The last decades brought significant improvements in the field of welding fabrication, in terms of standards and education of qualified personnel. However, the current trends of the welding industry to optimize production by reducing fabrication and maintenance costs of the products, continuously require the implementation of new approaches in the training of welding specialists. The need for trained welding specialists with extended knowledge towards risk management in welding fabrication exists since the vast majority of industrial equipment contain welded parts and welding fabrication poses many risks regarding the peoples' health, the quality of the product as well as environmental issues.The RMWF project aimed to produce an attractive education and training programme in the partner countries for qualified personnel in welding fabrication. The main goal was to broaden to area of expertise of welding personnel, so that besides the fundamentals of welding technology and fabrication they get an insight towards risk management in welding fabrication, based on latest European / international standards.The project consortium was composed by partners with complementary skills: ISIM Timisoara (Romania) – national R&D institute in the field of welding and material testing that acts as project coordinator, University of Miskolc (Hungary) - state university with long traditions and great development potentials, TVE Engineering (Hungary) - private SME experienced in risk management with main activity related to reliability and assessment of engineering structures, Quality Management Software AS (Norway) - SME with experience in implementation of e-learning technologies within higher education and VET sector and the European Federation for Welding, Joining and Cutting - international non-profit association aiming at the collaboration in the study and solution of welding-related problems encountered within its fields of competence and in the removal of technical barriers. By having the EWF as partner in the consortium, the project has benefited from its vast experience developing International Qualifications in welding and related technologies, and disseminating results though the member network.The specific objective of the project was establishment of a strategic partnership in order to share the above mentioned multidisciplinary knowledge between the partners of the project and realization of a comprehensive and harmonized course support for welding personnel.All partner brought their own contribution for the project management and for a proper implementation of the project activities. Thus, in the project frame educational materials were developed based on updated EWF 640-18 Guideline and two pilot training course on Risk Management in Welding Fabrication, were joint organized in Romania and Hungary. These courses had a beneficial impact by reducing the differences between national qualifications in the field of risk management in welding fabrication thus contributing to the improvement of mobility of welding professionals in Europe and sustaining the competitiveness of Eastern European countries on the market. As a result of the project activities, actions and events all partners have benefited from the expertise transferred between partners in order to improve the national qualification process of European Welding Fabrication Risk Managers to meet the current European and international requirements. To assure the project visibility, the consortium agreed on keeping the project website www.rmwf.eu as the project main dissemination channel. Thus, after the EU funding ends, the project website will be updated with the latest information regarding organisation of RMWF courses in different European country, news about the integration process of the updated guideline and course material into the EWF network and related to the acceptance of this new qualification at European level by the EWF.

BACKGROUNDGood practices within SMEs automated mechanical production processes applying mechatronics 4.0 (M4.0) (Manufuture Vision 2030, 2018), provides inspection procedures for production, testing, and quality assurance (QA) in order to ensure that a new product is safe. To prepare M4.0 of automated manufacturing systems able to adapt to combine mechanical elements of the systems, install and adjust devices that operate pneumatic systems and program logic controllers etc., provision of new, improved and enhanced digital skills training programs are needed.This is driven by Industry 4.0 through the implementation of new ICT in the production equipment. Growth in M4.0 driven manufacturing must be achieved efficiently, alongside high standards of QA and the mitigation of the mechanical elements of the systems environmental impacts (greening). This necessitates an upgrading of inspector operatives workforce skills and qualifications through the deployment of more innovative and accessible work-based M4.0 learning systems, ultimately letting staff take smarter decissions when interconnecting different technologies and different devices. This should fully motivate and support staff development and the attainment of nationally qualifications (NQs) respected by the industry.PARTICIPANTSWhilst there are some effective (higher) VET systems to support M4.0 VET development, most notably in NO and SE, mature entrants are not so well served. They currently lack synchronized in-company support during work based training activites and practice. This includs support from tutoring staff towards their theoretical knowledge check-test, as well during the practical training with priority given to better obtain the smart decission competencies needed in smart factories. In some countries like HU and RO, once in employment, formal VET pathways leading to the completion of a NQs in M4.0 are hard to access or not well supported. Unfortunately only 10% of the inspector workfoce in Norway and Sweden has got a NQ. Therefore, most of the inspector operatives remains un-qualified and highly dependent on informal