This chapter looks at the role training and career guidance play in promoting transitions into higher-quality jobs for mid-to-late career workers. The first half of the chapter describes the Belgian adult learning landscape across different regions and examines ways to increase training participation at older ages. This includes various policy levers, including targeted awareness-raising and outreach efforts, policies to address time‑related barriers to training, well-designed financial incentives, and measures to increase the accessibility of adult learning. The second half of the chapter focusses on how career guidance that is accessible to all workers regardless of age or employment status can motivate training participation and enable career planning and transitions. The analysis considers both career guidance provided through public institutions and social partner initiatives.
Promoting Better Career Mobility for Longer Working Lives in Belgium
Abstract
Key messages
Skills development and career guidance play a key role in supporting mobility in the mid-to-late career. Against the background of structural labour market changes, education and training can help older workers to maintain and upgrade their skills and access higher-quality jobs. In addition, career guidance support is needed not only for the unemployed, but also for employed mid-career workers to identify opportunities for career progression.
Despite substantial investment in adult learning in Belgium, participation is low, especially with increasing age. In 2023, public spending on training amounted to 0.147% of GDP, more than 1.5 times the OECD average. Nevertheless, in 2022, only 41.6% of the adult population participated in education and training, five p.p. below the EU level (46.6%). Participation is relatively equal in the age groups 35‑44 (44.4%) and 45‑54 (43.8%), but drops sharply among people aged 55‑64 (28.8%). In addition, substantial cuts to spending on adult learning are ongoing in several regions.
Low interest in training is one of the main barriers to participation among mid-to-late career workers. 51.5% of Belgian adults do not want to take part in training, almost ten p.p. higher than the EU rate (42.2%). Moreover, interest in training decreases with age. Available data for Flanders shows, for instance, that 74.2% of people aged 50‑64 have no interest in support for either work-related training or career guidance, relative to 64.9% at ages 35‑49 and 48.2% at ages 18‑34.
Lack of time constitutes a key barrier to adult learning participation at older ages. 44.5% of people aged 45‑54 who want to take part in training cite scheduling as the main barrier, as do 30.9% in the age group 55‑64. All Belgian regions have a right to educational leave, which entitles workers to take time off for training, with financial compensation for employers. However, mid- and late‑career workers are less likely to benefit, as are lower-educated workers in some regions. Improving the engagement of mid-to-late career workers in training also requires increasing flexibility in access to training.
The recognition of prior learning (RPL) can make training more efficient and flexible. This is particularly relevant for older workers, who often have substantial but uncertified skills and experience. All regions have skills validation systems, but take‑up is higher in the French-speaking community. There are also innovative examples of sector-specific validation systems developed by social partners.
Well-designed financial incentives can increase adult learning participation among older workers. Belgium has various financial support measures across regions, targeted at both individuals and employers. However, across measures, mid- and late career workers are less likely to benefit.
Making information on adult learning more accessible and improving outreach could better motivate and engage older workers. Various measures support training at federal level and across regions. A recent initiative sought to establish a federal individual learning account to track training rights, but this has largely been abandoned. Simultaneously, a one‑stop shop to consolidate training rights, guidance and information is being developed in Flanders. A consolidated platform would be a positive development, but parallel efforts at regional and federal level would increase complexity.
Mid-to-late career employees need career guidance to facilitate labour market transitions and increase motivation to train. Employed individuals can access guidance through vouchers in Flanders, a measure that has seen success in promoting career reorientation, though it is disproportionately taken up by highly skilled individuals. However, funding has been cut substantially, with a new system to be introduced in 2027. Wallonia and Brussels have public guidance centres accessible to all, irrespective of age or employment status. However, in practice, guidance is mainly accessed by the unemployed.
Social partners can also provide career orientation for mid-career workers. Social partners play an important role in the adult learning landscape through sectoral training funds, which are financed through mandatory levies on wage bills. The activities of these funds are difficult to track, with little systematic monitoring. There are several promising examples of sectoral funds expanding into career funds which offer guidance and orientation for employees. However, these examples remain the exception. In addition, inter-sectoral co‑operation and initiatives to encourage mobility are limited.
Early intervention is crucial to support older workers who face job displacement. In Belgium, employers are required to offer outplacement services to dismissed individuals older than 45 or with nine years of tenure. In case of collective dismissals, employment units are set up to provide job placement support for affected workers. Wallonia has established a specific system, retraining units, which has seen success through personalised job placement support enabled through a joint initiative by the employer, trade union representatives and the Public Employment Service.
Based on these considerations, Belgium should take action to:
1. Invest in measures to remove time barriers to training for mid-to-late career workers. Consider introducing incentives to take part in educational leave targeted at under-represented groups, particularly for labour-market relevant training. Make access to training more flexible by strengthening the recognition of prior learning through targeted outreach and engagement of employers throughout the process. Encourage the development of sector-specific validation mechanisms with involvement of social partners.
2. Improve the design of financial incentives for training to improve engagement among older people. Consider more strongly targeting financial support instruments, including individual and company training vouchers, at underrepresented groups. Introduce measures to support longer-term up- or re‑skilling, particularly in shortage occupations. Strengthen monitoring and evaluation to ensure effectiveness and inclusivity
3. Increase accessibility in the adult learning landscape for older workers, supporting lifelong employability and skills renewal. Establish a one‑stop shop platform consolidating training rights, guidance and information, integrating both the regional and federal level. Complement the creation of such a platform with targeted and proactive outreach, including in the workplace, towards underrepresented groups, such as older workers.
4. Invest in high-quality career guidance regardless of age or employment status. Building on the existing public offer, develop career guidance systems targeted at employed workers in Wallonia and Brussels. In designing new career guidance scheme in Flanders, continue investing in high-quality career guidance for all ages, while improving targeting and outreach towards vulnerable groups, including older workers.
5. Continue developing the activities of sectoral training funds. Encourage social partners to strengthen the career orientation function of funds. Incentivise intersectoral activities through collaboration agreements between government and social partners coupled with financial incentives. Monitor the activities of sectoral funds more systematically.
6. Further strengthen early intervention measures for workers at risk of dismissal. Continue investing in outplacement services while ensuring intervention takes place as early as possible and ensuring close stakeholder involvement, including social partners, throughout the process.
Maintaining and updating the skills of older workers is key to ensure that they remain productive and move into higher quality employment in a changing labour market (OECD, 2025[1]). Yet both workers and employers are often less willing to invest in training at older ages. This lack of motivation to train is driven by lower expected returns to training, given the limited time left in the labour market career (Marche Polytechnic University, Italy, and IZA, Germany, 2021[2]). Such disincentives may be particularly strong in countries with a tradition of early retirement, such as Belgium. As such, structural reforms to enable longer labour market participation (see Chapter 2) may play a role in incentivizing participation in adult learning with increasing age (Montizaan, Cörvers and De Grip, 2010[3]; Brunello and Comi, 2015[4]). In addition, a strong adult learning system is needed to increase engagement and motivation.
Belgium already invests substantial resources in training, but participation remains low in international comparison and decreases with age. A multi-pronged approach is needed to increase motivation to participate in education and training and remove barriers to access. This includes making training provision more flexible and designing well-targeted financial incentives for training participation, simplifying information on and access to adult learning and improving outreach towards vulnerable groups, including older workers.
