How can we solve the severe labour-market staffing shortage? What labour market potential is going untapped? What opportunities and challenges come with the increasing use of digital technologies? How can we make continuing education more attractive for employees and employers alike? These and many other issues relating to securing the supply of skilled labour and continuing education were discussed by Edmunds Valantis, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economics of Latvia, and Dr. Rolf Schmachtenberg, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, during their meeting in Berlin on 26 January 2023.

Both countries are facing similar challenges. State Secretary Schmachtenberg reported on the Federal Government's recently adopted skilled labour strategy, while State Secretary Valantis reported on the newly constituted government's initial ideas. The two partners will continue their dialogue, seeing as Latvia and Germany are both dealing with the challenges caused by the shortage of skilled workers and have other issues in common.