Architectural Aluminium Academy (AAA), is the Project Coordinator. AAA is a Competence Centre established as an Innovation Cluster with the funding of the national General Secretariat of Research and Innovation of Greece comprising: two major Greek educational institutions, the University of Macedonia, and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; SME technology providers, enterprises including Aumil, the largest aluminium extrusion company in SE Europe, wholesale traders, and more. AAA is certified as an official VET provider with its premises having dedicated spaces used to host classes, seminars, and technical trainings. AAA will be certified as an official Lifelong Learning Centre during the project and will be the link for the aluminium value chain in Greece and internationally.
PwC in Greece is the largest professional services firm and part of a network of more than 328,000 people in 152 countries. With significant expertise in focus areas such as Energy, Technology, Health, Environment and Social Affairs among others, the EU Affairs and Funding team of PwC Greece comprises a group of highly experienced professionals in both educational and research and innovation EU funded projects and will lead the efforts in the exploitation and dissemination activities of the project.
UoM is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the metropolis of Thessaloniki Central Macedonia. The Business Excellence Lab (BEL) of UoM has been operating since 2003 at the Department of Business Administration. Its members have excellent scientific skills and focus on researching management issues related to decision making, supply chain, organizational performance, quality, organizational change, organizational learning, and knowledge. UoM is leading the efforts in WP9 Quality Assurance (Business Excellence Lab). The Lifelong Learning Centre of the University will provide access as a VET provider to the e-Learning material of the project and will coordinate the quality assurance procedures of the project.
BHOW is an innovative start-up company, specialised in BIM, virtual reality, and 3D software. BHOW will contribute as BIM experts to the design and development of the curriculum, they will develop and share BIM-related learning content and offer content for extended reality learning modules to be integrated to the i-LMS platform. Seismic stress visualisation and BIM-based structural design training will be available through the i-LMS platform in video and VR.
KEAN is a non-profit association that focuses on the development and implementation of humanitarian programs for the protection of the social and physical environment. Its goal is upgrading the lives of young people and vulnerable social groups, combating social exclusion and poverty, promoting a better organized society with respect for human rights and the environment and promoting volunteering spirit and familiarity with the new technologies. KEAN will work horizontally across all INSIDE-CoVE countries as an expert on youth and equality. They will further identify under-represented social groups and will support learning content providing partners in terms of language, accessibility, and diversity in construction.
TGC, the Technical Chamber of Greece, is a public legal entity established in 1923 and covers 17 geographical regions. All qualified licensed engineers in Greece are registered members of TCG, numbering over 100,000 professionals across all engineering and architecture disciplines. TGC represents the professional sector within the Greek CoVE, offering extensive expertise across all relevant disciplines. It will support the identification of learners’ needs through its extensive network and contribute to the dissemination of the project results within the BIM framework.
DYPA plays a significant role in the INSIDE-CoVE project. As a public organization, DYPA oversees passive labour market policies, initial vocational education combined with work-based learning practices, vocational training for adults and people with disabilities, and active labour market policies to promote employment and vocational training for both unemployed and employed citizens. DYPA offers counselling services and oversees the EURES job mobility network. In the project, DYPA acts as both a EURES network provider and an initial and vocational training education provider, connecting thousands of students and numerous vocational education liaison offices across Greece. DYPA plays a crucial role in proliferating INSIDE-CoVE across all regions on a national scale, building the AEC skills ecosystem in Greece, and leading school partnerships on a European level to enhance VET attractiveness for young professionals.
iCERT is a certification body based in Athens, Greece, providing high quality services in accordance with ISO 17024 both with natural presence and remotely. iCert has been involved in several National Projects undertaking certification of trainings and quality assurance control. Within the INSIDE-CoVE, ICERT plays a crucial role in the certification process. They are responsible for allowing the 100 best learners to be certified through an online or in-person evaluation process according to ISO/IEC 17024 standards, through 3 micro-credentials (Unit of Energy, Digital and Circular). Additionally, ICERT will produce a comprehensive PDF report on the certification framework, ensuring that the certification process is well-documented and standardised.
