"The purpose of PROVET 4.0 project is to respond to a strong need for Europe and specifically for the partnership: the need of qualified workers to face the challenges of the industry 4.0, though a) identifying the current and future capabilities requirements of Key Enabling Technologies for Advanced manufacturing in electric and metal mechanic industries in Italy, France and Spain and b) developing an innovative joint training programme and a blended free course which contributes to reduce the mismatches and shortages between VET providers and electric and metal mechanic industries demands in the need of key skills and capabilities for Advanced manufacturing.The previous analysis, made by partners (training center SIGMA, in FR/ Cofindustria SIAV, in IT / FVEM and VET FFE in ES) shows 2 conclusions:1-In recent years we are witnessing a huge resurgence of interest in manufacturing in Western economies: US National Plan for Advanced Manufacturing, UK Strategy, the continued adherence to the ""reshoring"" in many EU countries…. The reason for this interest is the finding of the major role that manufacturing industries have on innovation, productivity of the economy and sustaining the level of social development, weights much higher than other field of activity. The important relative specialization of the economy of the partner regions in the industry is reflected in its strength as a guarantee of employment and competitiveness even in the current crisis, becoming thus a key factor of development.Taking into account this important relative specialization in industry, partner regions have developed their own Smart Specialization Strategies (RIS3) and the three of them share two European priorities of RESEARCH and DEVELOPMENT: Advanced Manufacturing Systems and Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) (Smart Specialisation Platform (S³P)2-This new EU industrial revolution is marked by the advancement of technologies applicable to the industry, which demands high R&D intensity, rapid innovation cycles and more skilled jobs. The electric and metal mechanic EU industries need qualified people with a range of skills and competencies related to Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) for Advanced manufacturing to respond to demands of the new century organizations and maintain and develop levels of competitiveness.Unfortunately the overall R&D spending in partner regions is still very far from the European average of 2.0% and the Europe 2020 goal of 1.53%. To meet the challenge of this new industrialization 4.0 is necessary to invest in skills, increase flexibility of VET training programs, develop links between VET and the labor market and promote their presence in the company.PROVET 4.0 aims to contribute to a suitable, innovative and job-oriented vocational training responsive to the needs of this new EU industrial revolution, developing and validating an innovative curriculum and training material transnationally which allows qualify VET learners and workers of industry factories for the new industrial revolution 4.0. This purpose is stated in the following activities: -identify the current and future capabilities requirements of KETs for Advanced manufacturing in electric and metal mechanic industries in Italy, France and Spain-improve the knowledge and comprehension of KETs both at VET level and industrial level by organizing 6 multiplier event with stakeholders in each country -develop an innovative online joint curriculum and training modular programme to acquire skills and competences for KETs -qualify 90 industrial workers and VET learners through the online free course PROVET 4.0.Results:-analysis on current and future capabilities requirements of KETs in Advanced manufacturing will be developed.-Awareness and dissemination events in each partner country (Spain, France and Italy) to validate the project outcomes -an innovative modular training program will be developed and -a free course to reduce the mismatches and shortages between VET providers and electric and metal mechanic on KETs Impact and benefits expected:1- Vet learners will benefit from being able to be prepared with updated professional profiles required by electric and metal mechanic industries, ensuring the realization of the full potential of new technologies. 2-Industrial employees benefit from a training programme that matches their needs, and contribute to their employability and thus, their mobility. 3- VET providers and other adult education services have highly innovative and targeted curricula and be able to anticipate to the changes in the required competences. They will have more clear and structured identification of actual industrial problematic, broader vision for development and improvement of educational curricula. 4- Industrial companies benefit by developing their capacity to adapt and innovate, achieving higher added value products and providing a leading role in the development of vocational training."

