Additive Manufacturing (or 3D printing) is one of the technologies under the umbrella of Advanced Manufacturing which has been identified by the European Commission as one of the Key Enabling Technologies (KETs). Creative industries are core elements of the EU economy. Creative workers are talented and flexible with a range of core capacities that can be developed and improved naturally via practice and lifelong learning. Creative enterprises are usually small, often micro. They work with clients in sectors that have been traditionally connected to creative industries for some time, using flexibility to add value to products by applying their ability to realize innovative ideas. Increasingly these capacities are becoming more relevant to the European Economy as new sectors find out that they need the skills provided by creative enterprises workers. At the same time new, often disruptive, technologies come to light and require highly skilled creative labour to allow maximum exploitation of capital. This also applies to other Advanced Manufacturing technologies, like Advanced Industrial Robotics (AIR), slowly emerging for small and micro enterprises. Just like AM, AIR is a transversal technology requiring investment and knowledge on design and software can bring crafts closer to the market’s needs by customizing batches (i.e. footwear). The global market is estimated to reach $6.4 trillion by 2025. Hence Advanced Manufacturing technologies are often adoptable by relatively traditional sectors. However, they often need ready and competent workers. And when they do have a high level of technical skills, workers often lack capacities for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial approach to use such technologies. These are required capacities if the capital (tools, machines) is to be exploited to the maximum of its potential. ACCESS-3DP brings together an innovative consortium of 5 partners with experts in 3D printing and design from the VET, HE world and business organizations from creative industries from 5 EU countries. The partners jointly embrace the following objectives: - Identification of skills mismatched between the craft and traditional industries with additive manufacturing technologies - Use the skills needs to develop and tailored VET curricula according EUI standards to foster the mobility and employability in craft sectors in Europe - Improve the competitiveness and efficiency of the traditional sector enterprises through the use of 3D printing technologies - Improve the entrepreneurship in craft sectors and Additive Manufacturing sector through better understanding of the 3D printing value chain - Evaluate the impact of tailored training about 3D printing in entrepreneurs and craftsmen. - Sustain the project results, in the course of time, through the development recommendations for certification. To achieve such objectives, the partners will develop the following intellectual outputs: - A report on how VET providers can connect creative and traditional-craft industries - A joint VET curriculum according national and EU standards - Learning Modules based on the VET curriculum supported by a MOOC platform - A course assessment and qualification resource package in order to support the certification of the ACCESS-3DP Learning Modules and Course - A pilot implementation and study of the Learning Modules and Course A workshop in the form of a short-term joint staff training event (L/T/T) focusing on innovating crafts through 3DP technology will take place during the last project period and will involve Associated Partners. At the same time, 5 Multiplier Events will be organized in order to enhance the impact of the ACCESS-3DP project through the dissemination of the project results. A partnership composed by HE, Business representatives and research will develop approaches to training people in the creative industries that promote that creativity, alongside entrepreneurial thinking and skills for applying innovative ideas in practice. It is vital for anyone working industries that may apply 3D printing, to understand the "value chain of 3D printing" and how it may evolve over time. An insight needs to be given on where in the chain value is added, and how. ACCESS-3DP training materials will empower students to successfully enter the market, and/or to successfully sustain their business. Increasingly, these capacities are becoming more relevant to the European Economy as new sectors find they are needing the skills provided by enterprises in creative industries and their workers, and new, often disruptive, technologies come to light that require highly skilled creative labour for there to be maximum exploitation of capital based in the tools and machines of these technologies. Additive manufacturing will be an asset to the factors of competitiveness, such as flexibility and time to market, among others for the craft and creative industries.
Our project aimed to set out frameworks providing the basis to train and upskills craft companies regarding 3D printing and advanced industrial robotics. More specifically, the expected results of the project were to: 1.To innovate and inter-connect creative and traditional craft companies by studying the training offer in Europe and by identifying the gaps between the skills needs of professionals and the existing training offer in 3D printing and robotics. 2. Use the skills needs to develop and tailored VET curricula according to EUI standards to foster the mobility and employability in the craft sector in Europe 3. Improve the competitiveness and efficiency of the traditional craft companies using 3D printing technologies. 4. Improve the entrepreneurship in the craft sector and additive manufacturing sector through better understanding of the 3D printing value chain 5. Evaluate the impact of tailored training about 3D printing on entrepreneurs and craftsmen. 6. Sustain the project results, in the course of time, through the development recommendations for certification.
Additive manufacturing (or 3D printing) is a promising and strategic technology on the European market, which is increasingly adopted by small craft companies with significant creative capacity. This technology allows them to strengthen their competitiveness and can easily be adopted by more traditional craft companies. Nevertheless, to be able to maximize the benefits and develop an innovative customizable offer, adapted to market needs, it requires being equipped with immediately usable technical and creative skills. More specifically, it requires investing in physical capital (machines) and training human capital through training dedicated to craft companies and adapted to the market. Based on this observation, we decided to carry out a project with the objective to contribute to the definition of a training framework on 3D printing, allowing companies and future entrepreneurs to develop their technical skills, their creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial capacities, to apply innovative ideas in the craft sector.