The methodology employed to address the main challenge of the project involves a three-step teaching and learning process, complemented by additional transversal processes such as cooperation and governance. The following sections further elaborate on these three teaching and learning steps.
Step 1 – Identification of current skills demanded by European industry
This step primarily relies on surveys and interviews to gain insights into the vocational education and training (VET) and industry requirements. Given globalization, competition, and technological advancements, it is crucial to continually adapt education to meet changing needs. Effective survey instruments are necessary to facilitate easy and efficient communication between education stakeholders, companies, and their employees. This enables the creation of tailored training programs that align with the companies’ needs and fulfil learners’ requirements. In the field of functional printing and printed electronics technologies, staying up-to-date with market trends and technological advancements is essential for preparing a relevant Skills Curriculum that aligns with business and training realities. Analyzing the competences provided by VET providers allows for a comparison with industry needs to identify any gaps. Simple and reliable information exchange tools, such as surveys, workgroups, and interviews, are vital for fostering collaboration between education and the business world. The focus should encompass both the present situation and future demands, facilitating the development of targeted VET programs that bridge skill gaps and prepare the workforce for future employment.
Step 2 – Developing innovative curricula for VET and learning materials
First, it is necessary to know whatthe skills and knowledge required and what the existing skills are. This can be achieved through a thorough investigation and analysis of the specific profiles in both the industry and the educational institutions. Furthermore, it must be investigated how much knowledge and in what form is needed to close the gap. Are specific training sessions and vocational education in form of lifelong learning content enough? Or are specialists needed and at what EQF level (operators or highly specialized engineers). The demand for easily accessible formats is increasing, and micro-credentials serve as a suitable instrument to meet this need. Therefore, they should be integrated into the educational products developed in the project. The focus is on developing VET curricula and qualifications that offer flexibility and individualization of delivery, while also recognizing the outcomes of short learning opportunities through micro-credentials. This approach allows for adapting to the rapidly changing society and labor market. Micro-credentials are considered an innovative type of credentialing that responds to the evolving skill requirements of the labour market and provides recognition for non-formal education and open learning among diverse age and social groups. Furthermore, numerous learning materials and trainings will be specifically designed, adapted, improved etc. considering the results obtained from the surveys. All partners will be involved in this step sharing the documents and including their input, in order to provide reference documents at European level. The training will be mainly focused on EQF 3-5 but also address EQF 5-7.
Step 3 – Implementation
After obtaining this information, the development of courses, trainings, curricula, and VET systems can be developed. In the following step the newly created and/or adapted courses are ready to be implemented. As a further step, to ensure the educational process is sustainable, this circle of activities must be constantly repeated. For this, the relationship between industry and VET systems has to be revolutionized. The interaction between both worlds must become more fluent, flexible, and agile. This can be achieved in an adequate environment.Associated partners develop a relevant in order to adapt and replicate project activities in other countries.