4.1.1. Despite high investment, participation in education and training is relatively low, particularly among older workers
Investment in adult learning is high in Belgium. In 2023, public spending on training as part of active labour market policy programmes amounted to 0.174% of GDP, more than 1.5 times the OECD average (0.104%) (Figure 4.1). On top of public support mechanisms, social partners also play a very important role in education and training support, through sectoral funds (see Section 4.1.4). These funds, financed by mandatory levies on employers’ wage bills laid out in collective agreements, finance sector-specific education and training activities.
Active labour market spending by programme, Belgium and OECD, 2010‑2023
Note: OECD is an unweighted average. Employment incentives exclude category 4.2 (Employment maintenance incentives), to remove as much as possible measures that are specific to COVID‑19.
Source: OECD (2026) Labour Market Programmes (database), https://data-explorer.oecd.org/s/3v7 (accessed 30 January 2026).
With regard to public support, a multitude of policy instruments are targeted at increased participation in education and training in Belgium. The governance of adult learning is decentralised with responsibilities across both the federal and regional level. The community and regional governments hold primary responsibility for the implementation of adult skills policies and the delivery of education and training and ALMPs through the regional Public Employment Services (OECD, 2025[5]). Many instruments to support participation in education and training exist at both federal and, primarily, regional level, as summarised in Table 4.1. At federal level, an individual right to five days of training per year has been established in the private sector in companies with more than 20 employees. In addition, various instruments exist in all regions to incentivise adult learning. This notably includes paid educational leave, which establishes a right for employees to take time off from work to participate in training while retaining their (capped) salary and providing financial compensation for the employer. Various financial support instruments, targeted at both employees (Flanders) and companies (all regions) also exist.
Main instruments to support adult learning for employees in Belgium
It should be noted that across Belgian regions, spending on active labour market policy instruments, including on training instruments, is currently being reduced. In Flanders, active labour market policy spending was reduced by EUR 79 million, equivalent to ca. 12% of the total budget, in 2025, with reductions of EUR 129 million foreseen for 2026 (Flemish Parliament, 2025[6]). This reduction in labour market spending has notably been achieved through reductions in spending on subsidies, including social security exemptions for employment of older workers (see Chapter 2), but also a number of reforms to key Flemish training instruments, including career vouchers and training leave. In Wallonia, a reduction in budgetary spending on training is equally foreseen.
Training participation is low and decreasing with age, with low motivation a key driver
Despite the current high financial investment and policy engagement in training in Belgium, participation rates are low in international comparison, particularly among older workers (Figure 4.2). In 2022, 41.6% of adults aged 25‑64 had participated in education and training. This is below the EU27 rate (46.6%), with very large gaps relative to top performing countries such as Sweden (73.9%) and the Netherlands (65.2%). In addition, as in other OECD countries, participation in education and training declines with age in Belgium. While the adult learning rate of adults aged 45‑54 is only slightly lower than that of those aged 35‑44 (43.8% and 44.4%, respectively), there is a sharp drop in the group aged 55‑64, where only 28.8% of Belgians participated in education and training in the past 12 months.
Participation in education and training in the past 12 months, 2022
Source: Eurostat (2026), Participation rate in education and training by age (dataset), https://doi.org/10.2908/TRNG_AES_101 (accessed 30 January 2026).
The comparatively low participation in education and training in Belgium, despite high levels of funding, is driven by a number of factors. One of the most significant is a lack of interest in taking part in education and training (OECD, 2022[7]). In 2022, more than half of Belgian adults (51.5%) indicated that they were not interested in participating in education and training, a figure that is almost 10 p.p. above the EU rate (42.4%) (Figure 4.3). A further 29.5% stated that they had participated in education and training and did not want to participate more than they had.
Population by willingness to participate in education and training, 2022
Source: Eurostat (2026), Population by will to participate in education and training (dataset), https://doi.org/10.2908/TRNG_AES_175, (accessed 30 January 2026).
Lack of motivation to take part in training is common in all age groups, but particularly common among mid-career and older workers. In a survey conducted in Flanders, 74.2% of individuals aged 50‑64 and 64.9% of those aged 35‑49 stated that they had no interest in receiving information about support for either work-related training courses or career guidance. This compares to 48.2% in the age group 18‑34 (Meylemans and Verhoeven, 2023[8]). To increase participation in adult learning at older ages in Belgium, policy action needs to take a multi-pronged approach and aim to increase motivation by increasing flexibility and accessibility, alongside well-designed financial incentives. In addition, high-quality career guidance can also play a role in increasing education and training participation (see Section 4.2).
4.1.2. Limited time and lack of flexibility are crucial barriers to adult learning participation at older ages
Lack of time and inflexible access to training constitute major barriers for mid-career and older workers, who may struggle to reconcile training with their work, family responsibilities and other commitments. This is also confirmed by Belgian data. Among adults who would like to participate in training, scheduling is by far the largest barrier to doing so, with 44.5% of people aged 45‑54 and 30.9% of those aged 55‑64 citing is as a reason for not participating (Figure 4.4). In addition, for older workers, health or age is also a significant barrier. While the cost of training can also constitute a barrier to participation, it is therefore not the main barrier, particularly among older age groups. To engage mid-career and older workers in training, policy approaches need to focus on increasing flexible access to training and addressing lack of time as a primary barrier to participation.
People wanting to participate in training by reason for not participating and by age, 2022, Belgium
Source: Eurostat (2026), Population wanting to participate in education and training, by reason for not participating and age (dataset), https://doi.org/10.2908/TRNG_AES_177 (accessed 30 January 2026).
Educational leave can increase adult learning participation, but take‑up decreases with age
One of the key policy instruments for addressing lack of time as a barrier to adult learning is training leave. Training leave enables workers to take time off for training with income replacement, thereby reducing potential underinvestment in skills, while supporting employers in shouldering the financial burden from lost working time (OECD, 2025[9]). However, it is important to ensure that educational leave is used for labour market relevant training and taken up by underrepresented groups.
In Belgium, private sector workers have had a right to paid educational leave since 1985. Since 2014, the regions have responsibility for the implementation of educational leave policies (as paid educational leave/congé-éducation payé in Brussels and Wallonia, and Flemish training leave/Vlaams opleidingsverlof in Flanders). Training leave allows private sector employees to take time off from work to take part in training (either during or outside of working hours). The precise conditions for training leave, including on the type of training that is eligible, differ by region, though there are some common features. Educational leave can be taken for training that lasts a minimum of 32 hours. The maximum duration of paid absence hours is capped at 125 (Flanders) or 180 (Wallonia/Brussels) hours, though there is no limit on the maximum duration of training. In Wallonia and Brussels, the threshold for maximum reimbursed hours of training is higher for training in shortage occupations.
Available data suggests that mid-career and older workers are under-represented in educational leave (Figure 4.5). In all three regions, the share of mid-career and older workers taking part in educational leave is significantly lower than the share of these age groups in the overall employed population. In addition, the data indicates that people with tertiary education are over-represented in educational leave in Wallonia and, to a degree, Flanders.
