The partnership aimed to introduce trash design as an innovative element within vocational art education and to better prepare students and teachers for the challenges of the contemporary labour market. The project sought to enhance young people’s knowledge of sustainable design, circular economy principles and the use of secondary materials, while also promoting the profession of “trash designer” as a future-oriented specialization increasingly in demand in creative sectors. A key goal was to strengthen teachers’ competences through training and joint meetings, and to create solid educational resources – a brochure describing the profession and recommendations for schools – enabling the long-term integration of this topic into curricula. The partners also aimed to encourage school leadership to formally introduce modules related to ecological and sustainable design. The project further intended to build international cooperation, facilitate the exchange of experiences, and organise workshops (seminars) that would enhance ecological awareness and creativity among students. Ultimately, the objective was to establish a lasting foundation for the development of a new educational pathway that responds to the needs of young people.
The project was developed in response to the growing need to integrate sustainable design into vocational art education. Despite the popularity of upcycling and “trash design,” art schools lacked content on ecological materials, circular economy principles and designing with secondary resources. Students expected practical competences linked to “green professions,” while teachers needed access to professional training that would enable them to introduce these topics into their classes. Project partners identified similar systemic gaps and a demand for educational innovation within VET. The project aimed to address this gap by promoting trash design as a profession of the future, strengthening teachers’ competences, and creating a foundation for introducing new content into curricula, thus responding to the needs of schools, students and the labour market.