15
–16
Sep

TASKS VI: The Digital and Ecological Transformation of the Labour Market

6. International BIBB/IAB/ZEW Conference

Organiser: Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung, German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB)

Digital tech­no­lo­gies can be both labour-saving and labour-aug­men­ting, thereby changing the division of labour between humans and machines. While an incre­a­sing range of tasks can be automated, new tasks arise at the same time. This digital trans­for­ma­ti­on is likely to interact with the eco­lo­gi­cal trans­for­ma­ti­on towards a climate-friendly economy, both of which will shape the future of work. On top of that, the Covid-19 pandemic induced fast changes in the orga­ni­sa­ti­on and location of work. The aim of this con­fe­rence is to bring together eco­no­mists, socio­lo­gists and rese­ar­chers from related fields to discuss frontier research on labour market effects of processes asso­cia­ted with the digital and eco­lo­gi­cal trans­for­ma­ti­on. Special focus lies on the following questions:

  • How does the division of tasks between workers and machines develop?
  • Do green jobs differ from non-green jobs in terms of skills and human capital?
  • How does the digital and eco­lo­gi­cal trans­for­ma­ti­on affect labour market, firm and indi­vi­du­al outcomes?
  • How do job contents and tasks evolve and how do workers adapt?
  • What is the role of education and training in preparing the workforce for new knowledge and skills requirements?
  • How does the Covid-19 pandemic affect both types of trans­for­ma­ti­ons? And what does the pandemic reveal about the inter­ac­tions between gender, education, work requi­re­ments and tasks?
  • How can policy cushion potential negative outcomes related to these transformations?
  • How do we measure the digital and eco­lo­gi­cal trans­for­ma­ti­on and cate­go­ri­se related tasks?
  • What can we learn from new (big) data sources like job advertisements?
09:00 – 00:00
IAB Nürnberg
Conference

May

2027



May
18–
20
10:00
Johannesburg, South Africa
Conference

7th Crossing Boundaries Conference

Learning Across Continents: Conversations in a divided world

VETNET

Topics:

  • How do we understand the role of VET in preparing young people for work when labour markets and workplaces are in flux nationally and internationally?
  • Is this changing the nature of VET and VET curricula? Is it raising new questions on work, labour markets and education? What is core to VET that is stable across different contexts?
  • Are systems looking more similar or more different from each other?
  • What are the main factors—such as workplace organisation, changing labour markets, changing enrolment in schools and universities, and the nature of economies that are influencing different aspects of VET provision—such as curriculum, governance, partnerships, enrollment patterns—in different countries?
  • How do we connect better as researchers, and use VET research to build connection?

Dates and timeline

  • Submission of abstracts: opens 15 October 2026, closes 15 November 2026
  • Notification of acceptance: 15 December 2026
  • Submission of full paper: 20 February 2027
  • Feedback to your paper: 31 March 2027. You will then have 10 days to make the necessaries changes.
  • Conference: 18-20 May 2027