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ABOUT THE PROJECT
Economic, digital and technological developments, as well as increasing energy efficiency and environmental demands, present the European Energy Intensive Industries with many challenges including the continuous updating of the qualifications, knowledge and skill profile of its workforce. The SPIRE-SAIS project brings together stakeholders from across the SPIRE community, including Industry sector associations, Education and training providers, Research & Technology organisations, Research institutions, Regional institutions, companies and others, to enable and accelerate the uptake of Industrial Symbiosis and energy efficiency by developing a comprehensive cross-sectorial blueprint for skills.
The SPIRE-SAIS alliance will address possible skills shortages in the Energy Intensive Industries while providing EU citizens with the necessary skill sets for future job profiles. The project will address updating of the curricula, qualifications, knowledge and skills that are required to support essential cross-sectoral collaboration and Industrial Symbiosis activities.
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The SPIRE-SAIS project aims to develop an industry-driven and proactive skills strategy that will assist the wider implementation and exploitation of industrial symbiosis and energy efficiency across the energy intensive industrial sectors represented in SPIRE: chemicals, steel, engineering, non-ferrous metals, minerals, water, cement, ceramics, pulp and paper and refining. The new skills developed will help unfold the potential of digital transformation within SPIRE companies and beyond. The project will build on the existing coordination, projects and activities of SPIRE in a truly cross-sectoral approach.
Educational modules and tools for greater awareness of the needs and opportunities provided by improved industrial symbiosis and energy efficiency will be developed. New skills, including digital skills, for the practical implementation of industrial symbiosis in globally competitive industries will be identified that anticipate the skills requirements of industry and allow proactive practical activities to meet the future skills needs of the Energy Intensive Industries in Europe and beyond.
SPIRE-SAIS work structure:
Work Package 1: Management and Quality Assurance - TUDO (leader), A.SPIRE (co-leader)
Ensuring the achievement of the project objectives within the time schedule and the budget, by planning, organizing, and controlling the integrated effort of the consortium.
Work Package 2: Technological and Economic Development and Foresight - CSM (leader), SSSA (co-leader)
This work package will provide the foundations for industry skills requirements (WP3) and VET system (WP4) and will also form the basis for the Blueprint development (WP5). The broader industry and its stakeholders will be integrated via online survey. The results of WP2 will be supervised and improved by feedback from all consortium partners.
Work Package 3: (Company) Skills Requirements and Foresight (Skills, Knowledge, Competences; Work 4.0) - Sidenor (leader), ITC (co-leader)
The general objective of this WP is to examine the range of essential skills, knowledge and experience that workers require to adopt energy efficiency and industrial symbiosis in daily work, and to develop upskilling and reskilling pathways for individuals and organisations that meet the actual skill needs.
Work Package 4: VET Systems: Anticipating Future Requirements and Regulations in the national VET Systems - VA (leader), ISQ (co-leader)
This work-package identifies how VET systems and frameworks at national and EU level currently deliver skills concerning industrial symbiosis (IS) and energy efficiency (EE) of the EIIs sectors involved. It also identifies where non-formal company level VET attempts to close skills gaps in formal (state) provision. Hence, it addresses questions related to skill needs (WP3) and technological development (WP2) within VET provision serving the energy intensive industries. The overall activities of the WP will establish the reference points and main mechanisms for, and barriers to, skills/ training delivery in the European EIIs and the WP thus provides a central aspect of the Blueprint delivery.
Work Package 5: European Industrial Symbiosis Blueprint Development - TUDO (leader), CIRCE (co-leader)
The main objective of the work package is to develop an industry driven pro-active skills strategy that reflects the (recent and anticipated) technological and economic strands and builds on the upcoming technological and economic developments (WP2), the results and requirements of the companies (WP3) and their integration in the VET systems (WP4).
Work Package 6: Transfer and Implementation of the Blueprint - SSSA (leader), ISL (co-leader)
The WP is devoted to the planning and implementation of suitable Implementation and Transfer actions at companies and training providers at both EU and Member State Level. Such actions will involve companies, associations and VET system institutions, which should cooperate in the preparation of company and national roll-outs. Collaboration will also be established with other bluBprint developing sectors.
The activities of this WP will build out of the outcomes of WPs 2, 3, and 4, but mainly on the Blueprint strategies and training tools (WP5). It will also include the development of implementation and dissemination plans for the Blueprint strategies, including the definition of the contents that will be used in the implementation actions - such contents will depend on the target audience and national contexts - by taking into account the differences in national VET systems.