Participation in educational leave by region and age group, 2022‑2023
Source: DWSE (2024[10]), Jaarrapport Vlaamse opleidingsincentives, Schooljaar 2022‑2023 (Annual report on Flemish training incentives, school year 2022‑2023); Forem (2024[11]), Congé-Éducation Payé Rapport d’exécution du dispositif Année académique 2020‑2021 (Paid educational leave. Report on programme implementation school year 2020‑2021); Bruxelles Economie et Emploi (2025[12]), Congé-Éducation Payé Monitoring 2022‑2023 (Paid educational leave Monitoring 2022‑2023) C and OECD calculations based on (BCSS Datawarehouse[13]), Application web chiffres globaux, https://dwh.ksz-bcss.fgov.be/fr/dwh_page/content/websites/datawarehouse/menu/application-web-chiffres-globaux.html (accessed 2 February 2026).
Educational leave is a promising policy instrument addressing the primary barrier to training participation, a lack of time. However, given the participation patterns described above, there may be room for refining the policy design so that it is more effectively targeted at groups in need of training. Experience from OECD countries suggests that educational leave policies are most effective when they target adults who face the greatest participation barriers (OECD, 2025[9]). For instance, Austria is pursuing reforms to better target its educational leave programme at low-skilled adults, following evaluations showing that it mainly tended to benefit well-integrated labour market participants, with limited effects on employment and wages (Ibid.). In addition, the Belgian regions have differing provisions on the type of training that can be undertaken as part of educational leave, with varying degrees of labour market relevance required. Taking measures to ensure labour market relevance of training – through limiting eligibility to selected courses, accompanying career guidance or employer co-financing – could potentially increase effectiveness.
However, it should be noted that recommendations to improve the design of educational leave are difficult to make in the absence of evaluations on the programme’s impact. While educational leave (in different iterations) has been in place in Belgium for decades, no rigorous evaluations of its effects exist. Investment in improved evaluation of educational leave – as well as other training policies more broadly – is crucial for more informed and improved policy design.
Investing in the recognition of prior learning can enable access to training and skill certification for older workers
Alongside policies that support taking time off for training, making available training more flexible can reduce barriers to participation. Flexible training provision can make learning pathways more adaptable, enable incremental skills development and reduce the overall time committed to training (OECD, 2025[9]). In this context, many OECD countries are investing in greater modularisation of training programmes and increased adaptability of learning (OECD, 2023[14]).
For mid-career and older workers, a particularly crucial role is played by systems for the recognition of prior learning (RPL). Many mid-career and older workers already have substantial skills acquired throughout their labour market career – or outside of it – but these skills are often not officially certified. RPL systems allow for the validation and certification of professional skills, which can reduce the time needed to acquire formal qualifications and grant access to certain education programmes (OECD, 2024[15]).
In Belgium, the recognition of prior learning has existed for several decades and is organised via the regions and communities (Antoine, 2024[16]). In Flanders, the system for recognition of prior learning (Erkennen van Verworven Competenties) underwent major reform in 2019 with the aim of reducing fragmentation across the education and work sectors and linking labour market validation to the Flemish Qualification Framework (Kimps, 2024[17]). The validation of competences for the labour market is available through various accredited validation centres), including adult education centres and some private organisations (OECD, 2023[18]).
In the French-speaking community, the recognition of prior learning also includes separate systems for the certification of work experience or professional qualifications (Skills validation/validation des compétences) and validation of prior learning for adults who do not have formal educational qualifications (valorisation of acquired experience/valorisation des acquis) (Antoine, 2024[16]). The system for validation of competences is carried out through a network of adult learning providers registered as accredited validation centres, where citizens can take part in skills validation for free. There is also strong buy-in from social partners in Wallonia, with 16 sectoral agreements including proposed actions to improve validation in the sector (Ibid.). French-speaking Belgium has also started establishing systems for directly validating competencies within companies.
In all Belgian regions, promising efforts have been made in recent years to increase integration and coherence in systems for the recognition of prior learning. However, when looking at participation rates, significant differences can be observed. In the French-speaking regions, 3 724 individuals participated in validation in 2024, acquiring 6 579 certifications (CDVC, 2025[19]). Participation in validation is common across age groups, with 33% of participants receiving a qualification aged 35‑44 and 22% aged 45‑54, while the share of people aged 55‑64 is lower (8%). In contrast, in Flanders, validation is less commonly used, with 605 validation trajectories taking place across all validation bodies in 2021 (OECD, 2023[18]).
Further investment in wide stakeholder engagement and outreach is needed to increase the visibility of the skills validation system. In the past, poor employer awareness of validation has been noted as an issue in Flanders (Kimps, 2024[17]; OECD, 2019[20]). To increase awareness, involving employers and social partners throughout the validation process, connecting validation more strongly with the rest of the adult learning system and investing in outreach could be beneficial. For instance, in Portugal, Qualifica centres have seen success in skills validation for mid-career and older workers by building strong links with labour market actors throughout the validation process, integrating validation with other education and training tools and running large‑scale outreach campaigns (Box 4.1).
In Portugal, more than 300 specialised centres for the education of adults (Qualifica Centres) offer individualised learning and qualification pathways for individuals. The recognition, validation and certification of competences (RVCC) is a key pillar of the programme, which can be used to obtain both educational and professional qualifications. Qualifica Centres are the only entities certified to carry out validation, in accordance with the National Qualifications Framework. RVCC is supported by the Qualifica Passport, a portable online guidance and profiling tool which integrates all qualifications obtained by an individual throughout their life, can make suggestions for further development and ensure integration with the NQF. The RVCC process also has a strong labour market link, as social partners are deeply involved in the design and updating of competence standards and instruments for vocational RVCC via sectoral councils.
Qualifica centres are promoted by a wide range of actors, including educational establishments, PES, municipalities and companies. Recent promotional campaigns have also been used to raise awareness of skills validation. Qualifica centres have had success in advancing the recognition of prior learning in Portugal, with high participation of mid-career and older adults in validation. Between 2017 and 2023, adults aged 45 and overachieved 38 000 full certifications (42% of total adult certifications) and 3 000 partial certifications (47% of total certifications).
Source: OECD (2024[15]), Promoting Better Career Choices for Longer Working Lives: Stepping Up Not Stepping Out and Menitra (2024), European inventory on validation of non-formal and informal learning 2023 Update – Country report Portugal.
In addition, mechanisms for skills validation could also be established and encouraged at sectoral level, with involvement of the sectoral funds. This is demonstrated by a recent innovative project in the woodworking sector, financed through the ESF, on “lifelong qualified workplace learning” (levenslang gekwalificeerd werkplekleren). The goal of the project was to make non-formal and informal workplace learning more visible by developing sector-relevant modular training programmes which can lead to a (partial) professional qualification recognised by the government (Habraken, Stepman and Lenaerts, 2023[21]). The wood sector thereby became the first Flemish example to issue an official professional qualification to certify employee’s workplace learning. This involved the development of 238 modules for work-based learning and four recognised pathways to a sector-specific professional qualification, which can be obtained either through work-based learning or EVC assessment.