CRANE 4.0 takes inspiration from the Analytical Report Improving the human capital basis issued by the European Construction Sector Observatory of the European Commission (ECSO, 2017) which urges to up-skill and re-skill the European construction labour force with new skills to meet the demand of the labour market for new digital competences. Only 45% of the workers in the sector has been involved in training at the workplace and the highly skilled workforce is only a small fraction of the total workforce of the EU construction sector. Applying Virtual Reality (VR) in VET and in on-the-job situations involving complex tasks facilitates the visualisation of the activities to be performed, even the riskiest ones, and the transmission of knowledge-intensive skills leading to an increased training quality. The project focuses on crane operations exactly because they have a major influence on construction sites, especially in terms of efficiency and safety. With the growing usage of cranes, the number of crane-related accidents has grown enormously, and the participating countries are among the EU members with the highest fatal accident rates in the construction sector.The project aims to improve work-based and initial/continuous learning of crane operators to adapt their skills to the Industry 4.0 skills requirements. Europe is currently undergoing the 4th industrial revolution which influences manufacturing and productivity with increased flexibility, mass customisation and increased speed. Investing in new technologies, research and development can revitalise the competitiveness of the construction sector companies. CRANE 4.0 will do so through the development of a Virtual Reality (VR) application downloadable from partners' websites, from the project website and from the main platforms for mobile applications download. The innovative use of VR in the training of crane operators is an added value for all those public and private VET providers who want to offer upskilling pathways to their educators and training. CRANE 4.0 will, in fact, develop not only the VR app but also a set of tools and materials that will support the usability and transferability of the main outputs.CRANE 4.0 will develop three main outputs that will produce:IO1: Curriculum Handbook - 1 Transnational job analysis and report, Course Plan and Didactic Manual for Crane Operations 4.0IO2: CRANE 4.0 Virtual Reality Application Development: VR app, Users' Technical Guide, Manual assessing the quality of the VR app and learning outcomes,IO3: Blended pilot testing: 55 crane operators trained and a Procedural Manual for the implementation of the VR-Labs.All the outputs' products will be open and accessible for free from the project website and the partners' websites.The partners' trainers will also participate in the train-the-trainers session in Romania (C1), this will enable participants to implement the pilot testing of IO3.CRANE 4.0 thus develops an innovative training and methods for teaching, learning and assessing the learning outcomes of Crane operators 4.0, through the use of Virtual Reality thus supporting the educators and learners in using digital technologies in creative, collaborative and efficient ways. The free accessible Guides and Manual will facilitate the take-up of the products of the project by external organisations. The use of VR in the crane operations training is an innovative solution to solve the challenges of the construction sector low levels of highly specialized workers and counteract the high levels of fatal accidents at the workplace.The project will also support new teaching methods and the personal development of VET trainers and teachers. The project direct beneficiaries are crane operators and VET professionals working in a variety of contexts (Public Employment Services, Job Counselling, VET organisations, Careers Counselling, Placement officers, in-house trainers) who are willing to be trained on the use of VR for the delivery of a training course and construction sector stakeholders (trade unions, chambers of commerce and companies).The specific objectives are:- Improve the adaptability of crane operators to the labour market and increase their skills for the Industry 4.0.- Develop an innovative training course with the use of VR to boost the employability of crane operators in the Industry 4.0 and the professional development of VET teachers with the use of effective digital, open and innovative education and pedagogies, as well as practical tools.- Facilitate the delivery of training that would be otherwise too expensive or risky through the adoption of a VR.- Increase the competitiveness and adaptability of the organisations who will adopt the training to face the industrial changes requirements.

"<< Background >>Presenting the new EU Plan for Digital Education and Training in September 2020, the European Commission reminded that in the post-Covid era it is necessary to improve the use of digital technology for teaching and to promote the development of digital skills.By turning the attention, through Cedefop, to the impacts of pandemic management in the VET systems of the partner countries, it emerges that almost all the countries analysed have developed actions to support the training systems.•In Italy, online training resources have been made available free of charge, but practical difficulties have been emerged due to lack of access to tools, materials, equipment and technology. •The Spanish system has launched several learning platforms to support online trainers and learners, without putting them into a system, and it has selected a number of methodologies and activities to facilitate teaching.•In Germany, actions have been taken to maintain a stable VET system (based on the dual system), organizing the learning according to safety standards and supporting companies offering apprenticeship positions.