Building a circular economy for Europe is a key priority (EU Policy Report Jan 2017). Closing the loop-the Action Plan for the Circular Economy of the EU states:"the transition to a more circular economy, where the value of products, materials and resources is maintained in the economy for as long as possible, and the generation of waste minimized, is an essential contribution to the EU's efforts to develop a sustainable, low carbon, resource efficient and competitive economy." Circular economy is a solution to increase EU's competitiveness by protecting businesses against scarcity of resources and unstable prices, helping to initiate new business opportunities and more sustainable ways of producing and consuming, as well as to create local jobs at all skills levels and opportunities for social integration. Transition to circular economy implies a complex process as it requires system-redesign on all levels of the society, creating the necessity for new thinking and competencies. Therefore, there is an eminent need for conveying the right knowledge and understanding about principles and benefits of circular economy to its actors on all levels. Education about circular economy needs to permeate all levels of entrepreneurial training. Current training programs are just a few and oriented to equip only high-level graduates with knowledge so that can help their company to ‘become circular’. However, entrepreneurship (opening a small manufacturing business, etc.) is an option for people with lower educational level as well. This is quite often an opportunity also for migrants/refugees regardless their educational level. Therefore appears the need for preparation to ‘become circular’ at all levels. The need for SKILL- CIRCLE project also comes from the fact that our time is characterized by high immigration and we need to improve the effectiveness of policies aiming at integration of migrants (Global approach on Migration and Mobility: EC, 2011) by fostering their entrance to the labour market. To address these issues, and supporting the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan, the project aims at development of skills for circular economy thinking of VET learners - those with lower educational level and with migrant/refugee background - to become adequately skilled and active players of the future. Project outcomes will contribute to innovative entrepreneurial skills development of VET learners and to integration of circular economy thinking skills training into European curricula by the following activities: • Analysing the specific training needs in circular economy of VET learners • Exploring current practices of circular economy thinking and acting in Europe • Developing and testing a training program for driving a change of mind-set and develop circular skills for the future • Developing online training materials, tailored to low-educated learners and suitable for those with migrant/refugee background, which will educate about circular economy thinking • Developing high quality OERs for VET learners, thus promoting equality and inclusion in the learning process The core target groups of the project are: - VET learners with lower educational level and with migrant/refugee background (direct) - VET trainers, VET education and training providers (indirect) Intellectual outputs: 1. "Circular skills for the future" - Specific training needs of VET learners in relation to circular economy 2. "What makes your micro business circular?" - Digital stories of circular thinking and acting from different sectors of industry in Europe 3. Curriculum: "Circular Skills for the Future" - aiming to drive a change of mind-set of VET learners 4. SKILL CIRCLE Training Kit including educational films, which educate about the implementation of a circular economy model and circular economy thinking 5. SKILL-CIRCLE b-Learning space - an OER for developing circular thinking skills The partnership consists of six organisations highly motivated in exploiting the Skill-CIRCLE outputs, with complementary expertise and highly experienced in key entrepreneurial skills development, design of web based educational films and multimedia products. For successful exploitation of project results a Stakeholder Analysis along with a Dissemination strategy will be set to raise awareness of education and training opportunities within Erasmus+, with special emphasis for strengthening key entrepreneurial competences in VET hence increasing employability on all levels. On long term, the Skill-Circle training material along with educational films produced and tested will be core part of the training offer of the organisations participating in the project. The Skill-Circle b-learning portal sustained for a minim of 5 years will be largely promoted among VET education and training organisations and beyond. Further potential benefit of the project would be a continuing development and adaptation of the educational tools for other target groups.
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