands
- Development of skills anticipation models integrating demographic trends and technological disruption factors
- Technical expertise provision to support Ministry of Education and Research in VET policy and planning strengthening
- Development of evidence-based VET planning methodologies and institutional frameworks
- Integration of transversal and green competences into national VET policy framework
- Creation of policy instruments for systematic labour market-education alignment
- Contextual diagnostics, stakeholder engagement, and international benchmarking to ensure EU Green Deal alignment
- Capacity-building workshops for ministry officials and institutional staff on evidence-based VET planning
- Training on integration of transversal and green competences and inclusive approaches
- Establishment of multi-stakeholder coordination mechanisms for sustainable workforce planning
- Production of actionable, evidence-based recommendations and tools for VET sector planning improvement
- Development of frameworks for inclusivity and institutional coordination enhancement
- Creation of sustainable mechanisms supporting the country's green transformation agenda
- Design of monitoring and evaluation systems for continuous policy adaptation
Methodology
Evidence-based labour market forecasting methodology integrating quantitative econometric modeling with qualitative sector expert consultations and stakeholder engagement processes
Contextual diagnostics and situational analysis utilizing international benchmarking studies and comparative policy analysis with EU best practices
Multi-stakeholder participatory approach engaging Ministry of Education and Research, private sector representatives, civil society organizations, and international development partners
Green economy integration framework embedding renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable development competencies into workforce planning and VET curriculum design
State Order mechanism modernization approach ensuring systematic alignment between national training priorities and evidence-based labour market intelligence
Institutional capacity building methodology incorporating train-the-trainer approaches and sustainable knowledge management systems
Project Outcomes
Comprehensive Labour Market Needs Analysis for 2026-2030 completed and officially endorsed by the Ministry of Education and Research, providing evidence-based strategic direction for workforce development and VET sector planning
Modernized State Order (SO) mechanism operationalized with systematic integration of labour market intelligence, forecasting capabilities, and alignment with green economy and energy transition sector demands
Enhanced institutional capacity established within the Ministry of Education and Research for evidence-based VET planning, including trained officials and staff with competencies in green skills integration and inclusive approaches
Strategic alignment achieved between Moldova's VET policy framework and EU Green Deal objectives, with integrated transversal and green competences embedded across national qualification standards and curriculum frameworks
Actionable recommendations and tools produced for ongoing VET sector planning improvement, inclusivity enhancement, and institutional coordination that support Moldova's sustainable development and green transformation agenda
Sustainable multi-stakeholder coordination mechanisms established ensuring continuous dialogue between education providers, employers, and policymakers for adaptive workforce development
Begin of Project
2025-07
GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)
Principal Client
Development OrganizationMinistry of Education and Research of Moldova
Primary beneficiary and national counterpart for VET policy reform
Strong Businesses and Communities for Moldova Project
Programme framework beneficiary
Moldovan VET institutions
Direct implementation beneficiaries for enhanced planning capabilities
Private sector employers
Labour market stakeholders benefiting from skilled workforce alignment