✳️ What Makes a Dream Career? – Poll Results Are In!

Last week, we asked our network what matters most in a dream career.

The results were clear: balance matters most.

Here’s how the votes ranked across all platforms:

1️⃣ Flexibility & Work-Life Balance (~50-55 %), followed by:

2️⃣ Growth & Learning Opportunities (17 %) – a tie with

2️⃣ Fair Pay & Benefits (17 %)

3️⃣ Meaning & Purpose (13-17 %)

These results reflect a wider trend. The Randstad Workmonitor 2025 survey, reported by Research Live, found that 85 % of workers across 35 countries ranked work-life balance as their top priority, ahead of salary for the first time.

In DIAMOND Empower, we explore how flexibility, lifelong learning, and fair work conditions can create sustainable careers and stronger communities across Europe. 

These results are eye-opening for what matters most to people in 2025, and it’s inspiring to see more individuals finally prioritizing their lives and well-being after years of constant change.

Learn more: https://diamond-empower.eu/

✳️ What Really Changes When You Upskill?

When people learn new skills, their confidence grows, opportunities expand, and their impact on others increases.

⇒ Adult learners consistently report increased confidence and a renewed sense of purpose after acquiring new skills, proving that learning changes how we see ourselves, not just what we can do.

Source: The Irish Journal of Adult and Community Education – The Adult Learner 2022

⇒ Continuous upskilling boosts engagement, productivity, and retention, showing that learning drives employability and adaptability in a changing economy.

Source: Investors in People – The benefits of employee upskilling in today’s workplace

⇒ Adult education has a clear social dimension: it “promotes community development, inclusion, and active citizenship.”

Source: ResearchGate – The Impact of Adult Education on Community Development

In DIAMOND Empower, we see how upskilling builds confidence, helps people find their footing again, and creates stronger, more connected communities through shared learning.

Learn more: https://diamond-empower.eu/

✳️ Your Dream Career: What Matters Most?

Last week, we explored what makes a dream career, and research showed it’s about more than salary. It’s about finding balance between meaning, flexibility, growth, and fair conditions.

Now we want to hear from you!
If you had to choose just one, which factor matters most in your dream career?

⇒ Meaning & Purpose
⇒ Flexibility & Work-Life Balance
⇒ Growth & Learning Opportunities
⇒ Fair Pay & Benefits

Share your perspective!

At DIAMOND Empower, we explore how lifelong learning and fair work conditions help people build careers that are meaningful, balanced, and sustainable.

Learn more: https://diamond-empower.eu/

✳️ What Makes a Dream Career?

⇒ What would your dream career include – if nothing held you back?

Researchers and labour economists agree: a “dream job” isn’t defined by salary alone. It’s multidimensional. 

For example, the Eurofound Job Quality framework describes job quality as “a multidimensional concept … made up of all the characteristics of work and employment that have been proven to have a causal relationship with health and well-being.” 

Meanwhile, the OECD notes that “fair wages, benefits, and good working conditions enhance worker well-being, while also improving productivity and innovation.” 

From these frameworks we can extract key dimensions we’ll soon ask you to rank:

• Compensation & Benefits (salary, health, paid leave)
• Flexibility & Time (remote work, hours, autonomy)
• Growth & Development (learning, skill advancement)
• Work Environment & Culture (support, psychological safety)
• Meaning & Impact (doing work aligned with your values)
• Risk / Commute / Stress (negative dimensions to minimize)

📌 In DIAMOND Empower, we believe defining your dream career is more than wishful thinking; it’s about aligning your goals across multiple dimensions. Next week, we’ll launch a poll so you can help us see which of these dimensions matter most and compare them across our network. Stay tuned!

Learn more: https://diamond-empower.eu/

✳️ Which Green Skills Matter Most?

We recently asked:
“What are the green skills that matter the most?”

The poll is now closed and here are the final results:

• Passing on skills to others ~ 44-54%
• Living a sustainable lifestyle ~ 31-33%
• Repairing furniture & clothes ~ 15-33%
• Creating eco-friendly products ~ 0%

(Original Poll by Nektar Baziotis from Evolutionary Archetypes Consulting SL and our Instagram account)

The answers tell an inspiring story: most people value sharing their knowledge and helping others learn sustainable habits, a reminder that real impact starts when skills are passed forward.

In DIAMOND Empower, we see lifelong learning and community skill-sharing as the foundation of social and environmental sustainability. 

Repairing, reusing, and teaching others are everyday acts that connect learning with purpose, shaping greener, more resilient futures.

Learn more: https://diamond-empower.eu/

💡 Why We’re Never Too Old to Learn

The idea that age is a barrier to learning is a myth. In reality, lifelong learning is one of the most powerful tools we have for staying active, engaged, and fulfilled at every stage of life.