inhouse training (non-formal VET) provided by the companies themselves.OBJECTIVESThe ultimate goal is to develop a new tutor supported work-based learning pedagogy within industrial M4.0 VET that better meet the demand for SMEs assembly, setup, maintenance and design of automated industrial systems controlled by computers. It enables individual’s informal competences and skills to become recognised and accepted and built on through individualised and peer learning supported group processes.ACTIVITIESEuroMEC develops and pilots a system for the delivery of innovative ‘individualised’ work-based learning practices, supported by in-company tutors and the suppliers of new M4.0 production equipment. The pre-requisite processes are recognising prior learning and flexible learning resources will be aligned to a shared framework of industry endorsed M4.0 learning outcomes. The continious assessment of practical competence at the workplace will involve employers and inform NQ assessment results that are understood by the M4.0 SME manufacturing industry in Europe. Consequently, work-based VET pathways and qualifications will gain parity of esteem and learner mobility will be promoted, aided by European tools, including EQF and ECVET. The European industry’s aim of promoting knowledge exchange between the main manufacturing countries and collective problem solving will be synergised by the shared new M4.0 learning solution.METHODSThere is a gap between the ambitions of the industry and the current training methods, which do not take into account how many staff that are champions in problem solving while they at the same time avoid and fears the required theoretical training. This will be resolved by developing- a common framework of M4.0 learning outcomes in Europe- new work-based M4.0 learning, tutoring and assessment delivery pedagogy and resources that increase capacity for skills instruction and contribute to a QA of assessment in formal VET delivery systems- national work-based learning delivery partnerships that will update M4.0 VET resources, shared by a VET provider network and supported by industry tutors- M4.0 piloting of the delivery of NQs to work-based learners utilising shared resources and the evaluation of learners’ experiences, to inform the development of improved VET learning systemsRESULTSEuroMEC helps improving the M4.0 VET system for SMEs manufacturing industry staff. The new in-company tutor system will offer a new system solution applying standarized and harmonized methods for support during the theoretical training phases and in particular the work-based training to be organized in smart industries.IMPACTThe overall mission is to improve the accessibility and quality of work-based learning for inspector operatives at two levels, and prepare for harmonisation of M4.0 industry endorsed NQ.

"<< Background >>""Harmonized Personnel Training for Macro and Microscopic Metallographic Examination of Structural Materials and their Joints"" - HIMACROW, addresses the actual highly demanding needs of the SMEs involved in manufacturing activities, related to the constant increase in the training requirement and the need to employ qualified staff with appropriate technical skills related to structural analysis of materials and its welded joints.<< Objectives >>HIMACROW, has the general objective to improvethe training capabilities of teachers and VET trainers, to support developing and implementation of anew theoretical and practical training course on metallographic examination.The project has the following specific objectives:- Address an increasing market need and the existing lack of harmonised training and qualification inthe field of macroscopic and microscopic metallographic examination of structural materials and theirjoints;- Create a Curriculum to harmonise and improve the quality of the training and qualification ofpersonnel in this field, recognised at European level, having as a direct result the relevance ofqualification in the labour market in the macroscopic and microscopic metallographic examination ofstructural materials and their joints;- Develop Educational Materials, a training assessment framework (including a database) and toolfor generating random evaluation tests, making the know-how evaluation easier both for trainers andtrainees;- Enhance job opportunities in this field of expertise, where qualified personnel is sparse;- Make use of ECVET and the Learning Outcomes approach to allow transparency in qualificationsand facilitate mobility of workers among different European countries.<< Implementation >>In the project frame 4 multiplier events will be organized in different country to disseminate the project intellectual outputs, to increase the awareness of specialists on new VET trainingopportunity.On the other hand, 2 short-term joint training event will be organized in Romania and Italy with support of all project partners. The target group are consisted of engineers, researches, teachers, VET trainers, specialist in welding and allied processes or structural examinations.By attending the course they will improve their skills and knowledge in the field of theoretical and practical aspects on structural analyses, and will be able to make unrestricted use of them in the frame of current and future training activities<< Results >>The activities that will be implemented in the project frame will lead to the following intellectual outputs:O1 - Guideline on HIMACROW topics;O2 - Harmonised curriculum for the macro and microscopic metallographic examination of structuralmaterials and their welded joints personnel training;O3 - Development of training materials (handbook and presentations);O4 - Training assessment framework and digital tool.The project will have a long-term impact on targets group at national and European level, since thenew course will be promoted through EWF network, and all approved training providers will be ableto teach according to the same curricula, thus integration and recognition of the course at EU Levelbeing assured."

