One of the most frequent questions we hear at MyData Global is: “Who’s actually doing MyData in practice?” It’s a fair question. While the principles of human-centric data control sound compelling, people want to see real solutions making a difference in their daily lives.
The answer is increasingly clear, and it’s happening in a space that affects millions of people across Europe: skills data and employment.
Why SkillsData + MyData Makes Sense
Think about the last time you applied for a job. How many times did you fill out the same information across different platforms? How many copies of your CV exist scattered across various recruitment systems? How many times have you had to gather certificates, diplomas, and permits from different sources to prove your qualifications?
This fragmented experience isn’t just frustrating for job seekers—it’s inefficient for employers, training providers, and public employment services too. With over 94 million people in Europe needing to learn new skills and more than 21 million potentially looking for new career paths by 2030, the stakes for getting this right are enormous.
The MyData approach transforms this broken system by putting individuals in control of their own skills data. Instead of repeatedly entering information into siloed platforms, people can manage their qualifications, work history, and skills in one place—and share them with their consent. This shifts the fundamental assumption: recruitment platform data belongs to job seekers, not to the businesses operating the platforms.
A Pioneer in Action: Vastuu Group’s Luotettava Työntekijä
Vastuu Group, a founding member of MyData Global, has been demonstrating what this looks like in practice through its Luotettava Työntekijä (Reliable Worker) service. Luotettava Työntekijä and Vastuu Group have been recognised with the international MyData Award for three consecutive years. The service has also been featured on Sitra’s list of the most interesting data economy initiatives.
The service addresses a core problem: job seekers face complicated forms and repeatedly upload information to recruiting sites, while employers struggle to attract good candidates and verify their qualifications. By using MyData wallets to manage consents and share profiles, the service makes these processes smoother and more transparent.
Expanding the Ecosystem: Scaling nationwide
This month brings exciting news that shows the momentum building in this space. VastuuGroup’s Luotettava Työntekijä and Työmarkkinatori have launched a new collaboration that enables job seekers to create a single job search profile that works across both platforms. Työmarkkinatori is Finland’s national public employment service platform that uses the latest technologies and artificial intelligence to match job seekers with opportunities that correspond to their skills and knowledge
The goal is straightforward but powerful: help people avoid entering their information multiple times across different services and systems. This new partnership adds to existing connections that already allow job seekers to create profiles for Laura talent bank, Tiitus, PeiDei, and several HR companies through a single entry point.
Vastuu Group’s Luotettava Työntekijä now connects job seekers to over 300 services supporting employment and skills development, helping people find fragmented services and providers across private, public, and third sectors. Users can search based on their region, industry, and specific service needs.
The platform demonstrates MyData in action in the following ways:
- Skills recognition and articulation with electronic CV creation
- Job matching across multiple portals and talent banks
- Access to employer profiles across regions and industries
- Entrepreneurship support and business continuation opportunities
- Employment plan development tools
- Secure profile sharing with employers and service providers
- Connection to training providers for skills development
- Complete control over data and consents, which can be revoked anytime
The Bigger Picture: Europe’s Skills Data Space
This practical work in Finland connects to broader European ambitions. The DS4Skills project has launched a Blueprint for a European Data Space for Skills & Employment, providing a comprehensive roadmap for creating and managing data spaces that collect, store, and share skills and employment data.
The fundamental insight remains: we need a human-centric data space where individuals control their own data while sharing it across the ecosystem of employers, training providers, and educational institutions. The implementation work is ongoing.
What This Means for You
Whether you’re a job seeker frustrated with redundant forms, an employer struggling to find qualified candidates, a training provider trying to connect with learners, or a public employment service aiming to serve your community better—this matters to you.
The shift is happening. Services like Luotettava Työntekijä demonstrate that MyData isn’t just a philosophy—it’s a practical approach that makes systems work better while respecting human dignity and autonomy.
Join the MyData Movement
For Job Seekers:
- Explore Luotettava Työntekijä to take control of your employment data
- Watch the instructional videos to get started with the service
- Experience what it’s like to manage your own skills data and share it on your terms
For Organisations:
- Learn more about MyData principles and how they can improve your services
- Explore how MyDataShare can help you build ethical data practices
- Consider joining the MyData Global community to connect with others building human-centric solutions
For Everyone:
- Visit the DS4Skills Blueprint to understand the future of skills data in Europe
- Join the conversation in the MyData Global Slack community
- Share examples of where you see (or wish you saw) better personal data control in your life