Beyond45 was created in response to unfavorable social and economic trend in the form of marginalization amongst the working age populations regarding citizens aged 45 and over. According to the official statistics in the EU this problem affects every fifth person from this group. The countries where the partners come from - have both similar and complementary socio-economic trends. Each of these countries contends with problems of the target group “45+” in traditional sectors, each of these countries can offer different resources, scope of competence, which in turn may allow to improve the situation of the target group and the economies of these countries. The Partners are related to the traditional sectors of economy: furniture , timber and building industry and they conduct activities for the benefit of these industries by means of training as well as initiatives involving associations and trade unions. All Partners constitute communities of highly qualified and competent professionals from selected industries that have valuable competence and achievements, both in research and practical application, needed for this project. They represent a high degree of innovation, international character and profound experience in projects of that kind. At present one can notice economic fluctuations in the traditional sectors and industries which on the one hand result in employment reductions, and on the other hand there is a growing shortage of relevant specialists from new generations. This causes incomplete use of the existing economic potential and the social losses in the form of unemployment. The aim of the project is to elaborate a program which - within the scope of the methods being applied - is complex and innovative and stimulates the employment of people from “45+” group by means of increasing their skills in relation to the demand which is shown by the modern labour market and the sectors they represent. The project is aimed at increasing the ICT knowledge. They will be provided with knowledge concerning contemporary market trends in the form of home automation and smart furniture technologies, and creating products verging on consumer electronics, combining traditions with modernity. Target group will be given support concerning their personal development, resourcefulness and communications skills. Working in international groups will allow to eliminate barriers in functioning in the new environment and will make effective cooperation in reaching the goals possible. The project assumes participation of 100 people from the defined target groups from the following sectors of industries: 1) furniture industry 2) wood-based materials sector, 3) building industry in the area of finishing works utilizing wood as the main material, 4) electronics used for interior design and smart furniture design. The outcome of the project realization will include: Profound analysis of the target group in relation to the intended objectives of “Beyond45”; Developing the methodology, the program, learning paths and the subjects, as well as educational materials taking into consideration innovative methods, e.g. e-learning; Elaboration of the personal development tools, e.g. coaching, mentoring and case studies for development of competence in the area of entrepreneurship , promoting of creativity and innovativeness, developing communication skills as well as ability to use ICT; Development of multilingual e-learning platform. The project will be carried out on the basis of the administrative and organizational framework and the strategy for communication in “Beyond45” project. An important element of the Project is on-going verification of its effects by means of, e.g. regular workshops, studies, research and observations during the course of the project as well as its continuous improvement. The project will bring tangible effect in the form of evaluation of competence of the participants reflected by means of assessment marks. The project will be carried out by the consortium with the use of electronic means of communication as well as periodical meetings and workshops. The general principle is full cooperation and co-creating of the framework for “Beyond45” project by its Participants. As a result of the project a complex program for professional activation of the target group of citizens aged 45+ will be created aimed at people from traditional sectors and industries of the economy highly sensitive to economic fluctuations negative influence on the labour market. Moreover, Beyond45 - thanks to assumed high efficiency and flexibility of the project - can be successfully applied by other countries and other target groups. transfer of the information and materials concerning this project pursuant to Erasmus+ guidelines. The experience gained while implementing Beyond45 may be applied by other industries or business branches, target groups and countries, increasing the global competitivenes of the whole EU.

