Fast technological developments and the rapid uptake of digital technologies is changing the structure of traditional industries in the EU, pushing towards the so-called Advanced Manufacturing and the 4th Industrial Revolution (or Industry 4.0). Several common gaps at EU level have been identified in the engineering related qualifications at EQF5 level which include Engineering studies at University Level and Technical Engineering studies at Higher Vocational Level. These gaps relate to engineering processes, product design and general design for the manufacturing automotive industry. The aim of the project has been to develop professional and specialization skills, thus ensuring a transition from a general academic model to the application of knowledge for the development of key processes in a reference sector. A bridge is built for the transition from high scientific and technological knowledge to necessary and important specialized industrial skills. In this context, the project UPenAUTO aims at building a strategic cooperation at EU level between industry, education and research actors engaged in the review of competences and skills offered in Higher Education proposing modular and flexible training itineraries for engineering related graduates, based on specific profiles needed by the EU automotive industry, and promoting the uptake of Dual/alternate international training schemes in the automotive sector for boosting employability and securing talent within the EU. The specific objectives were the following: ->To respond to skills mismatches in the automotive sector by covering an existing training gap in the field of automotive engineering and design. ->Set up of a new EU Framework for new sectoral qualifications for the automotive industry that will contribute to the modernization of the European HE. ->Develop new EQF level 5 curricula for the smart specialization of engineering graduates. ->Boosting employability in the automotive sector through the uptake of Dual/alternate education systems alternating theoretical courses with work-based learning, “strengthening the relevance of graduates´opportunities to start their professional life based on their education” as stated in the Bologna process. ->Allow the connection between HE and research in terms of contribution of HE to the education and training of future workers devoted to innovation activities. ->Make STEM education relevant and attractive. ->Influence EU-level education and training policies and tools to ensure recognition, validation and increase international labour mobility. ->Encourage the use of skills and growth projections in course design, delivery and evaluation, as set in the recommendation Modernisation of Europe´s Higher Education Institutions.

From birth to adulthood – a WBL successful Practice! (WBL S.P.) was a partnership between a Polytechnic Institute, 3 VET colleges, 3 enterprises in the areas of Metallurgy, Mechanics, Mechatronics and Industrial Maintenance and 3 Public Bodies from 3 different countries (Portugal, Spain and Italy). It was a 3 year project, whereby VET staff, trainers in enterprises and students from 3 countries participated in a ‘problem based learning’ project, aimed at developing 3 new innovative and creative Competency-based Curricula, in the above mentioned areas, which simultaneously include a creative and innovative teaching practice, relating to Entrepreneurship Education. This New pedagogy was developed for VET staff enabling higher level ‘applied’ and updated skills amongst learners, increasing simultaneously innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial skills and thereby narrowing the gap between academia and the world of work. The 3 companies involved other local similar businesses and provided a real world learning environment leading to more motivated VET students willing to fill in the vacancies in the labour market, more innovative VET staff and more inclusive employers/trainers, able to share their knowledge among apprentices, being responsible actors in the educational process, from the very beginning. Our goal was to give tools to the Businesses, which would make the hosting easier and more productive, not overcoming the capacities of the business and at the same time, validate the learning results, based in the EQVETs. The process and results of this validation (a report to be annexed to the student’s diploma) can be issued by the Platform developed by IPP Partner. The hosting of VET students was an easy process and enterprises & trainers felt motivated to be part of the VET system. This platform is reusable and expandable for other VET areas. At the end, VET teachers became better prepared to give the students the technological knowledge and competences they need by being in closed contact with the labour market needs.Trainers became better prepared to lead with students demotivation and misbehaviour. They were really involved in the construction of a young professional regarding their acquisition of technical competences and entrepreneurial skills. Both teachers and enterprises (tutors) contributed for the platform in what the competences needed in a real environment and this way it was possible the joint construction of a new curricula/programme. Local authorities had as main challenge the promotion of the new curricula at local and regional level and enhancing other enterprises in the development of the project. VET students tested this approach and methodology by participating in a Problem based learning project mostly in national enterprises. Only the Portugues students were able to do it at transnational level, in Spain. Each partner was engaged with local/regional industries with experience or the desire to implement new and innovative Mechanics, Mechatronics and Industrial Maintenance curricula&integration approaches both for VET students, vet teachers and trainers. WBL. S.P! seeked to build on matching the right VET student to the right enterprise&tasks and, at the same time, give VET teachers and instructors a better preparation both for teaching technological subjects and deal better with demotivation and misbehaviour, respectively, involved in the construction of a professional both technical and entrepreneurial skilled. WBL. S.P! focused on this duality of purpose and seeked to move VET students & teachers/instructors from ‘theoretical, technical and entrepreneurial competences’ to ‘Real usage and adaptation of technical and entrepreneurial competences’ and develop the skills amongst VET students&teachers, enabling them to ‘hit the ground running’ in an industry sector that has an in-build bias towards entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation. Participation within this project was an opportunity for collaboration between VET providers, students, employers/instructors and relevant stakeholders in the same VET field across southern Europe. The partners exchanged methodologies and good practices approaches, to improve the expertise of VET teachers and to embed extra-curricular activity in the sectorial fi

The aim of the project is to enable the realization of the aims of the Blueprint, namely the delivery of human capital solutions to supply chain SMEs through the establishment of an Automotive Sector Skills Alliance covering all levels of the value chain (vehicle production, automotive suppliers and automotive sales and aftermarket services). The deliverables produced unitl now are here: https://www.project-drives.eu/en/results. A SSA will be established to build upon the GEAR 2030 work, whilst proposing concrete and practical initiatives to address skills challenges, in particular through facilitating mobility of workers within automotive. Through this approach, a sustainable cooperation on skills development across the value chain and through concrete initiatives will be realized through a project with three distinct aims:1. Harness existing and proven Skills Frameworks in European countries (UK, GE), modernize them to cope with future automotive trends (using expert analysis companies), and look at the deployment into new countries (like e.g. PT, SK, RO, SP, CZ etc.).2. Enable mutual recognition of awards between formal and informal automotive education, VET and universities, and across Europe in order to enhance the use and success of government funded mobility programmes such as Erasmus+ KA1.3. Implementation of common European automotive skills umbrella and integration of existing skills frameworks (Sector skills council, ECQA, AQUA, SkillMan, Skills Passport, etc.) including pilot trainings.4. Project aims to build on the successful deployment of the Apprenticeship Marketplace by enhancing its effectiveness for automotive job seekers. An IT infrastructure will be implemented to detail common job requirements, which will be available for job seeking, training providers namely universities, VET providers and more, as well as forming a market place job offers on local, nation and European levels.Through the realization of the four aims, GEAR 2030’s strategy pilot implementation can be delivered and built upon through the Blueprint SSA.