EDSP Latest News
Erasmus Call 2024
On 28th November the Commission launched the 2024 call for proposals under Erasmus+. With a budget of €4.3 billion for 2024 , Erasmus+ supports projects that can range from small-scale projects at local level to transnational initiatives such as the European Universities, dedicated to transnational alliances of universities, the Centres for Vocational Excellence, and the Erasmus+ Teacher Academies.
Erasmus+ will continue to stand with Ukraine, through projects that can, for instance, encourage incoming learning mobility, empower people fleeing the country with new skills, help to fight against disinformation, or promote the integration of refugees into a new educational system.
Consultation launched on upcoming European Defence Industrial Strategy
On 27 October, the European Commission launched a consultation process for the upcoming European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS). The objective is to present EDIS in early 2024, and the strategy will be based on a consultation process with Member States, the defence industry, financial actors and other stakeholders. The strategy will build on the Defence Investment Gap Analysis, the experience of the European Defence Fund and other EU defence instruments, as well as the recent initiatives to enhance joint procurement between Member States and to ramp up industrial capacity to support Ukraine.
European Commission proposes new measures on skills and talent to help address critical labour shortages
On 15 November, the European Commission launched a series of new initiatives in a Skills and Talent Mobility package to make the EU more attractive to talent from outside the EU, and to facilitate mobility within. Today's measures include a new EU Talent Pool to match employers in the EU with jobseekers in third countries as well as measures to promote the recognition of qualifications and learner's mobility. A recent Eurobarometer showed that Skills is, by a large majority, the most serious problem companies of all sizes are facing today, and there are reasons to believe that the situation is worse in the defence sector than in many other sectors.
Time to participate in ASAP!
The Work Programme for the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) for 2023-2025 was adopted on 18 October. ASAP will allocate €500 million to the support of investment projects worth up to €1.4 billion, thereby incentivising the ramp-up of ammunition and missiles production in the European Union. The calls for proposals are open until 13 December.
Discuss Defence Skills in Stockholm!
The European Commission, the Swedish Security and Defence Industry Association (SOFF) and the Association of Swedish Engineering Industries (Teknikföretagen) are organising an in-person conference on 12 December in Stockholm, Sweden, in the framework of the European Network of Defence-related Regions.
The conference will bring together European companies, authorities, academia, and research organisations to exchange views on the challenges related to the future availability of skills for Europe’s defence industry and to explore best practices and possible ways forward. The speakers include two ministers and Sweden’s Supreme Commander.
Find more information and register at https://www.defenceskills.eu/agenda/.
ASSETs+ EU Conference: “European Defence Sector: Navigating the Future through Skills and Innovation
Don’t miss the ASSETs+ Closing Conference in Brussels on 28 November. The in-person event will provide an excellent opportunity to engage with like-minded professionals and explore latest trends in the European Defence sector.
The conference is being held as part of the ASSETs+ project, a four-year Erasmus+ Blueprint project on skills for emerging technologies in the Defence sector. With its final stage approaching, this project has been developed through a close collaboration among key players in the Defence Industry, Sectoral Organisations, Higher Education Institutions, Vocational Education and Training Providers, and Research Centres, with 30 partners from 8 countries and a broad ecosystem of stakeholders. The conference will serve as a platform to build on the results achieved so far, and to examine ways to incorporate them into future policy proposals. The event will see presentations by key figures from industry, education providers, and international organisations.
Defence Hackathons
The European Commission will later this year sign a Framework Contract for the organisation of EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS) hackathons. The organiser selected will organise local hackathons in at least six different locations in the EU Member States/Norway. The first EUDIS hackathon will take place in April/May 2024.
Participants that are citizens and residents of EU Member States/Norway, and that have a strong interest in developing solutions and ideas in the defence area, are warmly welcomed to take part in the hackathons.
More information (specific dates, registration etc.) is available at https://eudis.europa.eu/hackathons_en. This website will be updated regularly as additional information becomes available.
The European Year of Skills
9 May marked the start of the European Year of Skills.
Visit the website to learn more about upcoming activities, and to share your own.
Act in Support of Ammunition Production
On 3 May, the European Commission launched the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP), a proposal for a Regulation to support the European Union’s industry to ramp-up its production capacities in ammunition and missiles. The proposal includes funding possibilities for training, reskilling and upskilling.
ASAP is a direct response to the Council’s call to urgently deliver ammunition, and if requested missiles, to Ukraine and to help Member States refill their stocks by introducing targeted measures.
More information can be found here:
EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence
On 10 March, the European Commission and the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy presented a Joint Communication on an EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence, which also contains some actions related to skills.
Launch of Skills Partnership in the Space Sector
On 25 April, a Large Scale Partnership dedicated to data, services and applications for the Space sector within the Pact for Skills was then launched.
The partnership will promote collaboration between the space industry, training centres, academia and other partners; attract young professionals; develop new and existing regional initiatives and contribute to other training programmes.
European Defence Fund Information Days 2023
The 2023 Calls for EDF are now published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal page that is dedicated to the EDF Programme. The calls are expected to be opened for submission on 15 June, with a deadline for submission of 22 November 2023.
This year the calls will be for €1.2 bn, and will also include new measures to promote defence innovation under the umbrella of the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS).
The EDF Info Days will take place on 28-29 June in a hybrid format (in Brussels and online).
EU Defence Challenge Launch
The European Defence Challenge, organised by ASSETs+, was launched on 11 April.
The topic of this year’s edition is “Leading through Complexity: Effective Management in Defence Environment”. The deadline for students to submit their 1-page proposal is 31 May.
November 2022
EU steps up action to strengthen EU defence capabilities, industrial and technological base
At their meeting in Versailles on 11 March, EU Heads of State and Government tasked the Commission to put forward an analysis of the defence investment gaps, and any further initiative necessary to strengthen the European defence industrial and technological base. This resulted in the publication of the Joint Communication, by the Commission and the High Representative, on 18 May.
On 19 July, the Commission proposed a regulation on establishing the European defence industry Reinforcement through common Procurement Act. The aim is to help Member States to invest together, better and in a European way. It also responds to a longer-term perspective that additional investments in the European defence industrial and technological base would bring benefits with regards to job creations, skills and enhance security of supply.
November 2022
Open Calls
The digital Europe programme
The Commission launched its third call for proposals of the Digital Europe programme to develop “specialized education programmes or modules” on digital domains or multi-disciplinary courses empowering professionals in non-ICT sectors with digital skills. This year’s call specifically supports the green and digital economy, and looks to boosting inter-sectoral competences. The defence sector is fully concerned by this call as long as projects comply with the requirements of the call.
November 2022
2023 Erasmus+ European Universities Call
There is an ongoing Erasmus call for European Universities, which are transnational alliances that will lead the way towards the universities of the future. The initiative will offer opportunities to support diverse cooperation models for European Universities. The call closes on 31 January 2023.