4.1.3. Financial incentives can play a role in supporting transitions at older ages, but need to be well-targeted
Alongside other policy levers, financial incentives can be a powerful tool to prevent underinvestment in training on the part of both workers and companies (OECD, 2025[9]). This is particularly relevant for groups who are less likely to participate in adult learning, such as older workers. Reducing the cost associated with training can increase incentives to participate in training and, equally, for employers to invest in the training of their older workers.
Many instruments provide financial support for training in Belgium, but mid-career and older workers benefit less
In Belgium, there are several instruments to lower the financial cost associated with training (see Table 4.1 for a non-exhaustive overview). Some of these, such as the Flemish training voucher programme for employees (Opleidingscheques), provide a subsidy for training costs directly for employees. In addition, all regions offer instruments that financially support training in companies. The precise conditions for support differ across regions, though all instruments either exclusively target or offer more generous support for SMEs.
Impact evaluations of the various training subsidies do not exist, but descriptive data suggests that mid-career and older workers are less likely to benefit from financial support for training (Figure 4.6). For programmes in Flanders and Wallonia where data is available, the share of workers in the age group 45‑54 and, particularly, 55‑64 benefitting from the measure is significantly lower than the share of these age groups in the employed population.
Share of employees benefitting from Flemish and Wallonian training subsidies and share of employment by age
Note: Data for Flemish training vouchers is for 2022‑2023, for Walloon training vouchers for 2023, and for Walloon adaptation credit for 2021‑2022.
Source: DWSE (2024[10]), Jaarrapport Vlaamse opleidingsincentives, Schooljaar 2022‑2023 (Annual report on Flemish training incentives, school year 2022‑2023); Forem (2024), Crédit-Adaptation Rapport d’exécution du dispositive Années 2021‑2022 (Adaptation Credit. Report on implementation of the measure years 2021‑2022); Forem (2024), Chèque‑Formation Rapport d’exécution du dispositive Année 2023 (Training voucher. Report on implementation of the measure 2023) and OECD calculations based on (BCSS Datawarehouse, n.d.[13]), Application web chiffres globaux, https://dwh.ksz-bcss.fgov.be/fr/dwh_page/content/websites/datawarehouse/menu/application-web-chiffres-globaux.html (accessed 2 February 2026).
Improved targeting of financial support for training towards mid-career and older workers could contribute to greater adult learning participation of these age groups. Several examples from other OECD countries demonstrate how financial support for both individuals and companies can be targeted at older age groups (Box 4.2). Such targeting can be designed in several ways, for instance by restricting eligibility for financial support or offering more generous support for under-represented groups. It should also be highlighted, however, that financial support will need to be accompanied by additional measures to encourage participation in training, given that cost is not the primary barrier to participation for older age groups (Section 4.1.2).
Examples from several countries demonstrate how financial support for education and training can be targeted at mid-career and older workers. Singapore offers several options for training support targeted at mid-career workers. The Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy is available to citizens aged 40 and above and covers at least 90% of fees for courses funded by the Ministry of Education, as well as up to 90% of courses funded by SkillsFuture Singaport. In addition, the SkillsFuture Credit, which operates like an individual learning account, provides tiered financial support for training. From age 25, recipients receive support of SGD 500, which was topped up by an additional 4 000 for those aged 40 or above in 2024.This funding can be used for upskilling, with ca. 7 000 courses eligible.
In other countries, training support for companies is targeted at mid-career and older workers. In Germany, company subsidies for training are tiered (ranging from 25% to 100%) depending on company size and worker characteristics. For companies with less than 500 employees, training costs for workers over the age of 45 are fully covered. In Poland, employers can apply for funding for training from the National Training Fund, which covers 80% of costs for SMEs and 100% for micro companies. While eligibility is not restricted to older workers, priority is given to training for workers aged 45 and above.
Source: OECD (2025[1]), Employment Outlook 2025: Can We Get Through the Demographic Crunch?, https://doi.org/10.1787/194a947b-en.
Participation in longer training programmes could enable job transitions for mid-career and older workers
While many instruments to incentivise education and training participation exist in Belgium, the large majority of these focus on rather short training (CSE, 2021[22]). This means that opportunities for substantial up- and re‑skilling, with financial support, are limited. However, longer-term training could be important to enable mobility and career progression in the mid-career. For instance, evidence from Finland suggests that programmes which enable longer-term educational leave from work to take part in training can significantly increase occupational mobility (Kauhanen, 2021[23])
The main Belgian policy instrument that could be used to enable longer-term training is the time credit scheme, a career interruption policy that allows for partially or fully suspending working time training (for a detailed discussion of the scheme, see Chapter 3). Career interruptions can be undertaken for a number of reasons, among them participating in training. Private sector employees can suspend their working time by either 20%, 50% or 100% to participate in a recognised training of a duration of minimum 360 hours. While on time credit, the employee receives a benefit from the National Employment Office (topped up by an additional benefit for training time credit in Flanders only). The amount of wage compensation depends on individual circumstances, but is unlikely to be sufficient to finance long-term training (DWSE, 2024[10]). In addition, use of time credit is most common for care purposes, and as the credit is cumulative across the lifetime, participation for both caring reasons and training may not be feasible in most cases. In Flanders, it has been observed that there are a substantial number of workers who instead go on unemployment benefit to be able to follow long-term training (DWSE, 2024[10]). This suggests that there is demand for support for longer-term training, which is not currently met by the existing training instruments.
Against this background, the Belgian regions could consider introducing policy instruments that support more substantial up- and re‑skilling, particularly for occupations facing labour shortages. Several examples of such policies exist in other OECD countries (Box 4.3). While in most cases, financial support for long-term training is available for all age groups, there are also examples of programmes specifically targeted at mid-career workers.
Across countries, policy support is increasingly targeting long-form training to support career transitions. Sweden introduced the Student Finance for Transition and Retraining programme in 2022. The support is aimed at experienced labour market participants (minimum eight years of experience) and consists of a grant and an optional loan to cover up to 80% of the previous salary to finance participation in labour market-relevant training. Support is available for workers aged 27 to 63. Training length is limited to 80 weeks of full-time study for people under age 40, while there are no limitations for workers aged 40+, though financial support is limited to a maximum of 44 weeks of full-time study. In Austria, the skilled worker scholarship and nursing scholarship can be used to acquire new or higher vocational qualifications in selected shortage occupations, focussing on employees or unemployed individuals with low or medium levels of qualification. Participants can take part in training for a duration of up to three years (four in the case of the nursing scholarship) while receiving financial support of EUR 41 (skilled worker scholarship) or EUR 55 per day (nursing scholarship). Research has shown that mid-career and older workers make up a minority of participants, but that participation has very positive effects on employment for those who do participate.
There are also examples of transition support specifically targeted at mid-career workers. In Singapore, the Mid-Career Training Allowance, introduced in 2025, offers income replacement for workers aged 40+ who participate in selected full-time or part-time long-form training programmes. The allowance amounts to 50% of average income over the previous 12 months (minimum SGD 300 and maximum SGD 3 000 per month), or a flat-rate payment of SGD 300 for part-time study. The allowance can be used for up to 24 months over one’s lifetime. Courses that are eligible for the programme include those included in the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme and certain undergraduate level degree qualifications.