In the last years, according to European regulations and recommendations, in each European country the corresponding National Qualifications System has been different, not always having enjoyed the same result in the country, because the methodologies used and developed have not been the same during the System inception.One of the most important job profiles in the wood working activity is the profile of (a skilled worker in wood who puts doors, stairs etc. into buildings) or CARPENTER (a craftsman in wood, who holds the art of making things from wood), but the skills defined for this job profile are different depending of the country.The aim of EUROJOINER is to define a European Qualification for this job profile, considering the skills and the activities for this job profile in each country participating in the project.This project complements other European projects, such as:- WOOD WORKERS ABROAD “New methodologies and tools to promote the recognition of qualifications for the mobility of workers - wood and furniture sector”(http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2012-1-PT1-LEO04-12339),- WoodPort “Recognition of competences in vocational education and training in formal, non-formal, informal context in wood and furniture sector”( http://www.adam-europe.eu/prj/4431/project_4431_en.pdf) , and- DEWEBAS “Competence tool for the European wood- and furniture industry”( http://www.adam-europe.eu/prj/5449/project_5449_fr.pdf),whose aim was to compare some qualifications in the job profile of cabinet maker, joiner and finisher in order to elaborate a recognition system and to establish a database of the wood and furniture sector.The EUROJOINER project is also complementary to the project Bolster Up “Transparency for Upholstering and Cabinet Making Qualifications and Quality in the European Furniture Industry”( http://www.adam-europe.eu/prj/9919/project_9919_en.pdf). It aimed at creating a sectorial dialogue in the wood and furniture industry. The project compared National Qualifications for upholsterers and cabinet makers, developed two common European job profiles for these jobs and established a framework for Europe-wide recognition. Within EUROJOINER, partners will standardize the skills for a EUROPEAN JOINER to elaborate a job profile capable to develop an activity or job in each partner country in the upcoming years.The consortium is related to the wood industry, and it involves, VET Centres related to the wood and furniture sector, a Technology Centre of R&D with experience in the development of wood and furniture Spanish qualifications, and a Consortium with a lot of projects focusing on vocational training and education:• AIDIMA, www.aidima.es, the Technology Institute for Furniture, Wood, Packaging and related Industries from Spain.• CFPIMM, www.cfpimm.pt , the Vocational Training Centre of Wood and Furniture Industries from Portugal.• AMLEDO &CO, www.amledo.com/en, specialized in projects focusing on education and labor market issues from Sweden. • CIPFP Catarroja, www.fpcatarroja.com , a VETCentre in the wood and furniture industry from Spain.• KAISERY OSB Metem, www.osbmetem.meb.k12.tr, VET centre from Turkey.• Opleidings Centrum Hout -Centre de Formation Bois, www.och-cfb.be, vocational training from Holland• HMC college, www.hmcollege.nl, for wood, furniture and interiors from BelgiumTo elaborate this qualification, partners will elaborate a mapping to compile the knowledge and activities related to this job profile in each country, will analyze and propose a new common qualification for all partners countries. In relation to current workers and future workers with the skills defined in the project, they will benefit from more mobility and possibilities to work in other countries.Once defined the skills, partners will elaborate an e-learning material related with them. Another tangible result of this project will be a self-evaluation system, to assess workers whether they have the competencies defined in the project or not, with the sole aim to work as a EUROPEAN JOINER. The impact envisaged is multiple. With the project results we will standardize one or the more important job profile in the wood working sector, these results will be important for the VET centres to adapt their curricula to this European job profile.The current and future workers with these skills will be able to work in different countries as a joiners or carpenters.

MIMwood [Development of a Monitoring system for VET centres to analyse and apply those Innovative Materials to be used in the WOOD and furniture sector] stemmed from the detection of actual needs from the Intellectual Output O4 of a previous Erasmus+ project: FUNES – Furniture New European Skills 2020 (2014-1-ES01-KA202-004883, www.funesproject.eu. One of the identified skills was the lack of knowledge of new materials and their application in the wood and furniture industry (composites, plastics and materials with different properties than those that the wood and its derivatives possess).Hence, MIMwood has developed a METHODOLOGICAL GUIDE to promote its implementation in the VET centres, a TECHNOLOGICAL SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM and a COMPUTERIZED DATABASE in specific innovative materials for the wood and furniture sector. This online tool leads to generate new skills for lifelong learning, forcing a constant and continuous update (C-VET linked) of the teachers and students of vocational training, on properties and specific characteristics of innovative materials that can be used in manufacturing; as well as those aspects that allow determining its applicability in the development of new products. It also facilitates the incorporation of new training content in the VET centres curricula, by providing innovation in the creation of new products and solutions. In addition, this database is a LIVING and DYNAMIC tool that must be maintained and updated both by partners of the project in a parallel way to the evolution of the material trends in the productive wood and furniture sector. As regards the partnership, seven multidisciplinary participants from five different countries that create altogether an initiative with synergy ambitiously compose it: AIDIMME (Spain) and Wood.be, (Belgium) which are Technology Institutes specialised in the wood and furniture sector, specialisation that also shares with FederlegnoArredo (Italy), focused on the wood sector, and being the National Business Association with training activities; Vocational Education and Training Centres, such as CIP FP Catarroja (Spain), CFPIMM (Portugal); GMIT (Ireland) and WOODWIZE (Belgium). Thereupon, these activities has been carried out: 1.Open educational methodological guide on technological surveillance, 2. Computerized database, 3. Training course / case study for receiving feedback and assessment, 4-Staff training to apply the concepts that have been collected in the methodological guide on the use of the developed computerized database in order to obtain a final report with a list of innovative materials. The impact envisaged has been multiple. The development of this project provides a valuable tool to the innovative solutions to businesses. In addition, it generates a mentality and ability of innovation among teachers in VET centres and students of these schools.As results or impacts of the project, we can say that the VET centres participating in the project have implemented the results. The centres have set up a dedicated space to showcase new and innovative materials in their library building; included continuous assessment topics related to new and innovative materials with the students which have helped to increase their awareness of these kinds of materials; made links between the partners on the project that we would otherwise not have made and will collaborate further in the future; developed a new module in their programmes focusing on new and innovative materials called advanced materials and sustainability (such as GMIT); developed networks within Europe with materials libraries and research institutions (RTOs) and developed relationships with new materials suppliers through data-gathering exercise. MIMWOOD Platform is being used by all the teachers and students in training courses, as a very important tool to know more about materials, mainly innovative materials.The purposely-elaborated database and the training material are invaluable tools to develop and improve in the VET centres an innovative mentality, and promote the research and the innovation to elaborate prototypes using innovative materials in the future.