⇒ In Europe, the number of workers aged 55+ in the labor market has grown from around 24 million in 2010 to over 40 million by 2024.
Source: Eurofound – Europe must adapt its ageing workforce

⇒ And many people do change jobs later in life: a SHARE-ERIC study of 130,000+ adults aged 50+ (across 28 countries) shows career mobility is still possible at older ages.
Source: SHARE-ERIC “Job Change in Later Life”

⇒ Adult learning also strengthens wellbeing: improving self-esteem, job satisfaction, mental health, and even reducing anxiety and depression. 74% of employees say learning and development increases their engagement.
Source: The Thrive Lab – Benefits of Adult Learning

At DIAMOND Empower, we focus on lifelong learning and upskilling for all ages. By uncovering the myths about aging and learning, we highlight how people can remain resilient, adaptive, and empowered throughout life.

What skill or subject would you still love to learn, no matter your age?

Learn more: https://diamond-empower.eu/

🌱 What Green Skills Matter the Most?

Repairing clothes, passing on traditions, creating durable products, or changing our daily habits – all of these skills can help build a greener future. But which ones do people value most?

⇒ Surveys show that many Europeans place a strong emphasis on repair and reuse. In fact, 77% of consumers in EU Member States prefer to repair their goods rather than replace them (Source).

⇒ At the same time, others focus on lifestyle choices. An OECD survey found that 65% of households are willing to make personal compromises to their lifestyles for the environment, from changing travel habits to reducing paper and energy use (Source).

These insights suggest that while repair and reuse are highly valued, many people also prioritize sustainable lifestyles as their main contribution.

At DIAMOND Empower, we explore how everyday skills and community practices connect to lifelong learning for greener and more inclusive futures.

💬 What about you? Which of these green skills do you think makes the biggest impact? 

Learn more: https://diamond-empower.eu/

💡 Four Easy Digital Skills to Boost Your Career Path

You don’t need to be a programmer or IT expert to upgrade your career. Some of the most valuable digital skills are simple, practical, and can be learned step by step:

⇒ Communication & Collaboration – Using tools like email, video calls, and shared platforms effectively. Being able to communicate clearly and work with remote or distributed teams is now essential in many jobs.
Source: How to reach the EU target of 80% of adults with basic digital skills by 2030?

⇒ Data & Spreadsheets – Managing information in Excel or Google Sheets, creating charts, and drawing insights. Employers across sectors expect staff to manage, interpret, and present data. Improves decision-making and efficiency.
Source: What Digital Skills Are Needed in Europe?

⇒ Digital Literacy & Online Safety – Searching efficiently, protecting privacy, and avoiding cyber risks. As more work happens online, knowing how to stay safe and find reliable information protects your career and reputation.
Source: How to reach the EU target of 80% of adults with basic digital skills by 2030?

⇒ Content Creation & Presentation – Designing clear slides, writing posts, or making visuals that communicate ideas. Communicating ideas visually and effectively is a core digital skill for today’s workplace.

Source: European Commission, Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI)

At DIAMOND Empower, partners explore how lifelong learning in green and digital skills helps people adapt to fast-changing careers. 

~ Which of these skills would you like to strengthen next?

Learn more: https://diamond-empower.eu/

🌍 The Green Skills We Didn’t Know We Had

Sustainability isn’t just about wind turbines or solar panels, it’s also about the everyday skills we already use without realizing. We want to highlight how hidden green skills are shaping a more sustainable future:

⇒ Repair & Maintenance – Fixing clothes, tightening furniture, extending product life.
Source: European commission – Directive on repair of goods

⇒ Storytelling & Education – Passing on reuse and stewardship traditions.
Source: UNESCO – Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning Objectives

⇒ Design Thinking – Creating products that are durable, repairable, and recyclable.
Source: Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 of the European Parliament and of the Council

⇒ Patience & Long-Term Thinking – Caring for plants and planning for slow impact.
Source: UNESCO – Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning Objectives

At DIAMOND Empower, partners are exploring how social innovations and community practices shape lifelong learning pathways for the green and digital transitions. By recognizing the skills we already have, we can design education and jobs that are more inclusive and sustainable.

👉 Swipe through the slides and tell us: which hidden green skill do you recognize in your own life?

Learn more: https://diamond-empower.eu/

✨ What Keeps Us Learning Throughout Life?

⇒ On the one hand, research shows that personal fulfillment and a sense of control are strong motivators, especially for adults over 45, who often learn to stay mentally sharp and define their path (Source).

⇒ On the other hand, educators highlight that intrinsic motivation, the joy of learning itself, is key to retaining knowledge and applying it across life contexts (Source).

So, what does this mean for lifelong learning?

It suggests that while career and security are important, people often keep learning because of curiosity, personal growth, and the satisfaction of discovery.

At DIAMOND Empower, we explore how these motivations shape lifelong learning pathways across schools, workplaces, and communities.

👉 Question for you: 

What motivates you most to keep learning throughout life ~ Career growth, Personal interest, Community influence or Job security?

Learn more: https://diamond-empower.eu/