Across Europe, cities are racing to keep up with rapid change. Automation and artificial intelligence are reshaping jobs and services, while the climate crisis demands a fast shift to low-carbon, resilient urban economies. Rising living costs and a changing labour market are also making it harder for many young professionals to see a stable future in their own city.
To respond, local governments need a new mix of what are called ‘future skills’. These are the abilities and training people will need for future jobs in Europe’s digital and green transformations, both inside city administrations and across the wider workforce.
But how can a city adapt to AI and automation while also tackling the climate crisis and keeping its economy attractive for young people?
This question guided the latest meeting of the Eurocities Next Generation Academy in Dublin in December, a two-day training hosted by Dublin City Council.
The Eurocities Next Generation Academy is a training initiative for young professionals, students and city officials under 30. Its goal is to help the next generation of urban leaders build practical skills and confidence, while bringing their perspectives into city policymaking by working on real city challenges.
In Dublin, participants worked on one concrete task: how the city can close future skills gaps in an inclusive and sustainable way while also strengthening its long-term economic resilience. They explored how Dublin can identify skills needs early, support residents and expand access to training, and create local opportunities so people can build their future in the city.
Dublin’s reality check
The programme started from Dublin’s reality: rapid digitalisation, pressure to cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts, and rising expectations from younger generations for meaningful work and affordable housing.
Dublin is losing many young people with the necessary skills in AI, automation and climate action, a phenomenon known as brain drain.
Discussions focused on the questions city administrations increasingly face: which skills will soon be needed; how to anticipate demand with universities, schools and employers; and how to ensure that people in all neighbourhoods can access future-oriented training and jobs.
There was also a clear focus on what happens after skills gaps are identified. Upskilling and reskilling programmes matter, but so does making sure people can actually use their skills locally, through internships, jobs and real projects that build experience and keep talent in the city.
One of the training participants was Shane O’Brien, a 27-year-old Climate Action Graduate at Dublin City Council. He explained that the Academy helped connect Dublin’s challenges with lessons from other European cities facing similar pressures.
“During the event, we discovered that compared to many other cities in the EU, Dublin has a high employment rate with a large percentage of young people in the city,” said Shane. “The city is also losing many young people with the necessary skills in AI, automation and climate action, a phenomenon known as brain drain.”
“Lack of housing and a better quality of life in other cities was highlighted as some of the main drivers of this exodus. Participants also stressed the need to conserve what skills we currently have in Dublin when addressing the listed challenges.”
Docklands: innovation on the ground
The meeting brought participants to Dublin’s Docklands, where technology, finance and creative industries sit alongside older communities and infrastructure.
City staff and external experts shared how Dublin is testing new approaches through Smart Dublin and related initiatives, including innovative procurement and a model that links citizens, the public sector, private companies and universities.
The message throughout was that future-ready skills are not only technical. They also include the human skills needed to work across disciplines, communicate clearly, involve residents, and adapt when projects do not work as expected.
We all gained an awareness of the future changes we are going to face, especially regarding AI and automation
Lara Arnó Armora, a 20-year-old Global Studies student at the University Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, has an interest in sustainable urbanism and policymaking. She wanted to better understand the key issues city governments will face in the coming years.
“We all gained an awareness of the future changes we are going to face, especially regarding AI and automation,” she explained. “Even though some human skills will not be substituted by technology, knowing how to work with these technologies will be in demand.
“We also talked about the ethical challenges of AI, regarding energy consumption, which is something that also has to be taken into consideration in policymaking, and in innovation, working in low-impact AI.”
Shared challenges across Europe
Participants shared their experiences from cities across Europe. Several city governments are piloting AI tools for practical tasks, while others are strengthening digital literacy through schools and community outreach.
Many cities are linking climate policies and workforce strategies so people have the skills needed for building renovation, sustainable mobility and nature-based solutions. Participants made it clear that new training offers must reach not only young graduates, but also existing workers who risk being left behind if their jobs change due to automation or decarbonisation.
Leevi Hietanen, 28, an Advocacy Specialist and Mayor’s Advisor in the City of Espoo, explained that the meeting gave him the opportunity to meet other young professionals working in cities across Europe and exchange experiences.
“A key takeaway was the need for professionals who understand both new technologies like AI and broader global challenges such as the climate crisis,” said Leevi. “Cities have an important role as connectors, bringing together residents, businesses and other stakeholders. Collaboration is essential, as very little can be achieved by city administrations acting alone.”
We all gained an awareness of the future changes we are going to face, especially regarding AI and automation
From ideas to proposals
On the second day, an ‘application sprint’ and solution feedback sessions turned the central city challenge into practical proposals for Dublin. Participants moved from clarifying and honing in on a specific, addressable, problem to developing ideas that could connect their proposed solutions to the city’s existing work on economic development, skills and social inclusion.
With participants split into smaller groups for a more hands-on experience, group one focused on the risk of brain drain from disadvantaged areas and the lack of clear information about local pathways into digital and green careers. Their proposal centred on improving how opportunities are mapped and communicated through the creation of outreach programmes and an accessible information platform, so young people from all backgrounds can see a route from training to work within Dublin.
The second group looked at how to support people who cannot follow a traditional university route. They explored an alternative pathway developed with Dublin City Council and local partners, combining a needs assessment, tailored modules and paid professional experience allowing young people to develop future skills through non-academic post-secondary routes.
For Shane, the chance to work with peers from across Europe was a key value of the experience. “I have lived in Dublin all of my life, and I see on a daily basis the challenges it faces to provide the best quality of life possible for its citizens,” he said.
“I was very interested in hearing about the perspectives of young professionals from different European cities on Dublin’s challenges.”
Why young voices matter
The Dublin training underlined that involving young people in urban policy is not a symbolic exercise. Young professionals often have first-hand experience of housing pressure, insecure work and rapid environmental change. They are also entering the roles that will shape how cities deliver public services and manage transitions.
A key takeaway was the need for professionals who understand both new technologies like AI and broader global challenges such as the climate crisis
“It may sound like a cliché, but young people really are the future,” said Leevi. “Urban development is where growth and innovation happen, so EU policies need to reflect the realities of cities. Young professionals bring fresh perspectives on how cities are changing and what they will need in the years ahead.”
What they take back
By the end of the two days, participants had tested ideas, challenged assumptions and built new connections with peers across Europe.
The Academy showed that bringing young people into the centre of policy discussions can generate fresh, grounded proposals, and why investing in future-ready skills is essential for resilient and inclusive cities.
Reflecting on her experience, Lara said: “I gained insights from our contemporary challenges, which I will take into account in my studies. On a personal level, I’m going to continue educating myself in this area of expertise to hopefully be able to contribute to the future sustainability of life in cities.”