November 2022
ASSETs+
Call for stakeholders
ASSETs+ is a project, built on close collaboration between a wide range of Defence related actors, to boost innovation by both attracting highly skilled young workers and upskilling employees. ASSETs+ designs and develops education and training programmes to provide human resources with new skills and knowledge, related to key technologies expecting in the Defence sector. By enlarging its association with stakeholders, ASSETs+ aims to respond to a constantly challenged technological evolution.
November 2022
European Defence Challenge
The ASSETs+ European Defence Challenge opened its third edition competition. This year the competition’s topic focuses on “security – threat identification and defence strategies”. Through this competition, young talents will have the opportunity to reflect on Defence industry matters and initiate their career in defence related technologies. All competitors will have access to EDC III seminars, webinars, and courses, and finalists will be awarded prices: You have until December 2 to seize the opportunity!
November 2022
European Year of Skills
2023 will be the European Year of Skills. Following the 2022 State of Union address, in 2023 the Commission will focus it's actions on having the relevant skills in every sector, including the European defence industry, which empowers people to successfully navigate labour market changes and to fully engage in society and democracy.
A range of objectives have been set such as promoting an increased, effective and inclusive investment in training and upskilling to harness the full potential of the European workforce, etc.
November 2022
Recent Events
European Conference on Dual-Use Technologies, 17-18 November 2022, Malaga
Focusing on Cyber Security and Digital Applications in Defence, the European Commission and the Agency of Innovation and Development of Andalusia held a conference on Dual Use Technologies in Malaga on 17-18 November. This event was organised in the framework of the ENDR and brought together more than 100 participants. The conference provided opportunities for participants to hear about relevant EU funding opportunities, such as the European Defence Fund, exchange views on policies and trends related to cyber security, cyber defence and other digital applications for defence. Experts confirmed that the cyber security markets remain fragmented, yet are growing fast. There is a need for more cross-border cooperation and skills.
November 2022
Upcoming Events
European Conference towards a Greener Defence, 24 January 2023, Bordeaux
On 24th of January 2023, the Commission and the Regional Council of Nouvelle-Aquitaine together with its development and Innovation Agency, and its regional partners will hold a European Conference towards a Greener Defence. The Conference will focus on the challenge of sustainable development for European defence industries. A special session will be dedicated to “Skills” for encouraging participants to exchange best practices and introduce existing solutions contributing to the greening of the sector.
18 May 2022
EU steps up action to strengthen EU defence capabilities, industrial and technological base
At their meeting in Versailles on 11 March, EU Heads of State or Government tasked the Commission, in coordination with the European Defence Agency, to put forward an analysis of the defence investment gaps and to propose any further initiative necessary to strengthen the European defence industrial and technological base.
On 18 May, the Commission and the High-Representative presented their analysis and proposals, including on skills. The aim is to help Member States to invest together, better and in a European way. It also responds to the call made in the context of the Conference on the Future of Europe for stronger EU action in defence.
May 2022
Digital Skills
There is a new platform for Digital Skills in Europe with information on activities, upcoming call and possible partners.
May 2022
Open Calls: Erasmus+ 2022 call offers opportunities for defence
The Commission launched the yearly call for proposals of the Erasmus+ programme for cross-border cooperation on skills and learning mobility. This year’s call specifically supports the green and digital transitions, and the resilience of education and training systems in the face of the pandemic. The Alliances for Innovation action offers opportunities for the defence sector, such as:
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Partnership for Excellence - Centres of Vocational Excellence ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PEX-COVE |
Deadline 7 September |
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Alliances for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills (implementing the ‘Blueprint') ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PI-ALL-INNO-BLUEPRINT |
Deadline 15 September |
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Alliances for Education and Enterprises ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PI-ALL-INNO-EDU-ENTERP |
Deadline 15 September |
May 2022
Blueprint projects in other sectors
ASSETs+ is not the only Blueprint project that may be relevant for the defence industry. Some of the other projects that may be of interest are:
Cybersecurity: REWIRE
Blockchains: CHAISE
Additive Manufacturing: SAM
Batteries: ALBATTS
Microelectronics: METIS
May 2022
Join the ASSETs+ Stakeholders Group
The Blueprint project ASSETs+ aims to build a sustainable human resources supply chain for the European Defence Industry, that boosts innovation by both attracting highly-skilled young workers and upskilling its employees.
ASSETs+ is built on close collaboration between the Defence Industry, sectoral organisations, Higher Education Institutions, Vocational Education and Training providers and research centres, with 30 partners from 8 countries and a broader ecosystem of stakeholders.
It is possible to join as a stakeholder, and contribute to the identification of the future skills of the Defence Sector.
May 2022
European Defence Challenge Award Ceremony to take place on 27 May
The European Defence Challenge is an open competition to attract young talent to the Defence industry and to encourage them to initiate a career in defence-related technologies. The challenge asks European students to propose one or more work approaches dealing with topics such as artificial intelligence, sensor technologies, autonomous vehicles, data science, cybersecurity, chip technologies, control, robotics, signal and image processing, and defence-related technologies.
The topic of this edition is 'Remote everything? To what extent can unmanned assets interact with humans in the field for defence operations?'
May 2022
Survey on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the defence sector
The Commission Services has launched a survey on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for the defence, aeronautics and space sectors. The purpose is to collect baseline data to inform future work and to promote European values . The survey takes about 15 minutes to fill out.
15 February 2022
The Commission has released a Defence Package
On 15 February, the Commission released a Defence Package, consisting of a Contribution to European defence, covering the full range of challenges, from the conventional defence industry and equipment on land, sea and air, to cyber, hybrid and space threats, military mobility and the relevance of climate change; and a roadmap on critical technologies for security and defence.
10 January 2022
Alignment between skills taxonomy and 4.0 technological trends
The article “Towards ESCO 4.0. – Is the European Classification of skills in line with Industry 4.0?” is published by Assets+ project partners in their effort to helping policy-makers to provide more up-to-date labour market intelligence. The comparative analysis aims at identifying potential data gaps in the ESCO database, which the project feeds with new skills for the defence sector.
4 January 2022
Mapping gender-research trends to foster equality in defence industry
The article “Twenty years of gender equality research: a scoping review based on a new semantic indicator” - published by Assets+ project partners in their aim to include gender studies for attracting women in the defence sector - offers a map of the main gender-research trends and presents the most popular and emerging themes, outlining important avenues for future research. According to the article, prominent research topics mostly relate to women in workforce concerning compensation, role, education, decision-making and career progression. New topics are on the rise, covering female entrepreneurship, leadership and participation in board of directors.