•114 out of 124 Greek public VET institutions (IEKs) have launched asynchronous teaching platforms and started to deliver synchronous distance learning. Trainers have been delivered short training sessions on digital skills. •Belgium has carried out the provisions contained within the ""Wallonia Digital Barometer - Digital Education"" and the ""Flemish AI Policy Plan"" without making major changes to VET.Despite the deserving efforts made, the overall picture that emerges is of strong fragmentation and lack of homogeneity along with the relative difficulty of systemizing and scaling the different experiences. Hence the need for a systematization of good practices at European level, as well as the development of a learning model that starts from the self-assessment of the digital skills to the personalized design of learning content.The trend we are witnessing is the STABILIZATION OF A HYBRID MODEL, with short and dedicated classrooms for in-depth learning, integrated with online training, which will transform trainers into ""coaches"" able to design increasingly personalized paths through digital technologies (in particular AI - Luckin, 2016). It is therefore necessary to invest in trainers' digital skills, providing tools to support online teaching, and in technologies. In the light of this comes the project ""e-VET for Artificial Intelligence"" (e-VET4AI).In terms of Target Group needs:- Concerning TRAINERS the project will respond to their pressing upskilling needs determined both by the digitalization of the teaching and learning practices and by the digital revolution which is impacting the whole economy and particularly the mechanical segment (Industry4.0). - Concerning e-VET INSTITUTIONS, the project intend to address 3 different needs being those of a) opening up education to different targets (i.e. Adult, disable people) thanks to a full integration of digital learning into their curricula b) supporting their digital transition - both via upskilling their trainers and offering ""ready to use"" digital tools, contents and platform/app c) modernizing their training offer, which currently do not prepare young people sufficiently for the digital economy and society, to better respond to the changing needs of the labour market (i.e. Industry4.0).- Concerning the STUDENTS and WORKERS the project will answer to the following needs: a) have access to more flexible (going beyond the limits of the classroom ) and customized (personalized based on the individual needs) learning experiences b) get prepared for the new ""digital"" economy developing those skills (both transversal and vertical) requested by the labour market.- Concerning the METALMECHANICAL COMPANIES the project intends to address to the skill shortage in the sector by better preparing youngsters for the new jobs connected to Industry4.0.<< Objectives >>The project aims to support trainers active in mechanical training courses in the development of new digital skills and confidence in the use of new teaching methodologies, to be integrated within more traditional teaching methods by means of: a survey on the DIGITAL PROFICIENCY of trainers, via a SELF ASSESSMENT TOOL; an e-VETrainers PLATFORM, and related APP; the DESIGN OF A TRAINING TOOLKIT for the engineering sector, focused on the frontier technologies of AI and DA.The project also aims to achieve the following objectives:•Increase the digital skills of trainers, using the DigCompEdu framework;•Implement blended and distance training methodologies, including international cooperation;•Identify and test digital tools to support IVET, particularly on topics related to Industry 4.0;•Increase the digital readiness of IVET institutions in mitigating the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic (and any other situation requiring distance learning) on class-based teaching, especially in industrial and technical VET programs.The decision to focus on the mechanical segment of VET is suggested by the severe impact that the health emergency has generated on the engineering sector (it is estimated an average drop of GDP in the EU-27 of -7.1%, respectively -9.1% in Italy, -7% in Germany, -8% in Spain, -10% in Greece and -6.9% in Belgium, source VDMA 2020), the final recipient of the VET activities.<< Implementation >>The project foresees 3 Rs, 5 Es and a LTTA. Support activities will be ensured. These activities can be grouped in the following phases, which determine the methodological approach for the achievement of the project results and objectives.ANALYSIS, BENCHMARKING AND VALIDATION PHASE (R1, R2)To validate and contextualize the research carried out in the design phase and update it, the partnership will be involved in: •a working table (R1/A1) with the consortium of the SELFIE FOR WBS TOOL, with the aim of creating synergies and prospects for integration in view of the design of the e-VET SAT; •territorial Focus Groups (R1/A3) with representatives of organizations outside the partnership, with the aim of investigating how the Covid-19 has impacted in their training contexts.The result of these phases are both important for awareness raising on project target groups, and instrumental for the the design of project results.At the technical level, a research and benchmarking analysis will be carried out on the technological tools best suited to support the e-VET SAT (R1-A2) and the Platform and the project App (R2-A1).CO-DESIGN PHASE (R1, R2, R3, LTTA C1)All Project results will be characterized by a specific co-design activity of their contents and related frameworks.The e-VET SAT and the e-VETrainers Platform and App will see the involvement of all the partners in their co- design and elaboration (R1/A4 for the former, R2/A2 and A3 for