The career prospects of AST staff are insufficient, and the skills of these colleagues are too often underutilized.

Although certification may partly meet the legitimate expectations of some ASTs (applicable for grade AST5 and above, including other criteria), the results remain very limited.

In addition, we know that AST staff have evolved significantly over the years. Most of these colleagues have an increasingly high level of education  (mainly university studies) and their skills and qualifications very often exceed the needs of the posts they occupy. Initially, these colleagues will accept and perform these roles with talent, but later on the lack of career progression might create demotivation.

To cope with the lack of career prospects and considering the recruitment difficulties encountered by the Commission (EPSO crisis and lack of competitions, a sharp increase in temporary staff and potential risks of continuity and transmission of knowledge, needs for specialized occupations, geographical imbalance in certain grades, etc.) TAO proposes 5 solutions, within the current Staff Regulations, which will make it possible to meet some of our colleagues’ expectations but also satisfy some of the recruitment needs of the departments:

1.     Draw up a complete map of current AST jobs, colleagues’ profiles and their experience level

2.     Have a detailed overview of the ASTs in office and thus enable departments to propose posts (without obligations of course) commensurate with colleagues’ skills

3.     Increase the number of successful candidates for certification

4.     Launch more frequently internal AD competitions to AST colleagues with the necessary qualifications and experience.

5.     Offer AST colleagues who do not envisage an AD career a more individualized professional training program allowing for a change of career (e.g. financial assistant to assistant policy officer)