Supporting Women Over 45 to Thrive in a Changing European Labor Market: Updates from the HERA Project

The HERA (Helping Women through Reskilling and Advancement) project, funded by Erasmus+ under the European Policy Experimentation initiative (grant agreement No. 101196001), addresses this challenge by creating new opportunities for learning and professional development. Coordinated by the NOVA National School of Public Health, based in Lisbon, and comprising 10 organizations from eight European countries, HERA supports women aged 45 and older in strengthening their skills and improving their participation in the labor market.

HERA places women at the center of the process, engaging them alongside education professionals, businesses, and other stakeholders to identify their skill needs and co-create learning opportunities that address real-life challenges. For many participants, the experience goes beyond skill development, as it helps build their confidence and opens up new opportunities for personal and professional growth.

“I came here thinking I needed to update my skills. I didn’t expect to find people who understood my situation so well.”

(HERA Labs participant, Italy)

Results that create opportunities across Europe

Since its launch in March 2025, HERA has been working to facilitate access to lifelong learning opportunities for women aged 45 and older, promoting more accessible and inclusive training.

At the heart of this initiative are the HERA Labs, which combine innovation hubs, living labs, and mutual aid groups. The project has launched 10 HERA Labs in seven countries, involving 229 women aged 45 and older through 159 participatory sessions.

“Throughout all the sessions, we noticed a recurring pattern: women who arrived looking pensive and left feeling a little more confident.”

(HERA Labs Team, Sweden)

More than 200 stakeholders have participated in HERA as collaborating entities, advisors, or decision-makers, helping to create a robust ecosystem that brings together companies, government agencies, civil society organizations, public policy makers, and educational institutions to support women’s learning and professional development.

The project has also developed the HERA community Portal , a multilingual digital platform that uses artificial intelligence to connect women with relevant learning and training opportunities, as well as to foster supportive communities across Europe.

As HERA enters its second and final phase, the partners will expand on the results of the HERA Labs, continue to develop the Community Portal and its AI-based recommendation services, and continue to support women aged 45 and older in accessing lifelong learning opportunities.

The project will also gather evidence on which approaches are effective, bringing together policymakers, businesses, educational institutions, and civil society organizations. The project will also gather evidence on which approaches are effective, bringing together policymakers, businesses, educational institutions, and civil society organizations. The findings will serve as the basis for developing policy recommendations that help integrate proven approaches into the systems of various European countries, highlighting that investing in women over the age of 45 contributes to a more digital, green, and inclusive economy., highlighting that investing in women over the age of 45 contributes to a more digital, green, and inclusive economy.

Follow the latest news and updates on the HERA website and the projects LinkedIn profile.

Funded by the European Union. The opinions and views expressed are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible for them.