9 December 2021
Skills for Industry Report: Upskilling and Reskilling in the Post-Covid Era
The report, commissioned by the European Commission, presents 3 scenarios for 2030 that constitute 3 main paths that might affect societal outcomes and economic performance, based on different approaches to up- and re-skilling by governments, industries and academia.
To follow the best scenario, the report provides 10 recommended actions divided in four dimensions: political leverage, demand side, supply side, and matching to promote upskilling and reskilling as a means to increase social and economic welfare.
6 December 2021
Successful conference on future skills for the Aerospace & Defence in Rzeszow, Poland
This hybrid event took place on 21-22 October and explored challenges and opportunities for cross-border collaboration for industry and skills providers, European policies supporting skills development, and industry future needs.
Participants also attended business-to-business (b2b) meetings, visited technical labs and significant production plants in the region.
Watch the conference highlights:
View further outcomes and presentations.
2 December 2021
Webinar on Erasmus+ opportunities for Aerospace & Defence on 13 December
The online webinar on Erasmus+ opportunities is organised on 13 December 2021 from 15.30 to 16.30 CET for the Aerospace & Defence sector.
The webinar will cover the numerous opportunities made available under the recent Erasmus+ call for proposals from which the aerospace & defence community under the Pact for Skills and beyond can benefit a great deal in its upskilling and reskilling efforts.
29 November 2021
New Erasmus+ call with opportunities for skills development
This year, new large-scale projects will support high-quality and inclusive digital education and the adaptation of education and training systems to the green transition.
The deadlines for submission of applications with direct relevance for the aerospace & defence community are:
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Erasmus+ Key action |
Deadline for submission of applications in 2022 |
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Key Action 1 |
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Mobility of youth workers and VET learners |
23 February at 12:00 |
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Key Action 2 |
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Cooperation partnerships in the fields of vocational education and training and adult education |
23 March at 12:00 |
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Small-scale partnerships in the fields of vocational education and training and adult education |
23 March at 12:00 |
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Centres of Vocational Excellence |
7 September at 17:00 |
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Alliances for Innovation (includes sectoral Blueprints) |
15 September at 17:00 |
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Forward-looking projects, which include the following priorities that are all relevant for our sectors:
Priority 1: Supporting high quality and inclusive digital education, in line with the aims of the Digital Education Action Plan Priority 2: Supporting education and training systems to adapt for the green transition Priority 3: Supporting the Pact for Skills Priority 4: Structures and mechanisms for Applied research in VET Priority 5: Green skills in the VET sector Priority 6: Upskilling Pathways: New Opportunities for Adults |
15 March at 17:00 |
View the Programme Guide and Apply.
25 November 2021
Skills for Industry Report: Upskilling and Reskilling in the Post-Covid Era
Commissioned by the European Commission, the report presents 3 scenarios for 2030 that constitute 3 main paths that might affect societal outcomes and economic performance, based on different approaches to up- and re-skilling by governments, industries and academia.
To follow the best scenario, the report provides ten recommended actions divided in four dimensions: political leverage, demand side, supply side and matching to promote upskilling and reskilling as means to increase social and economic welfare.
Download the Report.
10 November 2021
Aerospace & Defence Pact for Skills celebrates its 1st year
Today (10 November) the Aerospace & Defence Pact for Skills celebrates its 1st year of activities. During this period, it has:
- Identified its priority action areas: carbon neutrality, circular economy, behavioural skills, cybersecurity, data analytics, artificial intelligence, modelization-based system engineering, and high performance computing;
- Set up first pilot trainings and will back them up with a European Defence Observatory for ensuring sustainability of results and products, and their rolling-out across EU countries;
- Participated in national and EU initiatives, such as the “Collective Transitions” scheme in France and its equivalents in Spain, Italy and Ireland, and Horizon Europe;
- Expanded to over 30 partners.
View the Aerospace and Defence Pact for Skills.
26 July 2021
Speeding up digital upskilling in EU
The Digital Skills and Jobs Platform, recently launched by the European Commission, helps Europeans to advance their digital skills and knowledge, to further their careers and to add value to their organisations. DSJP is for anyone who is interested in digital skills.
The Platform provides open access to a wide variety of high-quality information and resources. Its smart search and filtering functions help easily find what one needs and connect with whom one needs. With relevant, up-to-date content and dynamic collaborative spaces, the platform caters to the needs of all users independent of their level of expertise. It also enables the Digital Skills and Jobs Community to grow and thrive together.
View the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform.
25 June 2021
The European Defence Industry is looking for new talents
Assets+, the project reinforcing the human resource supply chain in the defence sector, launched a new portal for accessing recruitment information of large defence companies.
The project is developing customised education & training programmes on digital technologies, namely robotics, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, C4ISTAR and cyber security. These should contribute in the reskilling of students and people interested in entering the defence sector, or upskilling existing employees.
View the job opportunities portal.
21 June 2021
High Level Conference on Upskilling and Reskilling in the Post-Covid Era
The online event, organised by the European Commission, will focus on the upskilling and reskilling challenges that the EU is facing, present best practices, scenarios and recommendations for creating new training and jobs opportunities.
For the aerospace and defence ecosystem, Mr Thierry Barril, Chief HR Officer in Airbus, will present the case for upskilling for future-proof jobs.
View more info and registration.
17 June 2021
Erasmus+ Info-session of 8 June recording and presentations
The Info-session of 8 June on the Alliances for Innovation is now available on the Info-session’s webpage. The slides are also available for downloading. Consortia preparing applications may download the slide presentations and/or send additional questions on the call.
The Alliances for Innovation Lot 2 with a €4 million grant for 4 years may support the Aerospace & Defence partnership established under the Pact for Skills to consolidate its governance and organise activities to meeting its reskilling and upskilling goals.
The deadline for submission of applications is 7 September.
Access the video, presentations, application and contacts.
15 June 2021
European Defence Fund launch event
The EDF official launch event, organised by the European Commission, brings together high-level decision makers and stakeholders of the European defence sector. It will showcase the results achieved so far through its precursor Programmes, the Preparatory Action on Defence Research [PADR 2017-2019] and the European Defence Industrial Development Programme [EDIDP 2019-2020], and will reveal the priorities of the first, 2021 EDF Work Programme.
The event will take place online on 30 June from 14.30-17.00 CET.
View more info and live stream.
14 June 2021
Master’s degree programme on circular economy
Circular Economy is one of the 8 priority areas identified by the Aerospace & Defence Pact for Skills to focus on. The Master’s degree programme in Sustainable Chemistry and Technologies for Circular Economy offered by the University of Padova will be available as of the 2021-22 academic year. It is one of the first of its kind in Europe and aims to explore the key issues of the circular economy transition and sustainability. It will provide students with interdisciplinary knowledge, skills and competences for making independent decisions within a sustainable context based on circular economy principles. The two-year programme has a workload of 120 ECTS and will be taught entirely in English.
View the Master’s programme.