the latter).The design phase of the e-VET4AI Training Model (R3) will be initiated by an international co-design session (LTTA C1) in which the participants (trainers and experts from the partner institutions) will define the main designing elements for the toolkit. In fact, these principles will support the partnership not only in the micro and macro-design of the contents and structure of the training toolkit itself (R3-A1 and A2), but will also be taken into account in the elaboration of the reference Guidelines (R3-A4).TESTING AND PILOTING PHASE (R1, R2)The e-VET SAT will be tested within the partners (R1-A5), the User Test of the developed Platform and App will be carried out (R2-A4), their Go Live will be realized (R2-A7) and the macro/micro design activities of the e-VET4AI Training Model will be implemented (R3-A1 and A2), foreseeing the total involvement of 40 trainers. This latest activity (Go Live, R2-A7) will be open also to 80 trainers coming from IVET institutions outside the partnership.Modifications may be made to the Results according to the evaluation results. PHASE OF DISSEMINATION AND EXPLOITATION OF RESULTS (E1-5)The CDP will be discussed at a very early stage of the project (M3) while the Exploitation and Sustainability Plan will be discussed preliminarily at M12. These choices respond to the need to reach an agreement with the partners as soon as possible about what tools and results the partnership intends to exploit after the end of the project and what mechanisms to do so. During the project a series of promotion and dissemination activities will be organized to inform the target groups about the project activities and expected results and to involve them in different project phases. These efforts will culminate in the organization of 4 local dissemination events (E1-4) and 1 final conference (E5), which aim to promote the adoption of the tools developed by the project also outside the partnership and at European level.External actors (VET bodies and companies) will be invited to sign a MoU to confirm their commitment in uptaking project results .<< Results >>The project aims to initiate a process of OPEN INNOVATION in which the European IVET systems are open to practices developed in other contexts through the sharing of a VIRTUAL LEARNING SPACE, achieving the following Results.1.Upskilling trainers (from both partners and other VET institutions) on teaching and learning methodologies, necessary in the current era, using digital technologies.The development of the SELF ASSESSMENT TOOL ON DIGITAL PROFICIENCY (R1) will contribute to the achievement of the above. This tool will be structured as a questionnaire, built around the areas of observation provided by DigCompEdu, aiming at testing the level of Digital Proficiency of trainers and outlining the progressive acquisition of skills and practices able to advance them on the scale of reference . We will investigate skills in the USE OF DIGITAL RESOURCES, TEACHING and LEARNING and EMPOWERMENT OF OUR LEARNERS.The implementation of the WEB PLATFORM e-VETrainers (R2) will contribute to the achievement of this result. The Platform, and the related App, will be designed to facilitate collaboration and sharing between trainers on the creation of interdisciplinary DIGITAL LESSONS, aggregating in a single web space: 1) multimedia tools; 2) communication tools; 3) content developed at the level of CLASS, MULTICLASS or ENTITY. The design ingof an ONLINE TRAINING TOOLKIT (R3), addressed to the mechanical training system with a focus on AI and DA, will contribute to the achievement of the above result as it will allow trainers to test the developed materials, also measuring their ability to use innovative digital tools.Finally, this result will be achieved through the participation of trainers in Multiplier Event E1-E5 and LTTA C1 activity.2.Upskilling trainers of the partner organizations on Key enabling technologies for Industry4.0 (AI and DA), with a twofold purpose:•pedagogical - AI is increasingly considered a strategic technology that the VET system must look at to improve its innovation and distance learning design capabilities; •thematic - AI, closely linked to data and information analysis (Data Analytics), is one of the technologies that the productive plants look at with interest as a frontier technology. The IVET system should update its training offer incorporating AI and DA in order to address the new labor market needs.The DESIGN OF THE TRAINING MODEL (cf. R3) and the short mobility activity C1 e-VET4AI Learning, Teaching, Training Activity (LTTA C1) are designed to contribute to the achievement of this result.3.The strengthening of a network for good practices exchange at EU level, encouraging cooperation between partner institutions and with other European training institutions involved in the project and the main European stakeholders and policy-makers.The cooperation between trainers and VET providers, aimed at developing a roadmap for IVET Digital Innovation, will be promoted and implemented through the activities planned (Focus Group, R1-A3; e-VET SAT administration, R1-A5; e-VETrainers Platform and App User Test, R2-A4; Workshop, R2-A6; Go Live of the e-VETrainers Platform and App, R2-A7; LTTA C1) and it will be incentivized by the nature of its Results (in particular of the e-VETrainers Platform).Finally, through the Multiplier Events (E1-E5) and the Final ConferenceCall To Action, the Communication and Dissemination Plan and the Exploitation and Sustainability Plan, designed to promote and use the Results achieved at local and European level, the project intends to give life to a network of VET institutions and stakeholders that can exchange good practices and experiences to feed the debate around the Digital Innovation of the European VET System."

