Around eight in ten companies report difficulties in integrating the right talent, with the challenge most acute in larger enterprises and in technology-focused firms. The findings come from the report Joining Paths: youth and companies facing the talent challenge, a collaboration between KPMG, the Princess of Girona Foundation, the University Foundation San Pablo CEU, and Enagás.
The study highlights a persistent gap between the skills employers demand and what education systems and early entrants into the labor market can supply. This mismatch, according to the report, not only limits the future prospects of today’s youth but also holds back national growth at a moment when digital and sustainable transformation should be accelerating.
A central takeaway from the document is the need for closer cooperation among public administrations, educational institutions, businesses, and civil society to cultivate young people’s abilities in a rapidly evolving job landscape.
talent search
In the near and mid-term, 76 percent of companies expect that by 2030 the hurdles to securing the necessary talent will rise. The report emphasizes a worrying risk: 78 percent of respondents see talent shortages as a major threat to business sustainability.
Both employers and young job seekers acknowledge a misalignment between what students are taught and what companies actually require. Forty-two percent of organizations feel that new graduates are not meeting business needs, a figure that climbs to 52 percent when considering the perspectives of young entrants themselves.
Francisco Belil, president of the Princess of Girona Foundation, notes that companies are seeking more than technical know-how. They value cognitive skills such as critical thinking, creativity, communication, innovation, self-management, teamwork, and problem solving. He stresses that universities do not systematically teach these competencies, and society bears responsibility for identifying, evaluating, and activating the talents of young people.
More demand for technological profiles
The report shows a growing demand for technology-oriented profiles, which, while increasingly attractive to young people, also reveal the widest talent gap. Respondents point to several critical gaps in the tech sector, including expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning (70 percent), cybersecurity (69 percent), data science and analytics (66 percent), cloud software and application development (63 percent), and specialists in technology and digital transformation (60 percent).
The research draws on responses from 106 companies and 117 young participants gathered between September and October 2022, complemented by interviews with managers and insights from workshops with young people. The findings underscore an urgent call for coordinated action across the education-to-work transition to better align training with market needs and to prepare the next generation for a digitally driven economy.