10 June 2021
MOOC in Circular Economy developed by Interreg-funded project between Spain and Portugal
The MOOC in Circular economy developed by the CIRCULAR LABS project funded by Interreg has the objective to increase understanding of the importance of transforming our model of Linear Economy into a more aligned with nature Circular Model, in which practically all materials can be reused and become part of a new value chain.
Do you adhere to change? The online training is available in Spanish and Portuguese free of charge.
View more info and registration to take the MOOC.
3 June 2021
ESIF used for building skills for the defence sector
A recently published study commissioned by the European Commission on the contribution of the defence sector to regional development through the European Structural & Investment Funds (ESIF), demonstrated the sector’s significant contribution through the Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). Defence industries can contribute to the goals and the objectives set in the ESIF, such as promoting the development of regional economics, representing a high investment multiplier on skills, jobs, technological and economic development.
ESIF have supported about one thousand defence-related and dual use projects during the 2014-2020 programming period. Education and training projects were the third most numerous among a broad range of activities, following innovation, research & technological development, and business support topics. For example, financed through the ESF alone, 108 projects contributed to skills development and employment opportunities for the defence sector.
View the brochure with practical tips on how to access funding through ESIF.
View the full report.
24 May 2021
ASD virtual forum on Aerospace & Defence Pact for Skills
The Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe is organising the first Aerospace & Defence Pact for Skills virtual forum on Tuesday May 25th from 14h30 to 16h30.
The event aims at promoting synergies and information sharing among all partners, in order to take stock of the ongoing activities and possible next steps.
To attend and get involved in the Pact, please contact asd.communication@asd-europe.org.
19 April 2021
Call for proposals for boosting innovation in universities
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) launched the HEI initiative: Innovation Capacity Building for Higher Education to boost innovation and entrepreneurship at institutional level in higher education institutions. As part of this initiative, the EIT launched a Pilot Call for Proposals. Consortia of European higher education institutions are invited to apply and take the opportunity to design activities that will build their entrepreneurial and innovation capacity.
Selected projects will focus on themes, such as fostering institutional engagement and change; strengthening partnerships; developing innovation and businesses; and enhancing the quality of entrepreneurial education. Eligible organisations are universities, SMEs, research institutes, and public bodies at local, regional or national level, etc.
The deadline for applications is 25 May 2021.
Go to the application page and register for the info webinar on 23 April.
25 March 2021
Erasmus+ 2021 call for proposals launched
Today the Commission launched the yearly call for proposals of the Erasmus+ programme for cross-border cooperation on skills and learning mobility. This year’s call specifically supports the green and digital transitions, and the resilience of education and training systems in the face of the pandemic.
The Alliances for Innovation action aims to strengthen Europe’s innovation capacity by boosting innovation through cooperation and flow of knowledge among higher education, VET, and the broader socio-economic environment, including research. It also aims to boost the provision of new skills and address skills mismatches by designing and creating new curricula.
Defence and any of the industrial ecosystems, such as aerospace & defence, are eligible to apply.
The deadline for applications is 7 September 2021.
Go to the application page.
5 March 2021
Defence VET Platform Requirements and Functionalities Report published
In the Vision report on defence-related skills for Europe today and tomorrow produced under the EDSP in 2019, the defence industry recommended the creation of a Vocational and Educational Training (VET) Platform to help in meeting the industry’s upskilling and reskilling needs. It was recommended to help to boost employability, mobility, and transferability of skills, which is one of the objectives of the European Defence Skills Strategy 2020-2024.
The report of the study carried out by EDSP members presents the case for the creation of a one-stop-shop training/education platform for young talents and professionals interested in working in the defence sector, which will serve at the same time the industry’s needs for skills sets.
Go to the Report.
5 February 2021
Aerospace & Defence Pact workshop organised by the Commission
On 4 February, 66 Aerospace & Defence Pact partners and potential partners met to discuss the Commission’s support to the Aerospace & Defence Pact, the newly formed partnership under the Pact for Skills initiative, its operation and cooperation mode, examples of actions to pursue, and next steps.
Managed by the European Aerospace & Defence Association, the Pact will first put in place a skills forecasting system and a plan on how to support upskilling and reskilling on predefined areas through concrete large scale actions supported by private and public funding. Regions will play a pivotal role in enabling such actions, in particular those financed by the Structural Funds and the Recovery & Resilience Funds.
25 January 2021
Davos is bullish on skills
- A World Economic Forum report released today finds that wide-ranging investment in upskilling has the potential to boost GDP by $6.5 trillion by 2030
- A year into the Forum’s Reskilling Revolution Initiative, it is estimated to have already provided reskilling and upskilling support to more than 50 million people
- The initiative has also released a new road map to help make skills the universal currency of the labour market
The Davos Agenda is a pioneering mobilization of global leaders aimed at rebuilding trust to shape the principles, policies and partnerships needed in 2021. Taking place from 25-29 January, it features a full week of global programming dedicated to helping leaders choose innovative and bold solutions to stem the pandemic and drive a robust recovery over the next year. Heads of state, chief executives, civil society leaders, and global media will actively participate in almost 100 sessions spanning five themes.
Join Reskilling Revolution-related sessions during The Davos Agenda:
- Delivering the Reskilling Revolution, 25 January 2021, 15.30-16.30 CET
- Skilling the Global Workforce, 28 January 2021, 9.15-10.00 CET
- Skilling the Global Workforce, 28 January 2021, 16.15-17.00 CET
22 January 2021
1st Pact for Skills webinar on funding: Erasmus+
The first Pact for Skills webinar will focus on Erasmus+ and will take place on 2 February 2021 from 10:00 - 11:00 CET.
It will provide information on:
- the three main actions under the new Erasmus + 2021 – 2027
- Centres of Vocational Excellence
- Skills Alliances, including Blueprint for sectoral cooperation on skills
The deadline for registration is 27/01/2021.
Register here.
12 January 2021
Anticipating the future: 1st Commission strategic foresight report
The first ever Strategic Foresight Report is all about understanding, if not anticipating, the changes the world constantly goes through in order to improve policy-making and resilience, and make Europe a world leader in key areas.
The 2020 Strategic Foresight Report shows what the COVID-19 crisis tells us about Europe's resilience: what capacities we have and where we are vulnerable. It also points to opportunities that Europe cannot afford to miss. For instance, with many people having lost their job, why not invest in future jobs and skills for a green and digital economy? A systemic view of shifts in the labour markets due to the green transition is still missing. This can inform strategies for reskilling and upskilling.
The Commission is set to mainstream strategic foresight into its all major initiatives – a cultural change that is particularly important to successfully manage the green and digital transitions. It can be used to identify the skills for the future that we need to invest in now. Or, help us explore the drivers of change, understand the future structural shift in the labour market and guide a reskilling of people who have lost their jobs during the crisis or are likely to in the future due to technological developments and automation.
