S4S3 - Advanced manufacturing

Why are some regions and countries better at stimulating competitiveness, productivity and economic growth?

One of the main goals of the European Union is to reduce disparities in the level of development between regions. And this is not happening. Within countries, some regions are growing faster than others. They have dynamic businesses and innovation clusters, and they develop and commercialise internationally significant products and services – while others do not.

Could other regions and countries replicate the same model and achieve the same result?

The EC believes that these approaches to economic growth and competitiveness are replicable – and developed an approach and a tool to support each region in identifying their own competitive advantages. They called the approach Smart Specialisation. Today, many countries beyond the EU have adopted smart specialisation in their national or regional development strategies.

Skills for Smart Specialisation

While smart specialisation is primarily about the economics of specialisation, VET and skills are the engine that drive smart specialisation. The reason why the ETF set out to develop a methodological approach, Skills for Smart specialisation, in 2019, is that regions and countries that have the right skills are able to certain things better. They are able to:

1. Produce more
2. Produce more complex products and services
3. Innovate and make new products or develop services that are not yet available
4. Industries are related through their skills. Industries that enter a region are often related to the region’s current industries. Vice versa is also true. Industries that exit a region, tend to be unrelated to other industries in the region. This is because industries are related through their skills.

These four points make human capital development of a region is a key determining factor for smart specialisation.

Sketching out possible future development paths for education and training in Advanced Manufacturing in Ukraine

In 2021, the ETF is introducing two new elements to the methodology which will be applied in Kharkiv in the Advanced Manufacturing sector: a foresight action and a peer learning partnership.

The first objective of the foresight action in Kharkiv region is to help policymakers, VET schools and centres, and businesses to anticipate change, prepare responses, and create more robust strategies to address skills needs of smart specialisation.

The second objective of the foresight action is to lay the ground for peer learning with EU regions with matching smart specialisation priorities.

In order to reach these objectives, the foresight action seeks to bring into the discussion the broader regional development planning, business conditions and the external economic environment.

Peer Learning - Partnerships

TKNIKA, VET Applied Research Centre

Basque country, Spain

Website: Tknika

TKNIKA is a centre promoted by the Deputy Ministry of Vocational Education and Training of the Education Department of the Basque Government.

Innovation and applied research are at the core of TKNIKA in its ongoing efforts to place Basque Vocational Training at the European forefront. TKNIKA is modelled after some of the world’s most advanced vocational training centres.

Through networking and direct involvement by the Basque Vocational Training teaching staff, the Centre develops innovative projects in the areas of technology, education and management.

Since the academic year 2016-2017, TKNIKA is a UNEVOC-Centre. The main objective of TKNIKA as a UNEVOC-Centre is to contribute to the improvement in the standards and quality of TVET in the Basque Country.

Academy of Advanced Mechanics

Reggio Emilia, Italy

Website: HOME - ITS MAKER - formare tecnici superiori

ITS MAKER is an Advanced Institute of Mechanics, Mechatronics, Motors and Packaging, established in September 2013 from the merging of three ITS Foundations in Bologna, Modena and Reggio Emilia. ITS MAKER has become the heart of the technological area of ​​mechanical and mechatronics in the Emilia-Romagna Region, and is the largest ITS nationwide.

ITS are “technology schools” created in 2008 on the initiative of the Ministry of Education with the aim of creating highly professional training courses for young graduates.

The post-secondary school courses are free, with the exception of an admission fee of €200. They last two years and are designed to meet the needs of students as well as the training and professional needs of local businesses.

The Foundation is organised on the basis of a three-year plan with the following goals:

• orienting young people towards technical professions;
• acknowledging the training needs for the economic development of the territory, starting from the needs of scientific, technological and organizational innovation of companies;
• designing and implementing advanced technical education courses relevant to national professional requirements;
• accompanying graduates to employment at the end of the course;
• updating activities for teachers and trainers of in the scientific and technical-professional area in education and professional training fields;
• designing any other activity that complies with the regional planning guidelines relating to advanced technical specialization.

TürkTraktör

Ankara, Turkey

Website: Türk Traktör (turktraktor.com.tr)

TürkTraktör, one of the leading manufacturers in Turkey, started its industrial life in 1954 and has become one of the most important enterprises in the country with exports to more than 130 countries primarily American continent, exhibiting an ever-growing business trend over the decades.

Lombardini - Kohler

Reggio Emilia, Italy

Website: Kohler Power | Kohler Engines

• Founded in 1873

• Headquartered in Kohler, WI – USA

• Over 30,000 talented Associates making their mark on 6 Continents

• More than 50 manufacturing locations Worldwide

• A stable, privately held company managed by the founding family

Global presence with leading brands in POWER SYSTEMS and different product areas:

• Engines and Generators

• Kitchen and Bath

• Decorative Products

• Golf and Resort Destinations