Source: OECD (2025[24]), Promoting Mid-Career Mobility for Longer Working Lives in Austria; SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance, Education, Career and Personal Development, https://www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg/content/portal/en/career-resources/career-resources/education-career-personal-development/SkillsFuture-Mid-Career-Training-Allowance.html and Student finance for transition and retraining – For people already established in the labour market – CSN, https://www.csn.se/languages/english/student-finance-for-transition-and-retraining.html.
4.1.4. Reducing complexity and fragmentation in adult learning can engage and motivate older workers
Fragmentation and complexity make the Belgian adult learning landscape difficult to navigate, which can decrease motivation and engagement. While the large effort made in Belgium to develop instruments to support adult learning is laudable, the complexity of the institutional landscape and fragmentation of policy measures across levels of governance can be an impediment to participation. Difficulties in navigating the adult learning landscape are likely to be a particular disincentive for groups less likely to participate in the first place, such as older workers. (CSE, 2021[22]). In this context, making information on education and training more accessible, particularly for disadvantaged groups, and strengthening outreach are key priorities (OECD, 2022[7]; Vandenberghe, 2017[25]).
An integrated platform is needed to serve as a one‑stop shop on adult learning
Given the current fragmented nature of information on education and training, one promising move towards increasing accessibility in and engagement with adult learning would be the creation of a one‑stop shop to consolidate entitlements and information (OECD, 2022[7]). In the past year, efforts to develop integrated digital learning platforms have been undertaken both in Flanders and at federal level in Belgium, though with substantial differences in the design of such a platform (Box 4.4). The Flemish effort, several steps of which have been completed focusses on creating an integrated learning and career account including training credits, record and career guidance. The federal initiative was initially focussed on tracking the right to training at federal level, but has recently been abolished. A new federal online portal is set to be introduced in 2027.
In recent years, there have been several efforts towards developing integrated learning accounts in Belgium. In Flanders, the regional government and Public Employment Service have been working towards the introduction of a digital learning- and career account (leer- en loopbaanrekening). A vision statement, approved by the Flemish Government in 2022, sets out successive steps towards the creation of such an account (DWSE, 2022[26]). They include an online tool for adults to assess which training incentives are available to them, a digital wallet with tailored information on training incentives and financial support, and the gradual development of a personalised career platform run by VDAB, also including career advice and orientation. The wizard tool for assessing availability of training incentives was launched in 2023 and Flemish workers can consult their entitlements to training (opleidingstegoed) in the Flemish online citizen portal. However, the development of a full VDAB platform integrating training credits, records and career guidance and advice has not been implemented, and is not foreseen in the current government’s coalition agreement.
At the same time, the Belgian federal government also introduced an online platform to follow one’s training record, the Federal Learning Account (FLA), in 2022. The main aim of the FLA was to track the individual right to five days of training per year, through an online platform where employers were required to declare their employees’ training. The intention was for employees to use the account to track the training days they were entitled to and their training record. However, on 1 January 2026, the FLA was abolished due to concerns about undue administrative burden imposed on enterprises. A new system, the Individual Learning Account, will be introduced by 2027. Through this system, which will operate independently of employers, citizens will be able to register their own training and certificates and follow their training record over time. It would not include the development of an individual budget for training that can be cumulated over time, typically associated with individual learning accounts in other OECD countries (OECD, 2019[27]).
Previous OECD analysis highlighted the creation of the Belgian federal individual learning account as a very positive development, with potential to increase accessibility and portability of training rights (OECD, 2024[28]; Gonne, 2022[29]). To effectively consolidate information on adult learning and increase participation, an individual learning account should not be a mere accounting exercise to track training over time. Rather, such a system should gather all relevant information relating to individual career development, including a skills and competences inventory, a track record of training undertaken, available courses, a summary of training rights and guidance on a personal development plan (CSE, 2021[22]; OECD, 2025[30]). In addition, it should lead to the consolidation of training incentives, include well-targeted incentives for underrepresented groups, and make training rights more portable (OECD, 2019[20]). The abolition of the federal learning account creates uncertainty, but could also present an opportunity to improve on the original design of the account. However, while not much information on the future individual learning account is available as of the writing of this report, the newly proposed system appears rather less comprehensive and will function mainly as a voluntary online system for individuals to register their own training, without employer involvement.
At the same time, it must be stressed that the parallel creation of different platforms at regional and federal level stands in direct opposition to efforts to decrease fragmentation and increase accessibility in the adult learning landscape. The development of a unique tool integrating both regional and federal instruments and accumulated training rights could enable better tracking and transferability of training rights, thereby leading to more individuals taking part in training and professional transitions (CSE, 2021[22]). However, this would require a significant effort across levels of governance, also with the involvement of other key stakeholders such as social partners.
Outreach towards mid-career and older workers needs to be strengthened
It is essential that the development of any new tools or portals for adult learning is combined with concerted efforts for outreach targeted at underrepresented groups. Policy approaches that rely on individuals proactively seeking out information and support on training are not likely to be successful at reaching groups who are not motivated to participate in training in the first place (OECD, 2022[7]). This is one of the key challenges associated with individual learning accounts which often tend not to reach groups less likely to participate in training worker, including older workers and low-skilled adults (OECD, 2025[30]). It is also likely to be an issue with the new federal learning account, in its currently proposed form. Given that motivation to train is already low in Belgium, more proactive instruments are needed to engage adults in learning. Alongside targeted policy design to increase incentives (Section 4.1.3), outreach can play a role in increasing participation. Such outreach can take various forms, including through training providers, and be conducted via both digital and more traditional media.
However, experience from OECD countries suggests that traditional awareness-raising campaigns may have limited effects on hard-to-reach groups, such as the low-skilled, who are more likely to be reached through proactive, personal contact (Adalet McGowan et al., 2020[31]). For employed workers, proactive and direct outreach in the workplace can be an effective means of raising awareness about adult learning. Social partner involvement can be one helpful lever for facilitating this. For instance, in the United Kingdom, the Unionlearn programme supports skills development through a network of Union Learning Representatives, workplace‑based trade union members that can assess the learning needs of other employees, reach out to underrepresented groups, and co‑ordinate training activities (OECD, 2025[1]). In addition, organisations that are in direct contact with older workers should be encouraged to share information about adult learning possibilities (OECD, 2022[7]).
Access to career advice and guidance plays an essential part in enabling career progression and moves into better-quality jobs for workers of all ages. This includes not only unemployed individuals in need of assistance during their job search, but also employees. In addition, by helping workers to identify suitable opportunities for training, career guidance could also be a lever to increase motivation to take part in adult learning (OECD, 2021[32]). This makes it particularly important in the Belgian context, where motivation to take part in training is low, particularly among older workers.
For mid-career workers, who already have an established labour market career, yet still have a substantial portion of their working life ahead of them, career guidance can help to navigate changes in the labour market and identify ways to remain productive and satisfied at work, potentially through up- or re‑skilling (OECD, 2022[33]). While career guidance services have traditionally focussed on young people, OECD countries are increasingly moving towards providing such services for adults of all ages (OECD, 2021[32]).
