Driving the dual transition paradigm, combined with demographic dynamics in Europe, urges a re-thinking of the Vocational, Education and Training (VET) system to adjust current job and skill profiles to new frameworks. The phenomena that can occur in the different sectors range between job disruption, job substitution or readaptation, or job creation. Though the problem has already been portrayed by European institutions, it did not lead to a definitive solution because of its complexity and multidimensionality. There is still a strong misalignment between the demand of green skills and their availability on the labour market, and European studies highlight the importance of a contextual development of transversal green skills, convenient for all the industrial sectors.

The MASTERY project focuses on the agri-food, construction, wood and furniture, manufacturing, sustainability management and the public sectors as well, with the dual aim of innovating continuous training systems and supporting workers and companies in developing skills for the green transition through the creation of a European joint methodology for green skills micro-credits.

Being short-term, small educational pieces, micro-credentials deliver targeted learning and flexibility while at the same time assessment of learning outcomes and certification of knowledge at the end of the process. Updating and adapting easily, micro-credentials present numerous advantages linked to the ability to satisfy the demand of the labour market, the impact on continuous learning, the possibility of formal and informal learning for students, as well as the digital format, the nature of short-term outcomes, and the modularity. However, there are still many open questions for their implementation in Europe, and the identification, development, testing and assessing of innovative policy approaches are needed for ensuring mutual application of micro-credentials in all Europe. In addition, green skill needs are still not well defined, differing from sector to sector and requiring non-traditional green jobs.

The MASTERY Consortium involves three representative organisations or VET providers from Italy (Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies), Bulgaria (CleanTech Bulgaria), and Spain (Centro Tecnológico del Mueble Y la Madera), as well as five enterprise, industry, or sector representative organisations from Italy (Sistemi Formativi Confindustria), Bulgaria (Confederation of the Industrialists and Employers in Bulgaria), Spain (Agrupación Empresarial Innovadora de Fabricantes de Muebles y Afines de la Región de Murcia), Belgium (ACR+), and Finland (Pyhäjärvi Institute).

The partners are working together to achieve MASTERY aims of (1) boosting the green job opportunities, through the recognition of micro-credentials enabling upskilling and reskilling pathways; (2) providing faster responses to the skills needs identified by employers; and (3) enhancing the flexible qualification and retraining according to labour market needs.

To do so, a research report will detail key insights on green skill needs and micro-credential quality criteria to create a benchmark for further development of micro-credential systems supporting the green skills that will serve as a basis for the co-design of micro-credentials policy methodology. In addition, the project will involve the design and the piloting of micro-credential courses in VETs, universities, and industry. Finally, based on lessons learnt and feedback, a set of recommendations for introducing micro-credentials will be produced focusing on both the VET system and the future application of MASTERY (policy recommendations).