There is a need for specific requirements for personnel conducting Destructive Testing (DT) that include proper specialised training and testing, as in the case of the personnel who performs Non-Destructive Testing, a sector with a broad training offer (contrary to specific VET training courses in DT, which are practically inexistent). TRUST project will address the development of a new professional profile (European Destructive Testing Technician - EDTT), its specific curricula and Qualification standard.TRUST target groups are young trainees involved in I-VET, trainees with working experience and professionals already working in DT field who lack the required qualification or need to upskill through C-VET. By developing a new EDTT Qualification, they will be given the opportunity to acquire the required skills and competences to work in DT of welded joints on industrial laboratories and a proper recognition of their functions, thus replying to this need, as identified to the European Committee for Standardization (CEN).TRUST project aims to:- Deliver a European Qualification that will improve the quality of VET system by incorporating an RPL process and common European tools (Learning Outcomes, EQF and ECVET) that foster mutual trust among VET systems;- Develop and implement a new qualification programme for Destructive Testing encompassing specific contents and methods, also ensuring transparency and recognition between European countries;- Develop a qualification programme and enhance integration of offer in countries with lower engagement or access it;- Promote language learning and linguistic diversity by providing both multinational glossary and pilot training;- Increase transparency of competences and qualifications for the manufacturing sector.TRUST outcomes will include a specific training curricula, educational materials, practical exercises and assessment tools based on innovative pedagogical methods rooted on a learner-centered approach, resulting in six interconnected Intellectual Outputs (IO), namely:IO1 - Report on Co-Creation WorkshopA Report on existent industry's needs, skills mismatches and on how the structure of the EDTT Qualification and its educational and assessment methodologies can address those issues in an innovative way.IO2 - European Destructive Testing Technician Profile CurriculaBased on the results achieved in IO1, IO2 targets the creation of the EDTT Profile Curricula and its Qualification standard. The development of the EDTT Profile Curricula is based on EQF and Learning Outcomes principles, having allocation of ECVET points, allocated.. Validation of prior learning and its principles will also be considered within the Profile Curricula design.IO3 – Kit of Education Materials for EDTT Training CourseThis IO deals with the development of the necessary materials for the implementation of EDTT training course at national level, accessible both to trainers/teachers and trainees to facilitate the learning process. A Handbook containing all training and assessment tools (incl. Problem-Based Learning assignments) will be developed.IO4 - European Implementation Guideline of EDTT Profile CurriculaThis Guideline will be developed to foster and ensure the correct implementation of the new EDTT training course and will include information on the EDTT Qualification's access conditions, how training and assessment procedures will be carried out and how the Handbook with the kit of educational materials for the EDTT training course (IO3) can be applied. Information on the Recognition of Prior Learning process will also be provided in this Guideline. This IO will also be translated to partners’ national languages.IO5 - Development of RPL ToolsA specific Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) scheme and associated tools for the EDTT Qualification will be developed to provide all professionals involved in the sector, but have no qualification or are seeking for upskilling through C-VET, the opportunity to access a proper qualification. This IO will be translated as well.IO6 - European Recommendations for VET SystemsThis IO intends to create conditions for fostering, in a successful and efficient way, the project’s results on European countries outside the partnership that also share the needs identified on IO1 as basis for the implementation of the EDTT training course in other European VET Systems.TRUST activities will involve teachers/trainers, trainees, European VET experts & Industry representatives and National Qualification Agencies, contributing for development and improvement of all results and for the implementation of the EDTT Qualification on European countries outside the partnership, thus duly qualifying personnel working on DT at national & EU levels, helping the Manufacturing sector overcoming its challenges.TRUST consortium is composed of 5 organizations with expertise in DT and Education, from BE, IT, PL, PT & RO.

