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A skilled workforce is the key to sustainable growth, innovation and competitiveness. Unfortunately, when it comes to talent, demand outpaces supply. In fact, according to the European Commission, more than three quarters of companies in the EU report having difficulty finding workers with the necessary skill set.  

With the goal of boosting competitiveness and supporting skill development, the EU has named 2023 the ‘European Year of Skills’ – an initiative that EUSPA is ready to support.

Europe’s knowledge hub for all things related to EU Space

According to EUSPA research, the global GNSS downstream market is forecasted to see revenues reach up to EUR 510 billion by 2032. It also forecasts that the Earth Observation sector will double its revenues, from approximately EUR 2.8 billion to over EUR 5.5 billion within the next decade. 

Add these figures up and what you get is a clear opportunity for European companies to compete in the global market. But to take advantage of this opportunity, businesses need the right information and the right market intelligence.

“EUSPA has a well-earned reputation as being the go-to-source for all things related to the utilization of European GNSS - and more and more for Earth Observation” says EUSPA Executive Director Rodrigo da Costa. “That means being the central point of information, expertise and market intelligence that companies from across Europe depend on when integrating European space solutions into their start-ups, enterprises, innovations and research.”

In addition to publishing such flagship reports as the EO and GNSS Market Report and the GNSS Investment Report, the latter of which was co-authored with the European Investment Bank (EIB), EUSPA regularly participates in events, webinars, congresses, competitions and tradeshows across Europe – and beyond. It also hosts and co-host several in-house events, including Entrepreneurship Day and the EU Space Week.

“Knowledge sharing is a two-way street,” adds da Costa. “Every event is a chance to not only share our knowledge with businesses, but to learn what they need and how we, as an agency, can better address those needs.” 

An investment in our future  

One of the most often heard needs is access to talent. In response, EUSPA has launched several initiatives aimed at skill development. 

Take for example the EUSPA Space Academy, a free online training opened to all individuals, start-ups, entrepreneurs and SMEs who want to learn the ins and outs of building a space application business. The training is taught by top academics, industry leaders and EUSPA experts, with each module covering a specific skill, such as customer support, business planning, accessing funding and intellectual property, to name only a few. 

Many of these skills can be further honed via various EUSPA-supported competitions and hackathons, some of which include mentoring and incubation opportunities. 

But skill development is by no means restricted to entrepreneurs and companies, EU agencies and governmental organisations can benefit too. Thus, we will continue and reinforce our collaborations. For example, we are organising together with Mercator a workshop on EU Space for Plastic Detection in Ocean and Waterways.  

Together with EURISY, we will also organise information sessions in several locations in Europe on Satellite-based Services for Disaster Risk Management.

EUSPA also offers paid traineeships to university students and graduates. Available across the Agency’s various departments, including engineering, finance, legal, and communications, these traineeships are a unique opportunity for individuals to get first-hand experience on the workings of EUSPA and to acquire the skills they need to enter the labour market with confidence.

“Harnessing the immense potential of the European workforce starts with effective and inclusive training and skill development,” concludes da Costa. “At EUSPA, we strongly believe that offering such opportunities isn’t just an investment in individuals and companies, it’s an investment in our collective future.”

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