Coordination: EWF - European Federation for Welding, Joining and Cutting (Belgium)
Participants: CECIMO - European Association of the Machine Tool Industries (Belgium)|IDONIAL (Spain)|EPMA - European Powder Metallurgy Association AISBL (Belgium)|Materialise NV (Belgium)|Granta Design Limited (United Kingdom)|IK4-LORTEK (Spain)|MTC - The Manufacturing Technology centre (United Kingdom)|Fundación AITIIP (Spain)|ISQ (Portugal)|LMS - University of Patras (Greece)|UBRUN – Brunel University London (United Kingdom)|EC Nantes - Ecole centrale de Nantes (France)|LAK – LZH Laser Academy GmbH (Germany)|POLIMI – Politecnico de Milano (Italy)
Areas: Education, Industry, Innovation, R&D and Innovation, Training
Acronym: SAM
Project Title: European Skills Strategy in Additive Manufacturing Project
Project Code: 601217-EPP-1-2018-1-BE-EPPKA2-SSA-B
Total Cost: 3.971.076,00 €
Funding: 3.971.076,00 €
GOALS
As Europe seeks to retain its leading position in industrial competitiveness, there is an urgent need to establish a platform for Additive Manufacturing (AM) skills at European, National and Regional levels. AM processes enable economic component production through the efficient use of materials and increased design freedom as compared to conventional manufacturing. AM also raises the level of digital literacy among workers, and it contributes to the digitisation of European Industry.
The Sector Skills Strategy in Additive Manufacturing Project (SAM) tackles the current European need of developing an effective system to identify and anticipate the right skills for the Additive Manufacturing (AM) sector demands in response to the increasing labour market needs, thus, contributing for the smart, sustainable and inclusive growth of the AM sector.
SAM’s main features
– A Skills Strategy in Additive Manufacturing providing solutions capable to foster and support the growth, the innovation and competitiveness of the AM sector;
– A methodology for a sustainable and continuous assessment of current and future skills needs in AM trough the Observatory in Additive Manufacturing, providing just in time mapping and monitoring of the AM industry technological trends, skills shortages and mismatches, policies and figures;
– Design, review and deploy of relevant qualifications in the AM sector, built with a learning outcomes approach and linked with EU Frameworks and Tools such as the EQF, e-CF, EntreComp, ECVET and ECTS;
– Promotion of the attractiveness of the AM sector as a career choice for primary, general education, VET and university’s students Awareness Campaign in the field of AM; and
– One online Qualifications catalogue to continuously update and enlarge the European AM Qualification System, integrating all the developed and to be developed sectoral qualifications.
EXPECTED RESULTS
SAM’s results will be achieved at short and medium term during the scope of the project and at medium and long term beyond its duration, contributing for the AM sector development and growth through the following outcomes:
A Skills Strategy in Additive Manufacturing providing solutions capable to foster and support the growth, the innovation and competitiveness of the AM sector;
A methodology for assessment of current and anticipation of future skills in AM, to be incorporated in the Observatory in Additive Manufacturing. This result will be particularly useful to overcome the current tendency in terms of capacity building programs development, which is manly reactive and SAM methodology will shift it into a forecasting strategy;
A Methodology for designing and revising professional profiles and developing skills, supported by a sectoral framework for the AM sector, using a learning outcomes approach and linked with EU tools such as the EQF, e-CF(European e-Competence Framework), EntreComp: The Entrepreneurship Competence Framework, DigComp (European Digital Competence Framework for Citizens), ECVET and ECTS to enhance the transparency, recognition and mobility of qualified professionals;
An Observatory in Additive Manufacturing, providing just in time mapping and monitoring of the AM industry technological trends, skills shortages and mismatches, policies and figures;
Development of specific qualifications relevant for the AM sector to include in the European AM System;
Promotion of the attractiveness of the AM sector as a career choice for primary, general education, VET and university’s students. Awareness Campaign in the field of AM (Open Days and other Events, AM awareness Videos/animations);
One online Qualifications catalogue to continuously update and enlarge the European AM Qualification System, integrating all the developed and to be developed sectoral qualifications;
One Action plan for the exploitation of the project results and their roll-out at national and regional level;
Engagement of Stakeholders during the project lifetime (trade unions, employers’ associations, national employment agencies and national qualifications agencies) aiming their involvement in the Observatory in Additive Manufacturing and recognition/acceptance/integration of the AM Qualification System in the future.
The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