"<< Background >>WHY:Standing at the lathe and getting a commission in the form of a machine drawing with the company logo of the engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce down at the corner, provides a different motivation and engagement for a student compared to getting a regular work drawing from the teacher where the components will be produced for the dumpster. Thus, the experience of getting realistic tasks, being trained for a future job, is important for many vocational students. Indeed, a lot of knowledge arises in the meeting between the head, hands, drawings and machines. What students value inside the workshop is the variety of tools, materials and manufacturing related issues. In addition, they appreciate the community and the social interactions in the workshop. Here they can walk around and get involved in each other's work.Europe has recently been challenged by humanitarian migration of young people aged between 15 to 34 during the last 5-6 years. In 2017 more than 50 millions across OECD had a migrant background (OECD, 2017). Many of these migrants are potential students and represent a direct and immediate interest to VET systems. However, they may not be aware of the educational and economic opportunities available. The project idea has been discussed within the consortium during the last 6 month period, resulting in a partnership that has complementary knowledge, skills and competences, with all relevant contacts towards stakeholders in the industry and VET community in order to implement and scale up the project results. Thus, the motivation behind the IQSIM2 project is to address and help solving the current needs for engaging new skilled personnel in an expanding European manufacturing industry. This will be done by developing a new, innovative training methodology that apply work based learning to make education and training off migrants more relevant and engaging in a systematic way, by implementing new online simulation tools in education of welding personnel. NEEDSThe manufacturing sector has one of the most rigorous education and qualification systems in Europe when it comes to receiving and approving welding certificates and diplomas, as well as for the renewal of these. Through the European Welding Federation (EWF) system, approved harmonized guidelines have been implemented such that diplomas and certificates are valid all over Europe. This supports free movement of personnel in Europe. Every second year, their qualifications have to be renewed due to fast technological developments in order to maintain a valid certificate.However, Mechatronic 4.0, new welding processes, the use of automated systems and robotics, increase the need for re-skilling and up-skilling of personnel in the manufacturing industry. In addition the the aging workforce requires education of more qualified personnel in the years to come. The latests statistics from EWF, shows a decrease of 6% new certificates and diplomas in 2019 compared to the top in the previous years. The lack of qualified personnel is imminent and actions must be taken in order to meet this shortcomings. Unless it is expected that the gap will accelerate during the forthcoming years. On top of this, young people in Europe tends to move in the direction of academic education, whereby education and training of migrants and adult personnel must be considered to close the gaps. Thus, the IQSIM2 project proposes to better support VET teachers, VET providers and industry VET demand needs by applying hands on dynamic online simulator tools that will remove for the target student group, migrants and adult workers, the burden of learning mathematics and material sciences in order to take the correct decisions during welding processes and joining operations. The new methodology to be developed through this project will open up a new educational rout for migrants and adults for re-skilling and up-skilling of their current knowledge and skills.<< Objectives >>The IQSIM2 project contains a number of different activities in order to reach its goal and objectives.OBJECTIVE: To develop a new, innovative training methodology that better supports and implements effective digitalization of advanced production processes, by applying and delivering blended learning and work based training system solutions that let the target student groups, migrants and adult students, experience a seamless education and training system solution. It will apply an online dynamic simulator in combination with a number of problem based industry cases, to avoid challenges related to trying to understand advanced mathematics and material science knowledge. The simulator let students answer ""what happens if ..."" based up on a ""play and evaluate approach"", though it is not supposed to become a game. The course program will be tested by 2 national providers of VET and higher VET to manufacturing industry in RO, and one VET provider i Sweden. In order to obtain this objective, a number of