Career guidance is typically understood as services that assist individuals in making educational, training and occupational choices (OECD, 2021[32]). In Belgium, there are various ways in which employees can access career orientation advice and guidance. Public support structures for career guidance exist, though there are strong regional differences, which affect the profile of users. Moreover, social partners play a crucial role in adult learning provision in Belgium, and are increasingly moving towards providing career orientation services, with some promising examples of initiatives for inter-sectoral collaboration.
4.2.1. Strengthening the participation of mid-to-late career workers in career guidance, regardless of employment status
There are several ways in which policy can support the access of mid-to-late career workers to career guidance. Across OECD countries, career guidance is provided through a range of providers, including public career guidance services and Public Employment Services, as well as private services and education and training providers (Ibid.). This diversity is reflected in the Belgian policy landscape, where different approaches to delivering career guidance have been taken across regions.
The participation of mid-career individuals in career guidance is rather high everywhere, but the engagement of employed workers varies strongly
Various approaches to the provision of career guidance for the employed exist across Belgian regions. In Wallonia and Brussels, career guidance is provided through a network of public centres (Carrefour/Cité des métiers) providing counselling services. These centres provide free guidance for everyone, regardless of employment status or age, in both French and Dutch (Cedefop, 2024[34]). In contrast, the Flemish Public Employment Service (VDAB) promotes access to career guidance through a voucher system (loopbaancheques) specifically targeted at the employed (while other VDAB services provide career guidance for the unemployed). People who live in Flanders or Brussels, are currently working and have at least seven years of work experience can claim a voucher, which entitles them to four hours career guidance at a recognised career guidance centre with a co-payment of EUR 90. Conditions for access to career guidance vouchers were made more restrictive in 2025 as part of ongoing budgetary consolidation measures; this included limiting the overall number of vouchers, an increase in the co-payment from EUR 45 to EUR 90, reductions in the entitlement from seven to four hours of guidance, and limiting eligibility to people who had never used a career voucher before. Career guidance typically results in the development of a personal development plan, which includes the identification of suitable education and training. Alongside these services, various online tools for skills checks and career guidance also exist (OECD, 2022[7]).
The participation of mid-career individuals in career guidance is rather high across the different types of career guidance (Figure 4.7, Panel A). In the Brussels Cité des Metiers, 21.8% of individuals participating in career guidance belonged to the age group 40‑49 and 7.3% to the age group 50‑54, relative to shares of 17.3% and 7.8% in the general population, respectively. In Flanders, these age groups are rather over-represented in career guidance in comparison to their share in the employed population, with 32.7% of participants aged 40‑49 and 11.9% aged 50‑54. From age 55, participation in career guidance drops.
Looking beyond age, there are significant differences in the population participating in career guidance across regions. The Flemish career guidance scheme, exclusively targeted at employed workers and self-employed people with seven years of work experience, is strongly skewed towards highly-educated individuals, who made up 63.8% of all voucher users in 2024 (Figure 4.7, Panel B). In contrast, the Cité des Metiers is more used by non-employed individuals who often have a lower level of education. In 2024, 33.1% of people who made use of career guidance through the centre had a low level of education, while a further 38.7% had medium levels of education. In addition, only 8.1% of participants were employed in 2024, compared to 80.7% who were unemployed (Cité des métiers de Bruxelles, 2024[35]).
Individuals participating in career guidance by age and level of education, 2024, Belgium
Note: Data cover persons aged 15 and over. The career guidance voucher scheme is restricted to employed individuals, while the Cité des métiers is accessible to anyone. A very small share of career voucher recipients is resident in Brussels (1.6% in 2024).
Source: VDAB (2025), Cifjergegevens Volledig 2024 (Complete Figures 2024); Cité des métiers de Bruxelles (2024[35]), Rapport annuel 2024 (Annual report 2024); OECD calculations based on data from Eurostat (2026), Employed persons by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region (dataset), https://doi.org/10.2908/LFST_R_LFE2EEDU and Eurostat (2026), Population in private households by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region (dataset), https://doi.org/10.2908/LFST_R_LFSD2POP (accessed 9 February 2026).
The Flemish career voucher scheme has seen significant success in engaging employed workers of all ages in career guidance and has been widely recognised as an international good practice, including in previous OECD publications (e.g. (OECD, 2025[1]). Data points to positive effects of participation in the scheme on career mobility. Online surveys conducted among career guidance recipients in 2022 showed that career guidance is typically taken up by individuals who are unsatisfied in their career and have a higher desire to change jobs (D’Huyvetter and Verbruggen, 2023[36]). Following participation in the programme, more than half of respondents stated that they had experienced a career change, with 18.2% changing employers. However, it should be stressed that these positive effects cannot be causally linked to career guidance, given the descriptive design of the survey. In addition, the large over-representation of highly-educated individuals in career guidance is a significant concern (Vansteenkiste et al., 2015[37]; De Vos et al., 2021[38]).
As part of ongoing reform efforts, the Flemish Government has substantially tightened access to career guidance, with the overall budget decreasing from EUR 22 million in 2024 to EUR 10.7 million in 2025 (Government of Flanders, 2026[39]). The government plans to replace the scheme with a new system, the “career credit”, in 2027. This new scheme will allow every Flemish worker to access a digital wallet containing a career credit of six hours, which can be used directly contact a career counsellor, rather than using a career centre as an intermediary. To ensure the participation of lower-skilled individuals in career guidance, co-payment rates will be reduced for this group.
At present, the draft decree on the design of the career credit scheme is still under discussion. However, social partners have raised a number of concerns about the proposal. This includes the fact that newly defined rates for career counsellors do not reflect market conditions, and the proposed circumvention of career centres in the choice of guidance services, both of which increase the risk of lower quality and insufficient supply of career guidance (SERV, 2026[40]). Social partners also raise concerns about insufficient support for the participation of vulnerable groups in the new scheme (Ibid.). As discussions on the new scheme proceed, it is crucial to ensure that the significant successes associated with the original career guidance voucher scheme are not jeopardised, while improving targeting to better reach vulnerable labour market participants, particularly in a context of limited resources. This will require sufficient funding for high-quality career guidance, investment in quality assurance, and targeted incentives and outreach towards groups less likely to take part in career guidance, such as lower-skilled and older workers.
In contrast to Flemish career guidance schemes, services in Wallonia and Brussels, while nominally accessible to everyone, are largely targeted at the non-employed population in practice, as reflected in the profile of users of these services. In view of this, further investment in career guidance for the employed could be a step forward in supporting labour market transitions across the life course. The development of these career guidance services could build upon the existing Carrefour/Cite des metiers structure by developing an offer specifically targeted at employed workers. Recent examples from OECD countries demonstrate initiatives in this direction. While some countries focus on career guidance for workers of all ages there are also examples of initiatives specifically targeting mid-career workers (Box 4.5).
OECD countries are increasingly broadening access to career guidance, moving towards building career guidance systems for all ages and for everyone regardless of employment status. For instance, in Scotland, an all-age career guidance system is managed by Skills Development Scotland, the national body with responsibility for skills policies. SDS offers career services for all age groups online, in schools and in career centres, and is also responsible for the professional development of career guidance advisors. In Iceland, Lifelong Learning Centres provide education and career counselling with a specific focus on low-skilled adults.
