Innovative Mindsets: Bridging the Skills Shortage of the European Printing Industry Erasmus Project

Project Title

Innovative Mindsets: Bridging the Skills Shortage of the European Printing Industry

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships addressing more than one field

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Overcoming skills mismatches (basic/transversal); New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

InMinds project aims to stimulate the capacity of the printing and publishing sector human resource towards lifelong learning practices in order to become more competitive, productive and adaptive to the constant developments of the ICT sector affecting it in a dire manner. The skills gap and the demand of adaptability to new concepts and customer centric approach that were not previously required, are the new challenges of the European printing industry.
The project addresses the printing sector’ workers, employers & SMEs, National agencies involved in Vocational Education and Training and Continuous Vocational Education and Training (VET/CVET), Employment services, Policy makers at a local, regional, national and European level, Training providers, Educational institutions and Lifelong Learning Institutes.
Aim of the InMinds project was to develop an innovative methodology and training toolkit that will assist printing companies to achieve mindset transformation from traditional operations to new media era.
Objectives of the InMind project are:
– Develop a more marketing/sales mindset to support the transition / adaptability that changing operation will demand from people. (Training program)
– Create a unique and innovative monitoring ICT system to track people’s new learning -after training- in the field and assist them to the shifts they have to implement in order to reach success (Barometer).
– Build a knowledge bank with the data gathered from questionnaire / barometer / projects, in order to be able to give advice to new trainees of the module that best suites to them.
– Provide stakeholders and policy makers with input on the skills needed in the modern printing industry and contribute to the creation of curriculum regarding those skills.
– Produce a Replication Guide which will be used by other industries that face similar challenges with the printing industry.

At InMinds project 5 partners involved coming from different sectors and countries.
The partners of the project are the following.
P1: Nosis Ltd is an experienced in managing European projects with a strong reputation in the field of Vocational Training in Greece, offering training and innovation services to more than 100 companies.
P2: Crystal Clear Soft is a strong technological partner, with experience in e-learning applications and mobile apps development.
P3: BPIF, a Sector Specific Expert, offering value-added solutions for all areas of a printing organisation including the implementation of HR requirements, with strong influence in policy makers in the UK.
P4: DANMAR Computers is providing vocational training in the field of IT and development of e-learning and ICT services. DANMAR is an organization providing vocational training in the field of IT and development of e-learning and ICT services. The company has excellent experience in training, developing programs and training materials, counselling, designing web pages and e-learning systems.
P5: ITKAM is the Italian-German Chamber of Commerce in Germany, operating in the Italian and German market, promoting economic relations and cooperation between enterprises of both countries whether in traditional sectors, or technological and innovative value sectors.
Main activities undertaken during the project life circle
• Project Management
• Quality Assurance & Exploitation
• Exploitation Strategy including Business Development Strategy, Replication methodological guide
• Analysis of Sector’s Skills Gap
• Development of the training methodology & Content
• Development of the training platform & feedback tools
• Users’ training and Internal evaluation of the tools
• Pilot Implementation
• Final toolkit & Training content
• Dissemination

InMinds project establish an innovative methodology on soft skills development that will offer important advantages and self-awareness to people seeking to shift job positions (soft skills: leadership, open minded and adaptive to the new needs / conditions) and on the other hand training material to close the gap between the required skills of the sector nowadays and the skills already acquired but are becoming obsolete. Moreover, InMinds offer a useful and practical tool for employers seeking to employ new personnel or even more re-skill the existing human capital.

The InMinds project results are:
– New training content and methodology. A new training program based on an innovative management concept developed from real life inputs and totally customized (new content – interactive case studies, and new methodology – prototyping and Mood Explosion simulator).
– Database. A knowledge bank structure that will provide new trainees information about modules that people of alike mindset and skillset have chosen.
– Online real time feedback through the Barometer that will track individual’s performance / choices on the field after the training, in order to reinforce new habits, refreshing training contents through online real time feedback.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 294953 Eur

Project Coordinator

NOSIS BUSINESS CONSULTANTS LTD & Country: EL

Project Partners

• DANMAR COMPUTERS MALGORZATA MIKLOSZ
• ITALIENISCHE HANDELSKAMMER FUR DEUTSCHLAND
• CRYSTALCLEARSOFT ANONYMOS ETAIREIA PAROCHIS YPIRESION LOGISMIKOU
• BRITISH PRINTING INDUSTRIES FEDERATION