different activities must be implemented.SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:1. Investigate, develop, test, evaluate and validate a new training methodology that apply advanced online simulator tools to investigate what are migrants and adult learning students prior learning experiences. This includes the previous experiences obtained during their previous work and jobs, and help establishing a common framework for education and training.2. Develop and adapt the new education and training methodology for effective inclusion of work based training as the backbone for the manufacturing production process training, by applying e-learning to communicate, distribute and implement problem based case studies from the industry to the students.3. Design industrial examples and cases of successful manufacturing processes, as well as processes that failed due to defects in the production. These examples will be implemented and applied in problem based learning processes during the pilot courses, in order to trigger discussions and reflection processes among the students. 4. Implement and integrate the online simulation tool IQSIM into the new training methodology. This tools was constructed as an online service in a EU funded E+ ICT project during the period 2008-10 and has been used for free for 11 years by stakeholders all over Europe after that (until January 2021)5. Develop and deliver a set of pilot training courses in the participating countries that apply problem based training with the case studies and the IQSIM simulator.6. Evaluate and verify the experience gained through the first set of pilot courses, and specially the use of industry cases as well as the use of the IQSIM simulator.7. The importance of better understanding health, environment and safety issues within the manufacturing processes will be demonstrated and underlined. A specification of how to implement this into a revised new IQSIM simulator will be developed.8. Cooperation activities that demonstrates industry VET demand needs and VET providers needs, will be established in order to ensure that the project results will be maintained after the project is closed.<< Implementation >>iQSIM2 will implement the following:1. Develop a new training methodology that help migrants and adult personnel start working in the manufacturing industry by carrying out welding and joining processes. This group will be available for re-skilling and up-skilling of knowledge and skills. The training methodology will extensively use industry cases as problem based learning in order to show how to carry out tasks in the correct way. Additionally, industry examples with production failures and mistakes will be used in order to let the students investigate and discuss the consequences of making mistakes. The cases from industry will be used to initiate discussions at group and class level. An online simulation tool IQSIM will be integrated into this training framework in order to reduce the need for learning the most advanced theory, thus reducing the level for achieving successful training of migrants that lack basic knowledge in mathematics and material sciences. 2. Apply work based learning techniques in order to meet industry requirements with special emphasis on skills development. The work based learning will be based on a step by step approach following the production process. Using this approach the students will observe the consequences at each step of the learning process, if the training framework has not followed the correct production steps.3. Migrants and adult personnel will often meet technical challenges related to lacking knowledge in mathematics and material sciences, when they start studying. The reason is that they will have been absence from the education sector for a number of years. To avoid challenges related to lacking such knowledges, the project will implement a dynamic online simulator tool, IQSIM ( Leonardo da Vinci project: KA3-ICT - Innovative Simulator Tools for Quality management Production Process Training in Vocational Education and Training, 2008 – 2010), in order to overcome these shortcomings. This simulator allows the students to investigate and reply to questions like ""what happen if..... "" for 1) Is this a technical solution that may be applied in the production?, and 2) Is the selected technical production process cost effective enough? By implementing such a tool the students will manage to carry out complex evaluations without needing to know complex mathematics and material science data. 4. The training provided will help increasing the number of educated personnel within the manufacturing sector, thus creating new, additional certifications at a European level. An implicit achievement will be that the migrants will more easily be included in the job market, thus creating a positive integration aspect towards this user group.5. The old online IQSIM simulator has been used as an important and valuable tool in the education of welding