3.3 Skills forecasting
On this page
On this page
Forecasting system(s)
Denmark has several forms of skills forecasting measures. The Ministry of Employment is responsible for most skills forecasting measures. The National Agency for Labour Market and Recruitment (STAR) is responsible for implementing and following up on the main part of the measures. Some analyses are made on a regular and short-term basis, others are ad hoc and long term.
Jobindsats
Jobindsats is a public database containing relevant historic and current data on active labour market policies in Denmark. It also contains indicators of recent reforms. The primary purpose of this platform is to create transparency regarding the work of the public employment service/job centres. It is targeted at local job centres with a specific focus on benchmarking and unemployment insurance funds, enabling job centres to carry out planning, management and follow-up procedures with respect to active labour market policies in their own municipality or unemployment insurance fund. Jobindsats.dk thus provides the best possible statistical foundation for decision-making.
Recruitment publication
Four times a year, STAR publishes an analysis on recruiting difficulties in Denmark (Rekrutteringssurveys). The analyses give an overview of the recruitment situation in the Danish labour market and are used as indicators of the recruitment difficulties of Danish companies.
The reports are based on surveys among approximately 14.000 companies. The surveys provide an overview of recruitment problems in the different regions of Denmark and outline in which sectors the recruitment problems are most critical. The surveys are not forecasts as such, but the latest survey from December 2024 provides an overview of the development since 2006 and thus gives an indication of trends for labour shortage and demand of skills.
Labour Market Balance
Labour Market Balance (Arbejdsmarkedsbalancen) is a virtual tool that provides an overview of job opportunities in the different labour market regions. The labour market balance combines register data on unemployed persons, people in employment, the turnover in jobs, and a survey from companies on the need for labour and difficulties with recruitment.
Regional labour market councils (RAR)
Denmark has eight RARs that coordinate the employment initiatives and the initiatives relating to recruitment problems and labour shortages. The RAR sections use the skills forecasting measures established by STAR and analyse them in a regional and municipal context.
Ad hoc evaluations
In December 2019, the Ministry of Higher Education and Science published an analysis of the demand for new skills and competences in the maritime sector. Among other things, the report has analysed which competences and types of education employers requested in job advertisements from 2010 to July 2019. The report concludes, for instance, that there has been an increase in the demand for digital and highly specialised competences.
Skills Development and Labour Market Alignment
Skills development in Denmark is structured around formal, non-formal, and other learning opportunities that address both direct and indirect labour market needs.
Formal Education and Labour Market Needs
The Higher Education and Vocational Education and Training (VET) systems integrate skills forecasting to ensure alignment with labour market demands. In higher education, student intake adjustments are implemented to redirect enrolment from fields with high graduate unemployment to areas with better job prospects. Additionally, new higher education programs must undergo prequalification to assess labour market relevance and socio-economic impact.
VET programs are also shaped by skills forecasting and labour market needs. Since 2018, enrolment in certain VET programs has required education agreements with enterprises, ensuring stronger ties between training and industry demand. The Council for Vocational Education (REU) advises on program adjustments, including new course offerings or program closures.
Non-Formal and Other Learning Opportunities
Skills forecasting also informs local municipal employment strategies, guiding job centre initiatives, active labour market policies, and vocational training allocations. The regional education pool funds short vocational training courses for unemployed individuals based on these forecasts, ensuring access to labour-market-relevant skills.
Additionally, tripartite agreements between the government, employers, and trade unions support continuous upskilling initiatives, ensuring that both formal and non-formal education pathways remain responsive to evolving labour market needs.
Awareness-Raising Initiatives
To ensure that prospective students are well-informed about the skills needed in the labour market, Danish top-level public authorities organize various awareness-raising initiatives. These include national information campaigns highlighting future job trends and skill demands, often in collaboration with industry representatives and educational institutions. Additionally, public events and career fairs, such as "Education and Career" fairs, provide direct interaction with employers and vocational guidance counselors.
Dedicated publications and digital platforms, like “UddannelsesGuiden” (The Education Guide), offer tailored advice on educational pathways and labour market prospects. The "EVEU" initiative (Efter- og Videreuddannelse) further supports lifelong learning by disseminating information on upskilling opportunities. Through these initiatives, Denmark fosters an informed youth population that can make strategic educational choices aligned with evolving labour market needs.