Anticipation of skill needs and technology foresight

Technological innovations and the capacities and skills which they demand are of critical importance in achieving positive economic development. New technology and changes in the way work is organised are two examples of situations which may engender the need for new or evolving knowledge and skills. This is the context in which the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) supports the initiative for the anticipation of skill needs. Work and research undertaken as part of this initiative are linked up through the FreQueNz network and are intended to identify new or changing skill needs as early as possible. This work is accompanied by programmes and processes relating to technology foresight programmes and processes. With a view to the possibility of strengthening the links between vocational education and training on the one hand and technological development on the other, this article ponders the overlaps and possible points of alignment between anticipation of skill needs and technology foresight.