Shortage of welders at European and world labor market, perception of welding as a “dirty” job that negatively influences young people when choosing their future profession and lack of uniformity of welder competence depending on the country of origin for one and the same welding process were foundations and starting points for this project. The main goal of the project is improvement of educational system for welders. This is relevant for several reasons: 1. We need to design educational programs that will harmonize international qualifications with national ones, that will be applicable in different educational systems and whose results will be alignment of acquired competences for one and the same level of education. 2. We need to modernize the educational system in a program, methodological and technological way and thus bring it closer to people in need of education.3. Competences obtained in such a way will make provision for direct inclusion of completed welders into the production process, and lifelong system of education will contribute to qualitative and quantitative improvement in their level of knowledge and quality of life.Specific project objectives are: 1. Development of European framework curricula for MMA, MIG, MAG, FCAW, MCAW and TIG welding processes with supporting teaching media.2. Development of welding networking site,3. Development of new methodology for welder training with introduction of Virtual Welding Training Systems (VWTS) into welder training. Partner consortium consisting of European welding federation (EWF) and national welding associations (CESOL, IIS Progress), vocational school (IOŠ), welding company (KMK) and institution for education of adults (Učilište ULJANIK) is completely competent to create the above mentioned intellectual outputs. SVS – Swiss welding association, National center for external evaluation of education from Croatia and Croatian Welding Society joined the consortium during project implementation, strengthened it with their competences and added new value to project results. The applied methodology of the project was, because of its international importance, step by step to project results. All work packages in the project are broken into following sequence: initiation - specification of demands through analysis and synthesis; planning and designing; implementation; control and integration; validation through testing and correction of mistakes, project results, dissemination.All partners have fully contributed to project results. It needs to be emphasized that this contribution greatly exceeds the volume of activities set in the proposal.Project results are:1. Framework European curricula for 6 welding processes and two levels of qualifications. Partners created 18 framework European vocational curricula for EQF qualification levels 2 and 3. In accordance with the applied methodology, along with curricula that are the basic intellectual output partners also developed occupational standards and qualification standards for above mentioned profiles. As an added value to the project we introduced external evaluation of welder education, which represents an innovative approach to evaluation of welder education. Halfway through project implementation, a new methodology of curricula writing was adopted that was promoted by EWF with the help of CEDEFOP. Consortium designed curricula according to this new methodology as well, so future users have the possibility of choosing the concept which suits them best.2. The online platform for welders enables networking of welders of all levels and profiles. Added values are parts self-learning and self-assessment that help welders to learn and assess their knowledge in an interactive way.3. New methodology in welder education is adjusted to modern technology and is applicable in the long run in lifelong education of welders by introduction of VWTS. Project results will have a significant impact on raising the quality of welding, popularizing the welding profession, making sure that companies and state institutions become aware of the importance of welders and on helping young people choose welding as their future occupation. Welders of all profiles will be given an asset in the form of a welding networking site to help them with education, upskilling and keeping up with the latest developments.The Online platform www.weldchance.com will be set up on the EWF server, which will strengthen the impact of project results and their sustainability at European level, bearing in mind that EWF covers a wide area and has international impact with their network of members.