Go to the Report.
11 November 2020
Aerospace and defence among the pioneer sectors entering the Pact for Skills
On 10 November Commissioners Schmit and Breton launched the Pact for Skills in the first European skills partnerships in key industrial sectors – aerospace and defence, automotive and microelectronics. “Skills are central to Europe’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and for mastering the digital and green transitions. Only by joining forces among industry, education and training providers, authorities and social partners can substantial progress be made in meeting Europe’s skills needs” Commissioners said.
Aerospace and defence sector’s ambition under the Pact is to upskill 6% of the workforce each year reaching 200,000 people, and to reskill 300,000 people to enter the sector representing a public and private investment of €1 billion over the next ten years.
By joining the Pact, stakeholders will gain access to networking, knowledge and resource hubs. The Commission will also offer information and guidance on EU funding and programmes for skills development by offering a single-entry point at EU level. In addition to the funding available under REACT-EU, the European Social Fund Plus and other relevant programmes of the new multiannual financial framework (2021-2027), up- and reskilling is one of the flagship investment priorities of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, worth €672.5 billion.
View the event replay and press release.
4 November 2020
Pact for Skills launch event featuring Aerospace & Defence – Registrations open
The Pact for Skills, the new major upskilling and reskilling initiative of the European Commission, will be launched on 10 November at 18.00. The event, featuring European Commissioners and Ministers representing the German EU Presidency, will take place during the European Vocational Skills Week 2020.
The first sectors to enter the Pact are Aerospace & Defence, Automotive, and Microelectronics.
The aerospace & defence has been identified as an important sector to partner up with under the Pact due to the severe consequences of the pandemic, the strong engagement from the industrial players, as well as its progress under the European Defence Skills Partnership and the Assets+ project.
Go to the registration page.
26 October 2020
2nd EU Aerospace and Defence ecosystem workshop – Registrations open
As a follow-up on the 1st EU Aerospace and Defence ecosystem workshop, the European Commission Directorate General for Defence and Space (DG DEFIS) is organising a 2nd online workshop on 12 November in the afternoon and 13 November in the morning.
The 2nd workshop will focus on two aspects:
- Inform EU stakeholders on the range of relevant programmes and actions foreseen in the next 7 years, including the Pact for Skills
- Consult EU stakeholders on upcoming new policies and initiatives, including the Action Plan on synergies between civil, defence and space industries, and options for space-based secure connectivity
For more information and registration, click here.
16 October 2020
Commissioners Breton and Schmit host Pact for Skills roundtable with Aerospace and Defence executives
Today, Commissioners Breton and Schmit chaired a high-level roundtable on the Pact for Skills with the Aerospace and Defence manufacturing sector. This roundtable is the third in a series of sectorial roundtables. The Pact was announced under the European Skills Agenda adopted by the Commission on 1 July 2020. The objective of the Pact is to provide a framework to mobilise all relevant stakeholders – industrial, social, regional and education partners – to assist people in developing the right skill-set for a sustainable, social and resilient recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Partnerships established under the Pact will benefit from Commission support such as a partnership platform and advice on EU funding options.
The Aerospace and Defence has been identified as an important sector to partner up with under the Pact due to the severe consequences of the pandemic, the strong engagement from the industrial players as well as its progress under the current Blueprint of Sectoral Cooperation on Skills initiative. As Commissioner Breton stated, “We are not starting from scratch. We should build on EU-funded initiatives and projects, such as the European Defence Skills Partnership and Assets+, and on the work already done for the defence sector.”
Upskilling (improving existing skills) and reskilling (training in new skills) are important drivers for the recovery from the pandemic and for the long-term restructuring of the sector. The meeting showed a strong and positive commitment to work together to ensure the reskilling and upskilling of workers in the European Aerospace and Defence manufacturing industry.
21 September 2020
Stakeholder’s survey on the Pact for Skills open until 12 October 2020
Help the Commission to strengthen the Pact for Skills and its impact by filling in the Stakeholder’s Survey. It will only take 15 minutes and will provide valuable feedback on the Pact and its essential elements like the Charter and its support services.
Go to the Survey.
10 September 2020
Call on pan-European advanced manufacturing assistance and training for SMEs open
14 July 2020
Launch of renewed European Alliance for Apprenticeships on 15 July
The High Level Expert Discussion launching the renewed European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) will be chaired online by European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit on 15 July at 16.30-18.00.
The discussion will explore how EAfA can commit to quality and effective apprenticeships and encourage EU countries and companies to do so, incentivise support to SMEs for providing apprenticeships, mobilise regional and local authorities as catalysts for apprenticeships within the local business environment and much more.
To register visit this link.
13 July 2020
Skills & Education Guarantee Pilot call open to Universities, VET centres, regional authorities and other financial beneficiaries until 31 October
The Skills & Education Guarantee Pilot (S&E Pilot) is a new debt financing initiative launched by the EIF, dedicated to stimulating investments in education, training and skills – as part of the solution to get more people into jobs and to better respond to the European economy’s changing needs.
Universities, VET centres, regional authorities and other institutions authorised to carry out debt financing or issue guarantees able to facilitate access to finance easier and at better terms to final beneficiaries can apply by 31 October 2020.
Final beneficiaries are European enterprises facilitating skills transformation efforts by investing in improving skills and skills utilisation of their workforce, European organisations active in the field of skills, training & education or developing education projects for improving skills, as well as students and learners willing to upgrade their skills or pursue programmes in other EU countries to improve their employability.
For more information and to apply, follow this link.
1 July 2020
European Skills Agenda unlocks funding for skills
On 1st July the Commission adopted the European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience. The Skills Agenda sets ambitious, quantitative objectives for skills to be achieved within the next 5 years. Its 12 actions focus on skills for jobs by partnering up with Member States, companies and social partners to work together for change, by empowering people to embark on lifelong learning, and by using the EU budget as a catalyst to unlock public and private investment in people’s skills.
The Pact for Skills, one of the main actions, will mobilise all partners for more and better training opportunities and unlock investments across industrial and skills ecosystems.
30 June 2020
Open consultation on the Digital Education Action Plan
To address the challenges and opportunities for digital transformation in the EU, the European Commission is updating its action plan aiming to increase digital literacy, help EU countries to work together to adapt their education & training systems, and harness the internet’s potential for online training for all.
Express your views on aspects of this legislative proposal until 4 September.
Have your say on the roadmaps of this initiative until 15 July.
25 June 2020
8-9 July Workshop on Covid Impact on European Aerospace and Defence includes skills
On 27 May, the European Commission proposed a major recovery plan for Europe to repair the economic and social damage brought by the Covid-19 pandemic and to kick-start the European recovery. This recovery plan builds on the dialogue engaged by the European Commission with stakeholders from industrial ecosystems and is based on an assessment of repair and investment needs of fourteen industrial ‘ecosystems’.