Work Package 7: Policy Recommendations and Dissemination - CSM (leader), A.SPIRE (co-leader)
This WP is devoted to the definition of the policy recommendations and the best dissemination strategy for the SAIS results. On the base of the activities carried out in the previous WPs and according to the Blueprint framework, policy recommendations will be defined and structured basically in form of practical guidelines.
Work Package 8: Project monitoring and evaluation - ISQ (leader)
The SPIRE-SAIS project will provide industry, academia and other players with a range of educational tools and other outcomes including:
SPIRE-SAIS Deliverable D1.5 Final Report
SPIRE-SAIS Deliverable 2.1 Industrial Symbiosis and Energy Efficiency in European Process Industry: State of Art and Future Scenario
SPIRE-SAIS Deliverable D3.2 Company Skills Requirements and Foresight
SPIRE SAIS Deliverable D4.1 Mapping of current VET provision for industrial symbiosis and energy efficiency skills of the EIIs sectors in selected EU Member States
SPIRE-SAIS Deliverable D4.2 European Cross-Sectoral Skills Matrix/ Framework
SPIRE-SAIS Deliverable D4.3 European Cross-Sectoral Skill-Set Matrix
SPIRE-SAIS Deliverable D5.1 Training Framework: Development of training courses, measures, arrangements, tools and activities for integration within VET, company and association training programme
SPIRE-SAIS Deliverable D5.3 Blueprint New Skills Agenda Energy Intensive Industries
SPIRE-SAIS Deliverable D6.2 Piloting and Implementing the Blueprint
SPIRE-SAIS Deliverable D6.3 Exploitation Plan for the Blueprint Strategy
SPIRE-SAIS Deliverable D7.1 Policy Recommendations
SPIRE-SAIS Deliverable D7.5 Final Conference
Factsheets
WP2 Technological Development
WP3 Skills Requirements
WP4 VET Systems
Tugce Akyaz, Aitor Goti, Felix Bayón, Michael Kohlgrüber and Antonius Schröder. Identifying the skills requirements related to industrial symbiosis and energy efficiency for the European process industry. Environmental Sciences Europe, 2023.
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Talent Management
Main Results from SPIRE-SAIS
A much-discussed need in energy-intensive industries relates to image and recruitment. There is a high demand for skilled labour, particularly in the context of the green and digital transformation, while the industry is struggling to recruit such skilled workers. These recruitment difficulties are directly linked to the negative public perception of the industry as an old economy with unattractive, inflexible, outdated and dangerous working conditions, as well as a polluting industry.
In the course of the SPIRE-SAIS project, in-depth insights were gained into the current situations of individual energy-intensive sectors and regions. Not only were the challenges discussed, but also possible solutions that are already being implemented in the sectors. At the same time, details of how individual regions and sectors deal with recruitment challenges were gained in the rollout workshops. The tools developed in SPIRE-SAIS, e.g. by connecting stakeholders through the SPIRE-SAIS Rollout and by identifying skill gaps and fostering workers’ training through SKILLS4Planet, thereby facilitate the development of recruitment measures in a sustainable manner, even after the project duration. In this way, SPIRE-SAIS can serve as a basis for follow-up activities in which concerted actions can be developed across different sectors of the process industry.
Within the rollout workshops, the General Assembly and dedicated workshops on image & recruiting with the involved companies, the main challenges and most in-demand jobs for Industrial Symbiosis and Energy Efficiency were discussed as well as the image and recruiting obstacles and success factors, definition and attraction of (new) target groups. The main results are presented below:
Main challenges and solution approaches
Most in-demand jobs" for Industrial Symbiosis and Energy Efficiency in the next 5 years
Approaches and strategies in favour
Further insights and examples from the sectoral and regional rollout workshops
Conclusions and recommendations based on SPIRE-SAIS
Image and Recruiting Campaigns Examples from the Water, Ceramics and Steel Sector
The SPIRE-SAIS project identified the main talent management challenges, alongside solutions and strategies.
Among the key recruitment issues identified are image and perception issues, specific hurdles in attracting women and skilled graduates, work models, skills gaps, etc.
The solutions offered are communication campaigns, training, enhancing the public perception, promoting green and digital transformation, competitive salaries, engaging directly with schools and universities, promoting work-life balance etc.
