This next working paper examines the intersection of technological change, gender, and care responsibilities in shaping access to job-related training across advanced economies. Prior to the rise of generative AI, automation primarily affected routine-intensive occupations, driving employment polarisation and disproportionately exposing certain groups, particularly women, to displacement risks. While training can mitigate these risks by facilitating reskilling, access is highly unequal: employer-sponsored programmes often favour workers whose skills complement technology, and mothers face additional constraints due to time poverty from unpaid care. Using the 2022 EU Labour Force Survey Job Skills module covering 26 European countries, we investigate how exposure to automation influences training participation, with a focus on gender and motherhood. We further explore whether access to formal childcare alleviates barriers to training and reduces participation gaps.