REASON FOR THE PROJECT: The increasing need for developing new technologies, that allow the production of new items, characterized by higher quality level and performance, results in a high need for personnel capable of using advanced manufacturing processes for new materials, with a longer lifetime.This projects supports EU polices of free movement of personnel providing equal training backgrounds, improves training quality and lifelong learning as well as qualification transparency and, more important, enhances employability. Worldwide laser industry reached in 2013 a growing 6 % compared to 2012 and also in the 2014 the forecast has foreseen a modest growth of 8 % . Laser welding manufacturing is one of the major increasing sector which in this years records in EuropeAIMS & OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this project is to provide the guidelines to develop harmonized courses within the technological areas representing “hot spots” for the industry, dealing with welding. This objective will be achieved through the definition of educational materials for the training of personnel involved in LASERTECH implementation.CONSORTIUM: The consortium is constituted by 6 organizations of Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Italy and Romania, which have strong knowledge and expertise in training and qualification at a sector-based level. Several partners also have plenty of experience in the implementation and training in the field of welding.OUTCOMES: The objectives will be achieved through the definition of a harmonized system for the training of personnel involved in laser weldingIMPACT: In the mid to long term, the experience developed for the project can be extended to other countries and have an extendedimpact in neighbouring regions. Development of qualified figures remains a central need to several different countries in Europe and some of them could benefit from the methodology and know-how that is to be developed in the scope of Lasertech.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is seen as an enabler for the EU to secure a strong industrial base. Market forecasts predict that between 2031 and 2038, AM is expected to reach 50% of the market potential, while reaching 100% of the market potential between the year 2058 and 2065 (Thomas, D., 2016).Qualifying personnel for the AM sector is crucial, as the technology is evolving at a much faster pace than the development of the workers` skills is being tackled. AM suffers from a “capability challenge” (Deloitte, 2019) characterized by a skills gap and a difficulty in finding well-trained workforce capable of applying AM to real world production. AM Profiles skilled in design are of outmost importance for companies, but the current shortage of talent is requiring systematic and innovative educational initiatives to deliver qualified professionals. In this context, making Vocational Education and Training (VET) a first choice is critical to guarantee a smoother transition of students /youngsters into employment and maintain the workforce skills according to sectoral and national needs, thus avoiding shortage of people with VET qualifications in the future.To meet this objective, DESTINE - European DESign TechniciaNs lEague - project aims at promoting VET excellence in the AM sector by introducing young people to multi-skilled technology careers in industry. The project will establish a strategic cooperation between educators and industry at National and European levels to: - Develop a Metal AM Design Technician Qualification Standard (EQF level 4); - Boost the implementation of this qualification at European and National levels; - Promote a sectoral skills competition in the field of AM, structured in qualifying rounds starting from a regional and/or national phase up into a European phase; - Prepare the European Metal Additive Manufacturing Design Technicians League to be integrated in the WorldSkills Competitions.The consortium is composed by seven organisations in the field of Vocational Education and Training in Additive Manufacturing and related technologies, with expertise in Metal AM Qualifications development and Training /Skills Competitions and belonging to five European countries: IDONIAL and CESOL (ES), IIS (IT), IEFP and ISQ (PT), EWF (BE), LZH (DE). DESTINE project results are fully aligned with the New Skills Agenda and EuroSkills initiatives, and consists of:- New Curricula for European Metal AM Design Technician (EMAM-DT) , IO1 - (European Metal Additive Manufacturing Design Technician (EMAM -DT) Qualification Standard); - Training Guide containing exercises for implementing Metal AM Technicians Qualification Standard, IO2 - (Metal AM Technicians Training Guide for Teachers and Trainers); - Rules document for the implementation of Metal AM Design Technicians Skills League, IO3 - (Metal AM Design Technicians League Rules);- Practical Guide for integration of European Qualifications in National Qualifications Frameworks/Systems, IO4 - (Practical Guide for integration of European Qualifications in National Qualifications Frameworks/Systems);- One train the trainers capacity building event (C1) addressing the EMAM-DT Profile and innovative training materials;- Eight National Skills Leagues (E1 to E8) with 160 invited participants to disseminate and promote EMAM - DT Qualification and Skills; - Two transnational learning activities (C2 and C3) for 36 students (+12 accompanying teachers) within mobility context of European Skills Leagues; - European Conference to promote the project final results and engagement with at least key stakeholders from 31 EU Countries. Overall, more than 210 people will be directly involved in DESTINE activities, which will foster the EMAM-DT Qualification implementation opportunities in other European VET Systems other than partners’ countries, and foster VET excellence among young people, thus preventing early school leaving. Transnational learning activities are expected to inspire, develop and influence a career as European AM Design Technician, thus contributing to increase the level of skills on Additive Manufacturing and enhancing students motivation and engagement to learn about high technology. The project results are expected to be spread and transfer to more students and professionals in each country. VET organizations, companies representatives and National Qualification Agencies will get familiarized with the EMAM-DT Qualifications during the National Skills League taking place in Spain, Portugal , Italy and Germany. These participants will benefit from both networking and practical guide to uptake the European Qualification at National level. Finally, the European Conference will allow to disseminate and explore DESTINE’s main results to key stakeholders connected to AM sector from 31 EU countries.