VET WIND II Erasmus Project

Project Title

VET WIND II

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 for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Cooperation between educational institutions and business; Energy and resources

Project Summary

Offshore Wind is booming!

Employment in this sector in the countries around the North Sea is increasing rapidly and a shortage of qualified workers is looming. To keep offshore wind farms operational, maintenance is key. Providers of O&M (Operation and Maintenance) services, such as Siemens, Dong and Vestas need skilled workforce. The increasing demand requires expansion of current training capacity. The quality of vocational training should be improved. Because of the international character of the industry it makes sense to harmonise curricula and qualifications. In addition, it is important to mainstream the relationship between the internal training of the companies and mainstream VET.

This challenge can only be tackled internationally!

For students there are a lot of opportunities in offshore wind. Although the branch is extremely international, the courses and qualifications are school or national based. International coordination and cooperation will increase the quality of their diplomas and strengthen their position on the labour market. But international coordination has hardly taken place. So there is, to begin with, a need for shared information on the state of the art in offshore wind, especially in operation and maintenance in VET.

In VETWIND II, partners from Denmark, Germany, Norway, Ireland, Belgium and The Netherlands accept this challenge.
Through describing the current situation and exploring the needs of this international branch the project will define the desired situation concerning education and training in offshore wind. After identifying the driving forces and critical uncertainties for the years to come, we will develop differentiated scenarios that are most likely to happen. This can be used as input for multiplier events and for a follow-up project. As a second result, the project will create a sustainable network in O&M in (offshore) Wind with VET (Vocational Educational Training), companies and other stakeholders with all countries involved. In this way, a solid basis for follow-up projects is created.

VETWIND II is a relatively small project with a duration of 12 months and a large number of partners. The number of people directly involved in the project will be limited. However, they are expected to collect and share information in their own organization and region. Moreover, almost all partners have access to important stakeholders in their own region or country and will discuss the (interim) results with them.

For the steering group, we expect experts with management qualities and a robust network in (offshore) wind. For the project activities in the IO, teachers, course leaders and experts are selected who are subject matter experts. They know the situation in their own region and country and are responsible for the description of good practices.

There will be three meetings during the 12 months. Per partner 4 people will attend the meeting. The meetings will take place in October 2018 in Groningen (NL), in January 2019 in Aalborg (Dk) and the final meeting will take place in Egersund (NO) in May 2019.

Each meeting consists of different parts:
– project work; dividing tasks, presenting (interim) results, etc.
– the exploration of one of the overall themes that are important for education and training in O&M offshore Wind
– an inspiration session; for example, a visit to a school or company, and/or inviting important stakeholders.
The overall themes during the 12 months including the subjects at the transnational meetings are:
1/ Technology;
2/. Health and safety and
3/ Practice and traineeships for students, teachers and trainers.

VETWIND II produces thorough and high-quality knowledge about the state of affairs regarding education and training in offshore wind. It provides insight into future developments and indicates which options are available – and what the consequences of the different choices are. It also provides a sustainable network of important stakeholders in that field in almost all countries around the North Sea. The impact of these results will hopefully be visible for a long time. It does not only looks like a final result but at the best also as a beginning of a real European cooperation concerning the harmonization of education and qualifications in close cooperation between VET and industry.

If that is the impact of this project, students, our future employees in the wind energy, are looking forward to a bright future.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 140035,67 Eur

Project Coordinator

ROC Noorderpoort & Country: NL

Project Partners

• TECHCOLLEGE S/I
• Scalda Stichting voor middelbaar beroepsonderwijs en educatie
• Energy Innovation AS
• Skilliant
• LETTERKENNY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
• BZEE ACADEMY GMBH