© European Communities, 2007 Introduction to the topic In this paper we will analyse the usage of FTA to support decision-making in employment policy related to specific occupational groups. The examples can be better understood if one focuses on nanotechnology and its implications in some sectors (textile industry, bio-medical engineering, micro- electronics). When this is done it will be clear which occupations will engage in a restructuring process (engineers, specialised technicians, qualified machine operators, quality controllers) and what policies are being designed to cope with it. Of special interest is to which extend social partners have driven specific policies on these issues (focused in their sectors), and also what are the Governmental policies towards the support on the increase of investments in the nanoscience and nanotechnology research are, especially those on research in social and economical implications of nanotechnology developments. António B. Moniz (IET, FCT-UNL, Portugal) Duco Bannink (Univ. Twente, Netherlands) Torsten Fleischer (ITAS-FZK, Germany). Contact António B. Moniz IET-Research Centre on Enterprise and Work Innovation, Universidade Nova de Lisboa-FCT, Portugal Tel Fax NOTES 1.Poster Title Replace the mock-up text of the poster title (”Joint Research Centre”) with the text of your own title. Keep the original font colour (100c 80m 0y 0k). Keep the flush-right justification. Set it in Helvetica Rounded Bold Condensed, if you own the typeface. Otherwise, in Arial, Helvetica or Verdana – plain or bold. Keep the original font body size (102 pt or, preferably,120 pt) and the title on a single line whenever possible. Reduce the body size and/or set the title on more than one line only if unavoidable. 2.Poster Subtitle Replace the mock-up text of the poster subtitle (”Place Your Poster Subtitle Here”) with the text of your own subtitle. Keep the original font colour (black). Keep the flush-right justification. 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Place any additional logos on the bottom of the poster, evenly spaced between the JRC and (if there is one) the Directorate or Institute logo, and vertically centred with them INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE Methodological challenges The interaction between the further development of nanotechnologies and employment structures can be investigated in two ways. The first, in a sense more conventional, approach is to study the economic implications of nanotechnologies and its effects on the labour market. This has some substantial methodological challenges. First of all: Up to now it is quite blurred what in detail should be considered as nanotechnology — and what should not. The definitions of nanotechnology proposed so far are rather broad and unspecific, and they leave lots of room for interpretation. None of them is generally accepted in the scientific community. The definition used determines the “economic value” which is unsatisfactorily from a scientific perspective. Second, the scientific and political attractiveness of nanotechnology stems from its role as an enabling technology. That means that nanomaterials or nanotechnology components will be a decisive part of a more complex, usually ‘‘macro’’, product where the ‘‘nano’’ content might not be identified or recognized easily. These products are and will continue to be increasingly used in a number of fields and difficult to be numbered. A third problem arises from different quantification and valuation methodologies for “enabling” components. A second, perhaps more interesting, approach is linked to the question how existing manufacturing practices and related qualification structures foster or hinder the future diffusion of nanotechnology developments. In most industrial branches, key qualifications are linked to knowledge about materials of certain groups and related processing technologies. Results and policy impact/implications Further analysis on the perceived impacts of nanotechnology on labour markets (of high qualified workers, of engineers and technicians, and so forth) is needed. We propose a sector-specific analysis of nanotechnology applications in various industrial branches using possible scenarios. This should include an investigation of the impact of the application of FTA methods, especially how they are being used to anticipate employment changes. The EC calls upon to foster interdisciplinary training and education for R&D in Nanotechnology and Nanosciences, focusing on physics, chemistry, biology, toxicology and ecotoxicology and engineering, but also including entrepreneurial studies, risk assessment, and social and human sciences where appropriate. Training programs should also be targeted specifically at SMEs, who often lack the necessary ‘in house’ expertise or resources. And is stated that “due to the nature of N&N, societal issues may arise and should be anticipated e.g. for less skilled labour, as regards the risk of a disequilibria amongst different EU regions and as regards ensuring affordable access to the benefits of N&N e.g. in nanomedicine”. Bibliography: Lothar Abicht, Henriette Freikamp and Uwe Schumann (2006): Identification of skill needs in nanotechnology, Cedefop Panorama series; 120, Luxembourg,, 76 pp. European Commission (2005): Nanosciences and nanotechnologies: An action plan for Europe , Luxembourg, EC ESF (2006): Nanosciences and the Long-term Future of Information Technology: ESF Forward Look, Strasbourg, ESF, Arie Rip (2005): Technology Assessment as Part of the Co-Evolution of Nanotechnology and Society: the Thrust of the TA Program in NanoNed, Conference on “Nanotechnology in Science, Economy and Society”, Marburg, January A.D. Romig Jr.et al (2007): An introduction to nanotechnology policy: Opportunities and constraints for emerging and established economies, Technological Forecasting & Social Change 74, pp. 1634– Joscha Wullweber (2008): Nanotechnology – An Empty Signifier à venir? A Delineation of a Techno- socio-economical Innovation Strategy, Science, Technology & Innovation Studies Vol. 4, No. 1, July Axel Zweck, Gerd Bachmann, Wolfgang Luther, Christiane Ploetz (2008): Nanotechnology in Germany: from forecasting to technological assessment to sustainability studies, Journal of Cleaner Production 16, pp The above mentioned sectors have a large importance in the national labour markets of Portugal and the Netherlands. And in these countries there are clear supporting policies towards the development of nanotechnologies (in Portugal through the organisation of the INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory and in the Netherlands with programs like NanoNed, among others). Revision of these policies will be made to assess the inclusion (or not) of labour market impact items in the FTA applied there. Application of FTA and the perceived impact on employment policies: the case of nanotechnology in the Netherlands, Germany and Portugal Since most nanotechnology developments combine materials of different groups and use new structuring or analytical technologies, new multi-disciplinary multi-material qualifications are needed. Since those are not widely developed within the recent educational paradigm, their lack might shape the future development of nanotechnologies in various directions.