The current crises (including the corona pandemic and climate crisis) are the result of a still prevailing way of economics, focused on too much on quantitative growth and maximizing profits. Following this path continuously, destroys our common natural basis. At the same time, there are enormous opportunities to change production methods and pioneers in almost all branches are already successful.

The international framework for this is provided by the Sustainable Development Goals SDG`s and the Paris Climate Change Convention. In the coming years, the EU will promote the transformation of the economic system into a Circular Economy CE as a focal point of its policy.

The European metal industry is confronted with processes of innovation and transformation: Digitization create opportunities for automation, work simplification and new job profiles that can also be taken up by women. But this requires investment, process restructuring and new skills.

1. The project will support SMEs in metal clusters and their staff to better understand ongoing transformations (e.g. climate crisis), to recognize their impacts and to undertake appropriate adaptation measures.
2. The project will demonstrate Circular Economy possibilities, especially with regard to metal working, manufacturing and other processes.
3. In addition, VET teachers and learners are to be involved in the project for the training and further education of specialists.
4. Young people, especially young women, should learn about the new orientation of metal professions towards sustainability.

An analysis phase describing existing metal working and manufacturing, processes a. competences. Related to results, partners define new competences that are to be taught using suitable methods, contribute to a convincing adaptable concept for a future-proof value creation in metal companies. In the last phase the partners develop curricula. The R&D results and best-practice CE-examples that exist in metal SMEs will be systematically recorded on fact sheets and other learning materials. The partners will create and offer a Vocational Open Online Course (VOOC) and different Living Labs as multiplier events to disseminate the CE-learning content. Moreover, the project partners build up a supportive structure and give an overview about career chances.

Project Methods

• Involving the target groups in all work steps, starting with focus group interviews • Future Thinking method is used and trained for the imagination of new work processes and goals • Cradle2Cradle design method is introduced and trained for the development of new products • Living Labs and TED-Ed talks will be used and established

Project Results

• Knowledge of work processes, activities • Impact of metal SME activities on the environment and climate • Description of the CE competences needed in different target groups • Identify potential of CE adjustments in metal SMEs • Activate the external participants as potential multiplier for • Teaching/ learning settings and materials for VET in metal occupations

The project is financeb by the programme Erasmus+ and MetaIndustry4 works along with five other european organizations: Vereinigung für Betriebliche Bildungsforschung e.V. IBB, Innovation and Development Promotion Centre, Alytus Business Advisory Center, Vytauto Didziojo Universitetas, Reindustria – Agenzia Cremona Sviluppo S.Cons.r.l.