"Design-intensive industries play a vital role in the EU economy. The European Commission aims to increase the use of design for innovation and growth across Europe; raise awareness of how design-driven innovation increases efficiency in public services and drives business growth; create capacity and competencies to deliver these policies (http://ec.europa.eu/growth/industry/innovation/policy/design/index_en.htm). Education and training play a fundamental role in achieving the ‘Europe 2020’ objectives. It is aimed at the internationalization of education and growing use of digital learning, supporting the creation of flexible learning pathways in line with learners' needs.The objective of DESIGNSTEM is to contribute to devising, building and disseminating work methods and resources for educators and learners in the fields of design and STEM; to support synergies between education, research and innovation activities, the digitisation of quality learning content and promoting the use of ICT as a driver for systemic change to increase the quality and relevance of open design and STEM education. The number of DesignSTEM participants was 10: the LUMA Centre of Helsinki University, Finland; University of Piraeus Research Centre (UPRC), Greece, Kuressaare Regional Training Centre; HMC College, The Netherlands; Tartu Art School, Estonia; Gutenbergschule, Germany; Middlesbrough College, UK; ITT Buonarroti-Pozzo, Italy; Polytechnic Institute of Braganca, Portugal; Faculty of Information Studies, Slovenia.Within 3 years, in 7 workshops, 10 educational organizations devised, designed and built Designstem - https://designstem.github.io/projects/ with ca 50 design and STEM concepts addressed inca 15 long-term integrated design and STEM e-learning projectscomposed of ca 75 short-term exercises and tasks for design and STEM lessonson an open source, no-sign-in, free web platform - Fachwerk - designed and coded specifically for creating interactive, user friendly, attractive e-learning objects, e.g dynamic mathematics, 3D models, generative design, VR-experiences and many other code-based interactive elements etc that can easily be changed, adapted and shared online includingca 100 interactive components for teachers and students to build custom-made projectsplus several interactive ""playgrounds"", where components can be mixed and matched and experimented withplus 5 popular code libraries accessible from the componentsplus a glossary of 150 design and STEM termsplus a colllection of 320 recommended design and STEM education web resourcesDesignSTEM is structured to have two technical layers. The ""lower layer"", the Fachwerk web framework supports a wide range of use cases, not limited to the scope of design / STEM e-learning objects. The ""upper layer"", DesignSTEM learning objects are technical demonstration of what is possible, but there are many additional features that the Fachwerk framework provides. For example, music education (the framework contains components for connecting musical instruments and sound generation), data visualization (with ability to bring in external datasources and transform them into a visual language), realtime communication (the learning objects can be connected to each other, providing peer-to-peer communication channels from and to anywhere), comprehensive suite of 3D graphics and VR, features to export learning objects as tangible 3D-printable objects and tools for teaching computer science topics such as data structures and state management."

Europe gave birth to the industrial revolution about two centuries ago thanks to the convergence of a series of factors that allowed technology to be closer to society, while creating economic benefits to regional and national economies. With the globalisation, European cities lost a large volume of manufacturing capacity and transitioned to a knowledge economy. The result: a decrease in manufacturing jobs, the lack appreciation for these jobs, and neglected industrial areas subject to decay. Decay of industrial heritage has a major imprint on European city's identities, but also is a source of opportunity. The result, industrial areas with high historical value for Europe being abandoned or exploited by extractive economic activities, with no connection to local knowledge, and with no generation of value at the local level. CENTRINNO aims to develop and demonstrate strategies, approaches and solutions for regeneration of industrial historic sites and areas as creative production and manufacturing hubs, that 1) hold true to the ecological challenges of our time, 2) boost a diverse, inclusive and innovative urban economy, and 3) and use heritage as a catalizer for innovation and social inclusion. We give centre stage to craftsmen, vocationally trained professionals, entrepreneurs, makers, SME’s, Fab Labs, Food Labs and Makerpaces to become key players in the cities supply of local goods and support them to take on a fundamental role in our future cities, thus opposing disengagement and stagnation of local economies. Through a holistic method combining the Fab City Global Initiative approach to productive cities with Emotion Networking, life cycle assessment and spatially-specific material flow analyses, we bring to the fore both complex, layered histories of these sites as well as the cities available resources in terms of urban landscape, materials, current day skills and practice and human capital.