One of these ecosystems is Aerospace and Defence, which has been particularly impacted by the economic and social ramifications. The European Aerospace and Defence ecosystem contributes to Europe’s strategic autonomy, technological independence and resilience, and thus it is necessary to ensure that suitable measures are in place to support the fast recovery of this sector in the upcoming years.
To this end, DG DEFIS is organising a series of workshops.
The first workshop ‘Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on European Aerospace and Defence ecosystem’ will be held on 8 July in the afternoon and 9 July in the morning, by videoconference. The workshop aims to bring together European institutional and private players, actors from large companies to SMEs and start-ups, from research institutes to academia and from associated services to suppliers. The draft programme of the workshop will be available here.
If you wish to participate, please register via this web link. Please note that registrations are limited and participants will be selected on the basis of information provided in the registration form.
More information can be found here.
26 May 2020
Call for expression of interest to deliver a brochure on skills in defence
The European Commission is calling upon stakeholders and experts to express their interest in drafting a brochure on defence skills profiles for dissemination in events and universities. Parties interested in receiving an invitation to tender are requested to notify their interest by presenting in short (up to one page) the expert and his/her suitability to undertake this assignment by 10 June 2020 to info@eudsp.eu.
21 February 2020
The Airbus Global Workforce Forecast, a global competence strategy to meet future needs, is accessible to all
The Global Workforce Forecast (GWF) is a study launched by Airbus in 2018 having the ambition to show and analyse the evolution of populations in the world and workforce within Airbus. The ambition is to provide all employees with relevant data, information and analysis to better understand, anticipate and prepare the evolution of their skills. HR levers are also being addressed to meet this evolution, ranging from recruitment, and learning, to knowledge management.
The GWF is accessible to all. It focuses on the Airbus perspective on job evolutions, but similar trends can be observed for the Aerospace & Defence sector – or even the manufacturing industry – as a whole. Airbus is committed to exchanging with other partners to refine this model and have a better and common view of the future skills needs and capabilities evolutions worldwide.
The GWF is fully available at the following website.
20 January 2020
EU call for tenders on Digital Skills & Jobs Platform with special focus on AI, cybersecurity and high performance computing
The Commission launched a Call for tenders for the design, development and maintenance of the European Digital Skills and Jobs Core Service Platform. It should progressively become a “one-stop shop” where individuals and organisations find solutions to their digital skills needs.
The Digital Skills and Jobs Platform will be a key tool to access information about digital skills actions in the EU in particular as regards skills intelligence, funding and training opportunities, best practices by the EU countries. It will also support the digital skills pillar of the Digital Europe programme with a special focus on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and high performance computing.
The objective is to develop a high quality and user friendly platform for users interested in digital skills and jobs at all levels that will be useful and meaningful for stakeholders, policy makers and for the public across the EU. Given the complexity of this task, it is expected that a consortium of multiple organisations that bring in expertise from the fields mentioned above will have the right competences to deliver the Platform.
The deadline for the submission of a tender for up to €3.800.000 is on Monday 17 February 2020 at 16:00 CET.
Find the call on the eTendering platform. For more information, go to the Digital Single Market website.
10 January 2020
Free Artificial Intelligence course launched by the Finnish Presidency
Finland launched the “Elements of AI” 6-week course with free access to European citizens. The course is available in English, Finnish, Swedish and Estonian and during 2020-2021 will be made available in all EU languages. Created by the University of Helsinki and Reactor, it aims to encourage as broad a group of people as possible to learn what AI is, what can and can’t be done with AI, and how to start creating AI methods.
Access the course and more information here.
25 November 2019
Info-Session on Sector Skills Alliances on 2 December
The Erasmus + call for Sector Skills Alliances applications was published in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide and the information about preparation of the applications is available on the EACEA website!
Sector Skills Alliances are transnational projects identifying or drawing on existing and emerging skills needs in a specific economic sector and/or translating these needs into vocational curricula to respond to those needs. Organisations may participate in proposals of Lot 1 - Sector Skills Alliances for design and delivery of VET and/or Lot 2 - Sector Skills Alliances for implementing a new strategic approach (“Blueprint”) to sectoral cooperation on skills.
You can get first hand information about the funding opportunities during the Sector Skills Alliances online Info session on 2nd December 2019 that is organised by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency. We invite you to register and get the link to the online event here!
For any questions please address EACEA-EPLUS-SSA@ec.europa.eu.
5 November 2019
Erasmus+ 2020 - Call Open
On 5 November the European Commission published the 2020 Erasmus+ call for proposals, featuring several options relevant for the defence sector. Under ‘Key Action 2 – Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices’ there are options for tackling skill gaps in one or more occupational profiles or fostering innovation in higher education and business. In particular, the ‘Sector Skills Alliances Lot 2 – Development of training’ and the ‘Knowledge Alliances’ can support projects where industry, together with vocational or educational institutions, national/regional authorities and social partners, can join forces to address skill-related challenges that hinder employability, jobs and affect the competitiveness of the sector. The call also includes the European Universities Initiative and Strategic Partnerships.
All these options were discussed and presented in October at the EDSP Bordeaux conference as relevant for the defence sector.
The deadline for submission of proposals is 26 February 2020.
For more information and to apply consult the Call and Programme Guide.
1 November 2019
New EDSP video – Views on the Way Forward
At the European Defence Skills Partnership high level conference on 13 March 2019 in Brussels, members discussed skills and innovation, the sector’s attractiveness for young talents and the importance of working together and sharing resources at European level.
See the conference highlights:
16 October 2019
A growing European ecosystem for defence skills
On 10-11 October, Aerocampus Aquitaine near Bordeaux hosted the successful European Defence Skills Partnership (EDSP) conference on “Fostering Skills for Europe’s Defence Industries”. The event welcomed more than 100 participants, including EDSP members, from 14 European countries representing companies of all sizes, clusters, public authorities, research institutes, universities, vocational training organisations and regional development agencies.
Participants could learn about best practices on how vocational education providers are meeting defence industry needs. Vocational & educational organisations and companies work closely together to train employees in various ways through hands-on training, internships and partnerships with armed forces. To overcome fierce competition with other sectors, defence companies run different initiatives to attract young talents. This ranges from targeting primary school pupils to rendering the working environment more attractive to women. Universities apply innovative approaches to overcome challenges in feeding the industry with the right competences whilst trying to address challenges related to dealing with defence. Calls were made for more harmonisation at EU level in the area of certification recognition and accreditation.
In a dedicated session, various initiatives and opportunities for more cooperation were highlighted. These included the launch of a new project on defence skills that will bring together 32 EDSP members and their associates as from January 2020, co-funded under Erasmus+, as well as a new call expected to be published end October which includes actions relevant for the defence sector, such as Knowledge Alliances, Sector Skills Alliances, Strategic Partnerships, Centres of Vocational Excellence and European Universities.