Some countries have established career guidance systems that are specifically targeted at mid-career workers. In Switzerland, the viamia programme has offered free career counselling and guidance for individuals aged 40+ since 2022. The Programme was established as a joint initiative of the federal government and the cantons and offers career guidance for people who are not entitled to it through the PES or other institutions. It typically involves an assessment of an individual’s current labour market situation, their skills and potential future development. In 2022 and 2023, 13 169 individuals participated in counselling. Evaluation results point to high levels of satisfaction and effects on participants’ willingness to participate in training and reorient themselves at work, with 60% of participants indicating that they would not have participated in guidance without the programme. However, high-skilled individuals with high levels of employability were substantially more likely to participate in career guidance, despite concerted efforts to reach low-qualified individuals through outreach and promotional measures.
Source: OECD (2025[24]), Promoting Better Career Mobility for Longer Working Lives in Austria and OECD (2021[32]), Career Guidance for Adults in a Changing World of Work.
High-quality labour market intelligence is a prerequisite for successful career guidance
For career guidance to effectively prepare mid-to-late career workers for labour market changes and support transitions, it needs to be closely linked to information on labour market trends. By identifying growing sectors and occupations, workers can be directed towards training opportunities and vacancies that enable mobility into sustainable employment (OECD, 2019[41]; OECD, 2025[9]). However, evidence suggests that career guidance activities in Belgium are not always closely linked to demand-side labour market trends, rather focussing exclusively on individual needs (De Vos et al., 2021[38]). This suggests that further investment in the development of labour market intelligence and its integration in career guidance and adult learning more broadly could be beneficial.
OECD countries are increasingly investing in labour market intelligence and skills anticipation systems to strengthen the quality of training and career guidance and provide support for workers in the context of structural transitions. The most effective systems combine several types of exercises and draw on various data sources, including both quantitative and qualitative information. For instance, in Sweden, Statistics Sweden conducts short-, medium- and long-term forecasts covering a time span of up to 25 years, which the Public Employment Service supplements with its own exercises to support the development of its programmes (OECD, 2019[41]).
In Belgium, several exercises support skills anticipation, but the landscape is characterised by a high level of fragmentation. Labour market monitoring and forecasting include skills assessment to identify supply and demand and forecast activities, which take place at both regional and federal level (Cedefop, 2023[42]). In addition, there are sectoral skills anticipation exercises, conducted through the sectoral funds, in collaboration with the Public Employment Services (CSE, 2021[22]). Further efforts to integrate and synthesize results from various labour market intelligence exercises would be desirable. This could involve a long-term collaboration agreement across regions to carry out skills forecasts (OECD, 2019[20]).
Long-term collaboration on labour market intelligence could also serve to widen the type of labour market analysis conducted across the country. While various labour market intelligence exercises exist, they largely do not include skills forecasts, rather focussing mainly on labour market forecasting (Cedefop, 2023[42]). The development of skills forecasts could allow for a more holistic picture of labour market trends to feed into career guidance and adult learning policy more broadly (De Vos et al., 2021[38]). Efforts are already being made in this regard, with the Flemish Government commissioning the development of an integrated labour market projection model by Steunpunt Werk (KU Leuven). This will combine quantitative and qualitative insights to map future labour market supply and demand at the level of sectors, jobs and skills, and ultimately demonstrate future mismatches. This could serve as a blueprint for other regions or cross-regional efforts.
4.2.2. Social partners can provide career advice and orientation for mid-to-late career workers through sectoral funds
While public support for career guidance plays an important role, access to career orientation for mid-to-late career workers can also be offered through other pathways. In Belgium, social partners notably play a crucial part in adult learning and career development for employees. This occurs principally through sectoral funds, which develop and organise education and training activities.
Sector funds are financed through compulsory contributions made by employees and companies, supplemented by government funding (Habraken, Stepman and Lenaerts, 2023[21]). Specifically, since 1 989, a collectively agreed mandatory firm levy to finance training for at-risk groups has been defined in Belgium, with the use of funds to be specified within a sectoral or firm-level collective agreement (CSE, 2021[22]). The minimum levy is set at 0.1% of gross salary, half of which has to be spent on specific pre‑defined groups. The definition of at-risk groups may vary by sector and has changed over time, but has gradually expanded to cover not only unemployed workers, but also specific groups of employees (CSE, 2021[22]). Currently, this includes workers older than 50 who work in the sector, and workers older than 40 who work in the sector and are at risk of dismissal. Sectoral funds use the collected resources for collectively organised training or other activities, with strong variation in the responsibilities, organisational structure, financial management and primary objectives between funds (Cedefop, 2024[34]).
In recent years, some sectoral funds have expanded their activities and developed into “career funds”. These funds cover not only training but also career guidance and advice, as well as counselling for employers in matters related to training (CSE, 2021[22]). For instance, the Alimento Career Fund, the sector fund for the food industry, offers support for job transitions through free career guidance and additional training support at specific career transition points (Box 4.6). Similarly, the Mtech+ fund within the metal and technology industry offers employees a Career Account of up to EUR 1 000 to be spent on career guidance or training within or outside the sector. These examples are very promising. However, it should be noted that career guidance support on the part of sectoral funds remains the exception rather than the rule and the evolution of sectoral funds into career funds could be further strengthened (De Vos et al., 2021[38]).
Several sectoral funds in Belgium have taken steps towards developing their activities in a more holistic fashion. For instance, the sector fund for the food industry, Alimento, has developed a career fund as part of the 2019‑2020 sectoral agreement. The objectives of the career fund are 1) promoting transitions into the sector and sustainable careers 2) greater investment in “workable work” through improved working conditions. Through the fund, employees can access free career guidance, a personal retraining budget as well as a childcare allowance. At transition points in a career (upon hiring, job change, return to work and outflow), additional training budget can be allocated to enable job transition and potential retraining. The fund also offers specific support for employees who are dismissed, including training, validation of competences and career guidance.
In the metal and technology industry, a career fund, Mtech+, has also been developed with the aim of strengthening quality careers, job security and the competitiveness of companies. The career fund encourages employees to reflect on their career, also beyond their current job. A Career Account reimburses up to EUR 1 000 of expenses incurred for training or career guidance, which can take place within or outside the sector and does not necessarily have to be labour market oriented.
Source: Goffin, K. et al. (2025[43]), Evaluatie van de werking en strategische evaluatie van de sectorconvenants; IDEA Consult and De Vos, A. et al. (2021[44]), Naar een leer- en loopbaanoffensief. Tweede advies arbeidsmarktexperten, IDEA Consult.
Sectoral funds have many structural strengths that enable them to contribute to adult learning and employee career development in Belgium. By developing sector-specific training plans and programmes, they can respond to sectoral needs and align actions more closely with labour demand, a central challenge for modern adult learning systems (OECD, 2025[9]). They also have the advantage of being closely connected with workers, employers, training providers and governments (Habraken, Stepman and Lenaerts, 2023[21]). This strong connection to the workplace makes them well positioned to reach underrepresented groups, such as small companies or workers in at-risk groups including older workers, (Ibid.). However, there is very limited transparency or monitoring with regard to the activities of sectoral funds, including the amount of funding available, the training courses or training infrastructure (CSE, 2021[22]; Teughels and Van Nieuwenhuysen, 2025[45]). This makes a true assessment of their impact on career development difficult.