The metal sector is in a new socioeconomic reality that needs of the adaptation of companies and workers. It is all about the new scenario of compromise with the future that, facing the reality of the global market, stands up for the innovation and internationalization of its economic network as main competitive strategy. This is why the evolution of our sector should not be limited to the technological sphere or the product, instead it should move ahead in the progressive adoption of new models of management whre training is the key. This sector, which is highly competitive, needs of constant growth on the basis of smart specialization, and this is also the engine of a new model of economic development. The European 2020 Strategy is the response to the structural weaknesses that the crisis has shown in a European economy that has to face big challenges. Europe 2020 means in that sense, an initiative conceived to become reinforced through new formulas that foster the development of an economy based on knowledge and innovation. Taking as starting point that our greatest advantage is on people, with this project we stand for addressing the need of implementing gradually a new model of company through the formation of workers (present and future) without forgetting the connection between company and training, placing people as the real centre of the organization, fostering personal and professional development in a new context of qualifications and constant training, already described by Cedefop in its document “Professional learning in small and medium companies”. Knowledge and talent of workers is becoming an increasingly relevant issue in competitiveness. Collective competences of workers are the main value of the company, so management according to innovative models will gain a crucial role in the success of organizations. The level of qualification will be determinant to access and maintain a job. The new model of business that our sector aims at, needs of organizations that overcome the traditional hierarchy so as to give importance to dimensions like self-management or collective intelligence as tools of crucial importance in the current environment. Actually, the new Agenda of Capabilities for Europe already points out the intention of the Commission to revise during this year the frame of key competences. It is about creating a common vision of the key competences and foster its introduction in the study and formation plans, which is completely in line with the implementation and consolidation of competences associated to shared responsibility models in organizations. To respond to this need for workers and companies, we have developed the Share Training course on management models in the metal company and the Guide to gamified Share activities aimed at developing the skills and competencies of training participants.

"Creative industries realise a vast number of activities which includes not only the so called cultural industries (such as media, design, the movies), but also products and services that contain as a substantial element a creative or artistic effort, thus considering also architecture, fashion, communication. Despite the great potential of creative and cultural enterprises - according to the EU Commission there are abt. 900.000 in Europe who represent the 3 % of the overall European GIP (402 billion of Euros) and a relevant quota of jobs - those enterprises are widely undervalued. Therefore, they do not only need support to the entrepreneurial component, but also the establishment of stronger relations with assets of consolidated manufacture.Smart Jump www.smartjump.eu has achieved from the outset the goal of strengthening links between training environments and the world of work through the improvement of the training offer (with a reduction in the lack of specific skills for entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship) and the support of governance of education and training systems, as interactions between training organizations, companies, policy-makers and society as a whole become increasingly more and more complex. More specifically, the aim was to strengthen the quality of the learning offer linked to entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship of young women who already operate within or are approaching for the first time the creative industries sector. Starting from the model of the Quadruple Helix, developed in Sweden with the Women Resource Center and aimed at developing female entrepreneurship through joint actions between representatives of the public, business, academics and civil society, Smart Jump has worked to align the training offer at local level and partner countries to the economic development strategies geared towards growth and innovation. Smart Jump realised a mix of activities and results, sharing the Swedish experience, jointly developing training content for both senior and junior, female and male entrepreneurs, activating transnational training actions (mobility and blended workshops), setting up the Smart Jump community www.factoryofknowledge.net/smartjump, participated by entrepreneurs and professionals who pursue to establish a network at European level on the project’ topics.The strategic partnership consisting of 8 partners from 5 EU Member States (Italy, Sweden, Spain, Hungary and the United Kingdom) has seen the active participation of public bodies (such as the Veneto Region and IAF) and private bodies (such as Confindustria Veneto SIAV, WINNET Sverige, INDICO and ITL Group) representatives of the entrepreneurial world, the academia (CUOA Business School and in the first phase Goldsmiths' University of London) and the development of human capital.The critical analysis of the Swedish approach, adopting the cooperation model, integrating existing practices in partner countries and defining the training contents for entrepreneurial development has generated a model of learning and cooperation that has been validated through 2 transnational learning activities of ""blended mobility for VET learners"" in Italy and Sweden, with combined webinar and training courses jointly attended by direct beneficiaries and staff of the partners: 47 female and male entrepreneurs, companies, researchers, training specialists and human resources, associations and young people. The two pilot actions addressed the topics of sustainable innovation, entrepreneurship, cooperation with Quadruple helix and the resulting methodologies for technology and knowledge transfer between the key players and finally the connection between creative industries and productive sectors. A complete programme for the valorisation and networking of experiences and skills at transnational level has found its expression through face-to-face meetings and the digital hub www.factoryofknowledge.net/smartjump.Regarding benefits and impact of Smart Jump, the project has activated a process of improvement of the training offer of the partners, has allowed the development of skills useful for enhancing entrepreneurial activity, supporting organizations linked to industrial systems. In the long term, Smart Jump intends to have a systemic value in allowing a concrete improvement in the way public and private organizations involved interact and work to enhance the role of young people and women, entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs, interested in the creative industries."