personnel in Europe. It has been extensively used for that purpose without any costs for end users. However, the emerging climate crises have raised other questions and challenges faced by manufacturing industry all over Europe. What are the environmental footprint and the health, environment and safety aspects of various welding- and metal joining processes? Thus, this project will start developing user specifications for a revised simulator that will make it possible for end-users to evaluate and calculate the environmental footprint of the manufacturing production process. An additional industry requirement for these problems will be highlighted through the pilot courses and specified for later technical development and implementation through an E+ KA2 Innovation project. 6. Deliver an initial pilot course in Sweden, to be followed by a second pilot in Romania. They will test out, evaluate and validate the training methodology, the usage of industry examples for problem based learning delivery, as well as implementing the online iQSIM simulator.<< Results >>IQSIM2 will deliver the following results:1.Development, testing, evaluation and validation of a new training methodology that lets migrants and adult personnel receive work based training leading to an international recognized qualification in welding. This new system solution will make these groups available for re-skilling and up-skilling of knowledge and skills. The training methodology will extensively apply problem based learning with industry cases demonstrating how to carry out tasks and operations in the correct way. Additionally, the industry examples will also include mistakes in order to let the students learn from the mistakes. These industry cases will be applied in such a way that they stimulate discussions in student groups or in the class. An online simulation tool addressing “what happens if ….” will be an integral part of this methodology.2.Emphasize the added value of applying work based learning techniques in order to meet industry requirements, thus underlining the special emphasis on skills development. The work based learning will be based up on a step by step learning path approach that follows the manufacturing process. By using this methodology, the students will easily observe the consequences of failures and mistakes, whereby quality assurance become an integral part of the training.3.Migrants and adult personnel usually meet technical challenges when starting their study, due to the mathematical challenges as well as metallurgical topics, which they too often lack due to absence from re-skilling education and training systems for a number of years. To better meet these challenges , IQSIM2 will implement a dynamic online simulator tool, IQSIM in order to overcome these limitations. This simulator allows the students to ask questions like ""what happen if..... "" both for technical as well as metallurgical questions, while playing around with a number of parameters in order to find the best technical and economical solution. By implementing this tool, the students will manage to carry out complex process evaluations without knowing advanced mathematics or applying deep metallurgy knowledge.4.IQSIM2 will increase the capacity for education of personnel that will work within the welding sectors in the European manufacturing industry. Due to the systematic usage of work based training, migrants and adults will carry out practices in the workshop. This will create direct links to the manufacturing companies, while these activities at the same time help them to improve and reduce barriers related to culture and language challenges.5.The online IQSIM simulator has been in operation within training of welders since 2010 until January 2021. It has been available online from www.stimuli.no. However, at that time Adobe stopped supporting Flash, whereby the standard major browsers do not work. The IQSIM2 project will develop a new system solution that will make IQSIM still work for a period by using browsers that it will be possible to unlock for those who have the flash player installed. This is valid for the current users of IQSIM.6.IQSIM2 will develop new specifications for integration of environmental issues in a forthcoming new version of the simulator, with additional features that better reflect the serious environmental issues the world is facing in 2021, together with health environment and safety aspects of the production. IQSIM2 will focus on these 2 additional features and develop a specification of them for usage and inclusion in a new version of the IQSIM simulator tool. A new E+ KA2 innovation project to be submitted in 2023 may be a convenient candidate for developing a new, revised simulator that apply modern browser technologies, working on any device.7.Develop, pilot and evaluate 2 pilot courses (1st in Sweden, 2nd in Romania) to verify the training methodology and the use of industry case examples, including using the current online IQSIM simulator."