In addition, there is a greater need for facilitating sector-to-sector collaboration, including pathways for sectoral transitions for workers (De Vos et al., 2021[38]). Currently, the national level sectoral training funds have limited incentives to expand training investment beyond their sector, which dampens mobility (OECD, 2019[20]). Moreover, the strong fragmentation of resources and initiatives across sectors can reduce both efficiency and effectiveness, with very limited oversight of sectoral labour market policy (Goffin et al., 2025[43]). While there are some examples of initiatives for intersectoral mobility, these are few and far between (Jacobs et al., 2021[46]). Pooling resources for funds among sectors and collectively organizing training and career guidance where appropriate could reduce inefficiencies in fund expenditure and facilitate job transitions between sectors.
In Flanders, progress in encouraging inter-sectoral collaboration has been made through so-called sector covenants (sector convenants). These are collaboration agreements between the Flemish Government and the sectoral funds, where the sectoral fund receives additional government funding to implement a sectoral plan (OECD, 2019[20]). Since 2021, intersectoral work has been supported through three dedicated advisors, who guide the sector funds in collaborating on specific themes, including job mobility. This can involve organising learning network and working groups, stimulating informal contact and facilitating intersectoral projects and events. A recent evaluation highlights the intersectoral work as one of the main benefits of the sector covenant instruments, with high levels of satisfaction and resulting collaboration. (Goffin et al., 2025[43]). Nevertheless, there remains significant room for further action, notably by not only streamlining consultation platforms and events, but also developing concrete actions, potentially across multiple sectors, as well as creating opportunities for collaboration for smaller funds with limited capacity and more bottom-up, flexible collaboration (Ibid.). However, as part of the Flemish reduction in active labour market policy spending, funding for intersectoral advisors has been cut.
4.2.3. Early support is needed for older workers who face dismissal to enable transitions back into work
Career guidance and training are especially important against the background of structural labour market changes, which affect skills demand and increase the risk of job losses for mid-to-late career workers (see Chapter 1). Ideally, these measures should be accessed when workers are still employed to facilitate job-to-job transitions. When workers face displacement, however, it is important to intervene as early as possible to smooth transitions into new employment and avoid long-term labour market exit.
Early intervention following job displacement is particularly important for older workers, for whom the consequences of displacement tend to be particularly severe. With increasing age, workers are increasingly less likely to return to work once they become unemployed (Deelen, de Graaf-Zijl and van den Berge, 2018[47]; OECD, 2024[15]). In addition, older workers face particularly large earnings losses when they do return to work after becoming unemployed, and particularly when they have to change industry (Deelen, de Graaf-Zijl and van den Berge, 2018[47]).
In Belgium, the primary measure for early job placement support following dismissal is outplacement, which can take place at individual or collective level. For individual dismissed workers, an employer is required to offer outplacement if the employee is entitled to a notice period of at least 30 weeks (meaning they have at least nine years of tenure with their employer). Workers older than 45 can access outplacement regardless of tenure. Following a dismissal, an employer makes an offer of outplacement to the dismissed worker, who can choose to accept or refuse the offer. Outplacement involves at minimum 60 hours of professional reorientation support, such as a competence check, the development of a job search plan and logistical or administrative help. This can last a maximum of 12 months, with the first 20 hours taking place within two months of unemployment. Data on take‑up of outplacement services in case of dismissal is not available.
Since 2025, outplacement is complemented by additional employability support for dismissed workers. Workers entitled to at least a 30‑week notice period can claim a one‑off payment of EUR 1 800, which they can request from the National Employment Office, to finance training, career guidance or additional outplacement. These employability measures can already take place during the notice period, and employees have the right to be absent from work with pay to take part in them. This is a promising measure, though it is too recent to assess its impact. Workers are required to provide pre‑financing for the measures they take part in, which may negatively impact the take‑up.
Specific provisions apply for collective dismissals, which are managed through “employment units” (cellules pour l’emploi / tewerkstellingscellen). Employers with more than 20 employees who dismiss a significant share of their workforce are required to set up an employment unit. The employment unit is an independent structure which includes the employer and, if applicable, the trade union and sectoral training fund of their sector, as well as the regional Public Employment Service. The main purpose of the unit is to offer outplacement to each employee. Employees older than 45 are required to remain registered with an employment unit for at least six months (three months otherwise).
Regionally specific provisions on employment units may apply. Notably, in Wallonia, retraining units (cellules de reconversion) have existed since the 1970s, and were subsequently integrated within the federal legislation on employment units. They are a joint initiative by the Walloon PES Forem and trade union organisations, and are the most commonly used instrument in case of dismissals. A retraining unit offers information on job search and training, support for retraining measures and professional job placement support through Forem, functioning as an alternative to outplacement services offered through private providers. Retraining units are typically established by Forem on the premises of the company for a year following a trade union request, and are accessible to workers throughout that time (Knuth, Kirsch and Müghe, 2011[48]). This model has the particular advantage of strong involvement of a trade union delegate previously employed within the company, who can serve as an intermediator between workers and employment services (Ibid.).
Recent data or evaluations of employment and retraining units do not exist, and researchers have pointed out that appropriate indicators to measure the effect of these measures are not always available (Naedenoen, 2012[49]). Nevertheless, there is some evidence and case studies pointing to the success of employment and retraining units in enabling re‑employment of workers facing dismissal (CSE, 2017[50]). It has been pointed out that activating outplacement services as early as possible increases the effectiveness of interventions (Naedenoen, 2012[49]; CSE, 2017[50]).
In addition, the employment/retraining unit concept could be developed further to not just act when workers face dismissal, but proactively offer support for companies facing labour shortages. Examples from other OECD countries can serve as examples here. For instance, the implacement foundations in Austria are an example of an instruments offering targeted job search and training measures to integrate unemployed workers by placing them in companies that are facing large personnel shortages (Box 4.7). Implacement foundations are a particularly interesting example due to their collectively organised nature, offering companies looking for qualified labour the opportunity to directly shape training of jobseekers.
Austria has a long tradition of putting in place labour foundations, collectively organised instruments to manage structural labour market change. Foundations are co-financed by public actors, including the PES and regional governments, as well as companies. They support the unemployed or workers facing job displacement through targeted career guidance or training, with participating companies providing the work-based training component. Following the training, the participating company integrates the jobseeker as an employee.
While outplacement foundations can be put in place when large‑scale personnel cuts occur, implacement foundations are targeted qualification measures that seek to help companies address labour shortages which cannot be covered by the existing pool of unemployed workers. They can be created by one or several companies in a specific region or sector and offer job search and training measures that seek to integrated unemployed individuals in affected companies. In some cases, implacement foundations are targeted at specific labour market groups, such as women.
In past years, implacement foundations have become the most prominent type of Austrian labour foundation. In 2023, 84.3% of individuals registered within a labour foundation where in an implacement foundation. Several Austrian regions have established implacement foundations targeted at shortages in the care sector, which offer qualification measures in care and social services, and an environment foundation which offers qualification in jobs relevant for the green transition also exists.
Source: OECD (2025[24]), Promoting Better Career Mobility for Longer Working Lives in Austria, https://doi.org/10.1787/db85473f-en.
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