31 July 2019
Defence Sector Skills Alliance selected
The European Defence Skills Partnership (EDSP) is entering a new phase in 2020. The consortium – composed of 30 EDSP members and their associates from 9 EU countries – has been selected to receive an Erasmus+ grant of nearly €4 million. These funds will go to implementing a new strategic approach to sectoral cooperation on skill development. Over the next 4 years, the project will build a sustainable human resources supply chain that allows defence sector companies to attract highly skilled workers and upskill employees through customised, complementary education and training programmes in robotics, C4ISTAR and cybersecurity.
Upon signature of the contract, the project will kick off in January 2020.
Find out more about the Sector Skills Alliances selection results here.
Conference “Fostering Skills for Europe’s Defence Industries” on 9-10 October 2019, Bordeaux
One year after the launch of the European Defence Skills Partnership (EDSP), and at a crucial time for Europe, with the start of the new European Commission and European Parliament for the period 2019-2024, this conference aims at building on the work of previous and existing initiatives to tackle the issue of the skills gaps in the defence sector.
The event co-organised by the European Commission and AEROCAMPUS Aquitaine will focus on the vocational education system meeting the needs of defence industries, innovative approaches in higher education for defence-related skills, and enhancing the attractiveness of the defence sector for new talents.
Go to conference programme and registration.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE HIGH LEVEL CONFERENCE ON SKILLS IN DEFENCE
On 13 March 120 participants gathered in Brussels to discuss the outcome of the work of the European Defence Skills Partnership (EDSP) on a common vision on defence-related skills to solve today’s and tomorrow’s skills gaps in Europe.
The main aim of the event Towards a European Defence Skills Strategy organised by the European Commission was to focus on the way forward in advance of the new Commission that will be setting priorities for 2019-2024, as well as on solutions to be implemented at the European, national and regional levels.
These are the key takeaways from the panel discussions on the way forward:
• we need to develop strategic foresight in identifying and maintaining an awareness of industry’s skills needs
• we need to collaborate at European level to attain sustainable solutions for our common needs and learn from each other
• we need to develop an ecosystem comprising industry, universities, training institutions and research centres to accelerate knowledge transfer, allow proactive communication of the sector’s needs and faster response by education and training
• we need to align with the European Defence Fund to ensure we have the skills for building capabilities for our security
• we need to use the European Structural and Investment Funds to support clustering and develop training and up-skilling, including in new technologies. Although projects are already happening, we need to raise awareness of Managing Authorities about the potential of ESIF to fund projects for the defence sector through ESIF.
• we need to raise awareness of the importance of the European defence industry through communication and outreach to make the defence industry more attractive to new talent, but companies must also adapt to the goals and profiles of the changing labour force
Way forward
The European Commission asked the participants to send concrete ideas and proposals on a future European defence skills strategy by end of May to GROW-I4@ec.europa.eu.
At the EDSP Annual Assembly that took place following the panel discussions, members discussed concrete future actions. Information on these will be made available on www.eudsp.eu.
Watch the video on the 1st year of the EDSP
BROCHURE ON DEFENCE CAREERS RELEASED
“Your career in the defence industry” is the title of the brochure prepared by Rand Europe under the EDSP project financed by COSME. It highlights the industry’s role in Europe’s future as high tech player and the opportunities it offers to young talents. The sector is highly innovative and deals with cutting edge technology offering to youngsters an exciting career contributing to the security of the citizens.
REGISTRATIONS OPEN: High Level Conference on Skills in Defence, 13 March 2019, Brussels
Following the launch of the European Defence Skills Partnership (EDSP) on 19 June 2018, the European Commission is bringing the defence community again together in a high level conference on 13 March 2019. Participants will discuss the outcome of the work of the EDSP on a common vision on defence-related skills to solve today’s and tomorrow’s skills gaps in Europe. The event will feature high level speakers and provide the opportunity to discuss the way forward in advance of new Commission that will be setting priorities for 2019-2024.
Vision on defence related skills for Europe today and tomorrow report is now available!
In the first stage of the project, the research team built the evidence base on defence-related skills and delivered a state of play report Vision on defence related skills for Europe today and tomorrow, with significant contribution from the experts and stakeholders of the European Defence Skills Partnership. This report presents the European defence industrial skills landscape and highlights the skills which will be needed in future, while also identifying the defence market dynamics and technological development trends shaping these requirements. This research then identifies defence-related skills gaps and shortages and highlights challenges with different sets of skills, in different defence domains and across the stages of the defence equipment life-cycle. In addition to the main report, an Overview of selected literature on defence-related skills provide an overview of selected research on the sustainment and development of defence-related skills, including an overview of publications produced by global consultancies. Country profiles annexes provide an in-depth analysis on the skills state of play in: Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and the UK.
This work also produced the Technical annex that provides a detailed description of the methodologies used to produce the report; a list of identified relevant defence related skills programmes and initiatives, mapping the existing and planned EU, national, regional, and industry-led policies, programmes and initiatives aimed at the sustainment and development of defence-related skills; and the new revised Taxonomy of defence skills.
SAVE THE DATE: High Level Conference on Skills in Defence, 13 March 2019, Brussels
Following the launch of the European Defence Skills Partnership (EDSP) on 19 June 2018, the European Commission is bringing the defence community again together in a high level conference on 13 March 2019. Participants will discuss the outcome of the work of the EDSP on a common vision on defence-related skills to solve today’s and tomorrow’s skills gaps in Europe. The event will provide the opportunity to discuss the way forward in advance of new Commission that will be setting priorities for 2019-2024.
More information on the conference and registration will become available early January on www.eudsp.eu.
7 December 2018
Erasmus+ Info Day offered plenty of tips and info on defence-related call
The Erasmus+ Sector Skills Alliances Info Day (6 December) provided concise and comprehensive information on
- Call objectives and expected results
- Financial issues
- Eligibility, award criteria and submission
- Blueprint eligible sectors
Presentations videos and slides will be soon available here.
Tips provided during the Info session include
- Work-based training is eligible.
- KETs should be addressed according to the new Information note available here.
- Involve organisations with deep knowledge. Be ambitious and pragmatic.
- Read Programme Guide carefully. Consider the award criteria.
- Start filling-in the online proposal already now. The application is complex and takes time.
- Divide the work among partners.
- One may be applicant for several proposals.
4 December 2018
Info session on the Erasmus+ Sector Skills Alliances call on 6 December
An online ‘Info Session’ on the Erasmus+ Sector Skills Alliances call will be held on 6 December from 14:00 – 16:30. During the webinar, European Commission and EACEA representatives will explain new funding opportunities, the policy framework and provide advice on preparing applications.