Campaigns from the sectors (water, ceramics, and steel) highlight recruitment activities, climate education, and industry innovation. Long-term collaboration targeted educational initiatives, and sustained efforts to improve industry perception are seen as crucial to attracting new talent.
Image and Recruiting Campaigns Examples from the Sectors
Water Sector
Water & Maritime. Human Capital - taking care of recruitment activities
Battle of the Beach - a climate change education and awareness initiative for children
Open Visits for school classes: Waste Water Treatment Plants and water systems are open for visitors and school classes, like this example, in Milano
Ceramics Sector
The following campaigns can be found on the social media pages of Cerame-Unie & the EU Ceramic Industry (Twitter/X and LinkedIn):
FEPF Campaign: Choose EU Ceramic Tableware: This campaign was built in collaboration with the FEPF Communication WG and launched on 28 February. The objective of this campaign is to raise awareness of the EU Ceramic Tableware, its products, and the sector itself. The main messages of the campaign are on the characteristics, strengths, versatility, and advantages of using EU Ceramic Tableware and on key aspects of the EU Ceramic Tableware industry (innovation, priorities, skills, etc.). This campaign has 15 posts and will run from February to October 2024 (1 post every 2 weeks).
Ceramic Manifesto 24-29 - In the context of the upcoming European Elections, Cerame-Unie has designed and launched a communication campaign to inform EU candidates & elected officials about the challenges, key policy priorities & recommendations of the EU Ceramic Industry. The campaign counts 62 Posts, to be launched daily, from March-June 2024 (Pre-elections) and again from September to December 2024 (Post-elections); This campaign was launched on 5 March.
Ceramics4NEB: Ceramics for New European Bauhaus – This campaign was developed to inform EU officials & general public about how the European Ceramic industry complies with the pillars of the New European Bauhaus and was built on successful case studies shared by CU Members. The campaign is constituted of 47 Posts and will run from March 2024 to April 2025 (foreseen launch for 15 March, 1 post/week).
CA4BM Communication Campaigns - This campaign was built in collaboration with the CA4BM Consortia. It aims to advocate for material-neutral policy-making and communicate the findings of the CA4BM study:
Ceramics a Safe Choice – This campaign aims to present the advantages of using Ceramic Tiles as covering material. The campaign counts 25 Short Videos and is running from 2023 & 2024 (1 post every week, on Thursday).
The Faces of Refractories: WRA YouTube page - The campaign counts 30 Short Videos, with the objective of introducing the workforce of the Refractories sector, and therefore presenting the human side of the industry and its key priorities. Please find this campaign in the Communication on the Refractory Industry (World Refractories Association) and consult the WRA LinkedIn page to see the ongoing campaigns.
PRE Congress (EU Refractories industry), 19-21 June, in Hamburg, Germany, hosted under the topic “The Talent Challenge”. The objective of the congress was to assess how to attract and retain new talent for the industry.
Steel Sector
Steel Institue VDEh: "Studier Metallurgie" (Study Metallurgy)
thyssenkrupp Steel Europe: "Green steel: For the climate", #nextgenerationsteel
thyssenkrupp Steel Europe: #GenerationTK
Steel Sector Careers (Video)
Steel Sector Careers (Overview)
worldsteel's Sustainability Charter
UNESID: Promotion of Steel Women
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SPIRE-SAIS project newsletters:
SPIRE-SAIS Newsletter #11/2024
SPIRE-SAIS Newsletter #10/2024
SPIRE-SAIS Newsletter #9|2023
SPIRE-SAIS Newsletter #8|2023
SPIRE-SAIS Newsletter #7|2023
SPIRE-SAIS Newsletter #6|2022
SPIRE-SAIS Newsletter #5|2022
SPIRE-SAIS Newsletter #4 Mid-Term Conference Edition |2022
SPIRE-SAIS Newsletter #3 |2021
SPIRE-SAIS Newsletter #2| 2021
SPIRE-SAIS Newsletter #1|2021
Project announcements in the quarterly A.SPIRE Newsletters:
A.SPIRE Newsletter Edition 30|2024
A.SPIRE Newsletter Edition 29|2024
A.SPIRE Newsletter Edition 27|2022
A.SPIRE Newsletter Edition 24|2021
A.SPIRE Newsletter Edition 22|2020
A.SPIRE Newsletter Edition 21|2020
Project Coordinator
Antonius Schröder, TU Dortmund University
Tel. +49-231-755-90283
Email: antonius.schroeder@tu-dortmund.de