The world around us is changing fast – our industries, our environment, and the demands on skills are all being reshaped. Europe’s automotive sector, a linchpin of innovation, employment and sustainability, is no exception. That’s why we’re excited to introduce the first blog of the WELDNET project: a forward-looking Erasmus+ initiative seeking to build a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable future through advanced vocational training in welding.
Why WELDNET? Setting the Scene
Europe’s Skills Shortage: Welding in the Spotlight
Recent reports from EURES / European Labour Authority highlight a striking imbalance between supply and demand for certain skilled trades – welders are repeatedly listed among the occupations facing serious shortages across EU member states.
In an era defined by green transition, digitalisation, and demographic shifts (not least an ageing workforce), sectors like automotive, construction, energy, infrastructure, and transport increasingly depend on highly qualified welding professionals. Without enough skilled hands, important green and digital projects risk delays, increased costs, or lost opportunities.
Legislation, Strategy & Policy context
Vocational Education and Training (VET) has been rising in priority under EU policy. The EU’s push for Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) forms part of that strategy – bringing together education providers, employers, research entities, and public authorities to better align skills provision with the evolving needs of industry and society. WELDNET is among the projects funded under the Erasmus+ Centres of Vocational Excellence strand, indicating a deliberate EU investment in high-quality, sector-relevant, and sustainable vocational training.
What do we mean by ‘Sustainable’ Training?
Sustainability isn’t just a buzz word. The world is threatened both by climate change, and geo-political tensions that mean the status quo is no longer tenable. There is increasing legislative and policy pressure (at both EU and national levels) to decarbonise industry, to use materials more circularly (i.e. reuse, recycle, reduce waste), and to ensure preventive maintenance to maximise lifetime of equipment and reduce environmental footprints. For example, the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act, which aims to boost recycling and use of secondary critical raw materials; the Green New Deal, which aims to lead European industry simultaneously towards growth and climate neutrality by 2050; and stricter emissions rules mean factories must adopt cleaner welding techniques. All these elements make welding and maintenance more than just technical skills – they are central to Europe’s pathway toward sustainability and competitiveness.
At the same time, EU countries currently have varying regulations and standards regarding recycling materials, waste management, and sustainable manufacturing practices. This divergence complicates the widespread adoption of Circular Material Welding (CMW) and Preventative Maintenance Systems (PMS) practices. While Austria is at the forefront of adopting advanced welding technologies, such as laser welding, ultrasonic welding or friction stir welding with recyclable materials, Romania, Serbia, Greece and even Spain face challenges in terms of technological readiness and limitations on investment. This gap affects the capacity of the EU to implement CMW uniformly. There is also a notable skills gap in managing and applying CMW practices, particularly in integrating sustainability into welding processes. The variation in educational and training frameworks across the EU affects the ability of the workforce to adapt to and adopt circular welding practices consistently. As the automotive sectors depend on extensive and complex supply chains that often span multiple countries, achieving circularity in materials will require close coordination and transparency across the supply chains. WELDNET will establish Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) across 5 regions, which will begin sharing knowledge and skills, boosting efficiency and productivity.
What is WELDNET?
WELDNET (Project ID 101193814) began on 1st March 2025, and runs until 28th February 2029. It will build on the work of both the PreMETS project and WELDIFY project.
WELDNET’s key aims include:
- Creating a network of five Centres of Vocational Excellence (COVEs) focused on Circular Material Welding (CMW) and Preventive Maintenance Systems (PMS), especially for the automotive sector.
- Developing new training programmes – both initial VET (IVET) and continuing VET (CVET) – that are tailored to the needs of the regions, of industry partners, and of socially disadvantaged groups.
- Promoting competencies needed for the future: digital skills, green skills, entrepreneurial mindset.
- Using micro-credentials (shorter, modular training units) to help workers gain the precise skills needed for welding and maintenance without having to commit to lengthy training programmes.
- Building a digital platform to support learners: access, certification, and tracking of impact.
The project’s partners, led by the Hellenic Institute of Transport, a part of the Centre for Research & Technology Hellas (CERTH), are drawn from across Europe: research institutions, VET providers, industrial stakeholders, regional development agencies, business associations.
WELDNET so far
Although the project is still in its early phases, some important milestones have already been achieved (or are underway) that set the foundation for effective work ahead.
- Kick-off meeting: The project officially launched with a kick-off gathering in Thessaloniki, bringing together all partners. This meeting set responsibilities, roles, and timelines, and began aligning shared goals.
- Needs & gap analysis: Partners have started mapping the regional skills deficits in welding, maintenance, circular materials, and how existing VET/IVET/CVET programmes align (or don’t) with what industry demands. This includes identifying which micro-credentials will address the most urgent needs.
- Design of governance / ecosystem models: Since the CoVE network depends heavily on cooperation among education, industry, public authorities, and sometimes NGOs, work has begun on setting up governance frameworks and living labs where local innovation and experimentation can shape learning programmes.
These early efforts are critical: they ensure that the training and tools developed later are grounded in actual labour market needs, and that the centres across different countries are not isolated but can learn from each other.
Looking Ahead: What to Expect
Over the next three years, the WELDNET consortium will be doing a lot. Here’s what we’re excited about, what stakeholders can look forward to, and what we hope to accomplish.
- Launch of 15 micro-credentials: These will offer flexible, targeted training in areas such as circular welding processes, preventive maintenance strategy, digital monitoring, sustainability, etc. For learners, whether students or professionals, these micro-credentials offer a way to upskill quickly.
- Operation of the COVEs: Each of the five Centres, in Austria, Greece, Romania, Serbia, and Spain, will set up programmes, deliver training, partner with local industries, and demonstrate their effect by conducting pilot projects. They will become hubs where theory meets practice, where innovation in welding and maintenance is tested in real settings.
- Digital platform rollout: A central platform will enable learners across Europe to access course content, register for micro-credentials, get certified, and track progress/impact. This kind of infrastructure is essential for quality, transparency, and scaling.
- Inclusion & equity: A special emphasis will be placed on providing access to the workforce, via appropriate training, to groups that have historically faced barriers to employment.
- Cross-regional collaboration & sharing of best practice: The network of COVEs will not work in silos: learning from one another, developing common standards, co-creating innovations, sharing what works (and what doesn’t) will help avoid duplication and raise quality across the board.
Why it Matters for Europe
For the European automotive manufacturing sector – and more widely, for sectors that depend on welding – WELDNET is more than just another training project: it can help ease some of the most pressing challenges:
- Addressing the skills gap: There is no doubt that Europe needs more welders and maintenance technicians, especially those trained in modern, sustainable, digital practices. WELDNET will help establish a pipeline to supply the well-trained, workforce of the future.
- Supporting clean & circular industry transitions: With pressure to increase efficiency, prolong the lifecycles of equipment and infrastructure, and reduce carbon footprints, welding and preventative maintenance are central technical enablers.
- Life-long learning, adaptability, resilience: As industries evolve, technologies advance, and different materials are used, the ability to upskill, reskill, and adapt is more vital than ever. WELDNET fosters this capacity.
Our Invitation to Stakeholders
If you are a:
- VET/IVET or CVET provider interested in modern, CMW and PMS curricula
- Industry partner in automotive or related sectors needing skill development
- Local authority, regional development agency aiming to improve workforce readiness
- Learner: student, technician, or seasoned professional considering upskilling
– then there is a place for you in WELDNET.
Watch for announcements of courses, pilot learning labs, living lab events, and opportunities to collaborate or join our network!
WELDNET is more than just training: it’s about empowering people, industries, and regions to meet the challenges of our time – be they climate, competitiveness, or inclusion.
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