Defence technologies is one of the eligible sectors under Lot 3. A successful defence sector proposal will be awarded a €4 million grant for 4 years.
For more information, to view the programme and to register for the webinar, follow this link.
Following the session, the recorded videos and power point presentations will be available on the same site for consultation.
3 December 2018
Vision summary report published
The Summary report of the "Vision on defence-related skills for today and tomorrow" resulting from the skills data collection and analysis conducted during summer and autumn is available online. It summarises the skills required by the defence sector today and in the future, identifies defence-related skills mismatches, and outlines the European skills supply landscape. The European Defence Skills Partnership played an instrumental role contributing and providing feedback during the entire exercise. The report findings will feed into the European defence skills strategy expected in March 2019.
19 November 2018
European Defence Skills Partnership presented with research findings and discussed concrete actions to plug the skills gap
The European Defence Skills Partnership met for the fourth workshop on 14 November in Brussels.
The research team led by RAND Europe presented the findings of the report on "Common vision on defence related skills for Europe today and tomorrow".
Taking stock of the research findings to date, but also looking ahead, the group discussed the implications of the identified skills gaps. During the second part of the workshop, EDSP members reflected upon concrete supporting actions that industry, educational institutions, national governments and EU institutions could take to address skills gaps at the EU level.
The group agreed that investing in the transferability of skills and in the adaptability of the workforce, as well as in the design of training modules and in the creation of an EU-level accreditation system for training and education institutions are initiatives that a more integrated defence community should pursue.
EDSP experts will meet again in Brussels during the first week of December for a series of working sessions on specific topics that will feed into the European Defence Skills Strategy expected in March 2019.
Erasmus+ Info Session for Sector Skills Alliances Lot 3 on defence technologies
An information and matchmaking session on the Erasmus+ call for Sector Skills Alliances Lot 3 on defence technologies, open to all interested parties took place back to back with the EDSP workshop on Wednesday 14th.
25 October 2018
Info-Day on Sector Skills Alliances Lot 3 - Defence Technologies
An info-day on the Erasmus+ call for Sector Skills Alliances Lot 3 on Defence Technologies will take place on 14 November in Rue de la Science 14b at 10.00.
Presentations on requirements and hands-on information on how to prepare an application followed by Q&A will last until 11.00. Matchmaking and consortia building opportunity among participants will follow.
To participate, please register by sending an e-mail to defenceskills@rand.org.
24 October 2018
Erasmus+ call for proposals on defence technologies open
Defence is one of the eligible sectors under the 2019 Erasmus+ call for Sector Skills Alliances Lot 3, published on 24 October. One successful selected proposal can be awarded a €4 million grant for 4 years. Project proposals should address at least 2 of the following areas: a) complex weapon systems, b) ballistics, c) robotics, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and d) C4ISTAR (command, control, communications, computers, information/intelligence, surveillance, targeting acquisition and reconnaissance).
The call is published on the Official Journal 2018/C 384/04 of 24.10.2018. The deadline for submission of proposals is 28 February 2019.
All information on the detailed conditions of this call is found in the Programme Guide 2019. See from p. 144 on for Sectors Skills Alliances and from p. 153 about Lot 3. Information includes eligible organisations, consortia minimum requirements, specific requirements for defence technologies etc. For the practical Guide to Apply see Part C in p. 251.
20 September 2018
European Defence Skills Partnership concluded skills gap analysis exercise
The European Defence Skills Partnership met for the third workshop on 18 September in Brussels. Members representing industry and academia discussed the findings of the research to date, and examined differences and similarities in the industrial base and the approach to defence skills across several EU countries. They commented on the survey preliminary results presented by the research team and discussed how to address the challenges identified and which mitigation measures should be recommended by a European defence skills strategy.
Input gathered will feed into the comprehensive mapping and analysis on the current situation of the skills gap in the European defence sector and anticipated gaps in the next 5-10 years. The results of this exercise will be presented in the report on "Common vision on defence related skills for Europe today and tomorrow" expected in October.
23 July 2018
Survey on defence-related skills launched!
The survey aims to collect and analyse data within the project on Defence Related Skills carried out by Rand Europe. The input gathered will feed into the comprehensive overview of skills gaps in Europe drafted in October 2018.
The survey consists of two parts:
1. Questions exploring general defence industry skills gaps today and as anticipated by you in future, the criticality of specific defence skills for your organisation and issues with filling vacancies for these skills and the effects of having these skills gaps on your organisation. It also covers domain-specific skills based on your area of expertise as indicated by you in the introductory part of the survey.
2. Questions on skills associated to new technologies and related current and potential future skills gaps.
The information gathered will be anonymised, aggregated, and used only for the purposes of this study.
We thank you in advance for your participation and valuable insight!
10 July 2018
2nd EDSP working group meeting on 18 July 2018 in Brussels
The next EDSP working group meeting will take place on Wednesday, 18 July 2018, in Brussels.
This second workshop will review the findings to date regarding gaps and problem areas in the supply of prioritised skills as well as the effectiveness of policies and initiatives aimed at skills support and development across Europe, with a focus on education and training initiatives and policies. Inputs will feed into the "Common vision on defence-related skills for Europe today and tomorrow", which is expected to be published in October 2018.
29 June 2018
1st EDSP meeting addressed skills deficiencies and the impact of emerging technologies
The first EDSP working group meeting, in the occasion of the launch of the European Defence Skills Partnership on 19 June saw a large number of interested participants.
EDSP members provided considerations about present skills deficiencies from their different perspectives. They discussed the level of alignment of supply and demand in defence skills, performance indicators for training programmes, and the way future skills demands will be influenced by emerging technologies.
The precious inputs will feed into the comprehensive mapping and analysis on the current situation of the skills gap in the European defence sector.
22 June 2018
EDSP Launch Event
High Level Conference: "Launch of the European Defence Skills Partnership" - 19 June 2018, Brussels
The European Defence Skills Partnership was launched at a high level conference in Brussels on 19 June. Organised by the European Commission, the event marked a milestone in the implementation of the European Defence Action Plan in addressing skills under the Blueprint for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills initiative.
More than 100 eminent representatives from industry and associations, academia, research organisations and national and regional authorities gathered to discuss challenges and trends in the availability of skills for the defence sector and ways to close the gaps.
Panel participants agreed it was critical to take on these challenges collectively in order to succeed and to go cross-border and build an ecosystem of capabilities and skills.
Objectives identified by the panel include:
• Skills are built around capability programmes and big companies give substance to industrial cooperation through developing partnerships.
• There is a need to tap into the potential of, in particular SMEs and start-ups, and take advantage of the innovation driven by the civil side.
• Efforts need to be strengthened to render the sector more attractive to young graduates and women.
Different best practices that aim to achieve these objectives were highlighted throughout the event.
The presentations of the event are available here.
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