UNIC is one of the leading comprehensive research-oriented universities in the Mediterranean region offering more than 100 conventional face-to-face (on campus) and distance learning online programmes at the Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degree level, hosting more than 14,000 students from over 100 countries. UNIC will act as a multiplier partner for the proliferation of the INSIDE-CoVE in Cyprus through its Civil engineering department, the UNIC extended distance learning network of students and Lifelong Learning Unit.
ALGO is a technology company with cutting-edge research in the area of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). ALGOs staff offers a blend of expertise which will appear instrumental for the successful execution of the project. Their prior experience in the design and development of e-learning platforms will offer bespoke services for the needs of INSIDE-CoVE by designing the project website and the platform that will be used equally by trainers, trainees and stakeholders for designing, delivering, and demonstrating courses for the construction industry.
TH-OWL is a prominent research university for applied sciences, offering around 60 bachelor's and master's degree programs, as well as doctoral programs across three locations in Ost Westfalen-Lippe, North Rhine-Westphalia. The university is characterized by application-oriented research and strong partnerships with the economy, both regionally and beyond, addressing interdisciplinary questions in companies and businesses. With facilities ranging from laboratories to research halls, the university provides a robust environment for cooperation. TH-OWL will contribute to the regional VET program in Germany and lead efforts in curriculum design for energy-efficient design, construction, operation, and processes. Additionally, an AI-video/audio translator model will be assessed by TH-OWL for integration with certain iLMS content and features.
DRS is a technical school offering initial vocational education (ages 16-25) in the construction sector, such as carpenters, bricklayers, refrigeration technicians, heating engineers, technical system planners, road builders. The school has more than 1500 students per year and collaborates with many industries for work-based dual apprenticeships (e.g., MELZER). DRS will be the lead VET providing partner in the German CoVE. As a dual partner in German vocational training, they have strong connections to companies and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Chamber of Crafts. In addition, there will be a regular discussion with local politicians, which is intended to ensure the sustainable development of vocational training.
IBP is a market-oriented innovation central contact point for integral system solutions in the field of construction. IBP represent and process all scientific and research-relevant questions on the topic of construction from a single source across 11 Fraunhofer research centres across Germany. IBP performs Research and Education in all relevant Innovation and transformation topics of the building and real estate industry. IBP solutions span the entire life cycle of a building from project planning, planning, implementation, product and material innovation to operation and dismantling. IBP close collaboration both with academia as well as the construction industry acts as a binding element between education and the world of work. Additionally, they will uptake a learning content provision role. Moreover, their access to the FAB Academy (FAB-AC) will provide access to higher EQF level learners in the German CoVE.
MZR is a family-owned company in the field of refrigeration technology. MZR currently has more than 2,000 customers from business areas for heating ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) solutions with 6,000 orders per year and more than 160 employees. MZR will provide feedback regarding the developed content of INSIDE-CoVE based on industry needs on the HVAC technology sector. Moreover, as a participant Industry in the DRS training dual work-based learning programme they will provide access to their employees to participate in the training activities of INSIDE-CoVE. A special focus is placed on the use of digital technologies such as BIM, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) contribution. MZR acts as a world-of-work representative and additionally will provide trainers and trainees with access to these innovative teaching methods and technologies.
The FLC is a joint non-profit organisation working as a benchmark entity in the sector for the future of construction companies and professionals. The FLC works to promote the employability and professionalisation of the construction sector and to attract new workers to boost the competitiveness of companies. The FLC is the main representative organisation of the Spanish CoVE workforce and offers extensive knowledge in all relevant disciplines within the construction ecosystem.
The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) is an international centre for research, education, investigation and development oriented toward architecture as a discipline that addresses different scales of territorial analysis and urban development as well as diverse architectural projects, digital processes and information environments. Through its Robotics Lab, IAAC brings teaching content and expertise, as well as a well-established outreach network, and a strong infrastructure (for learning by doing with machines). IAAC has 20 years of know-how in teaching digital and green skills to architects, engineers, and designers. It also has experience in state-of-the-art research and constructed projects with new technology & sustainable practice. IAAC will be responsible for robotics and 3d printing related learning content. It will target professionals already engaged in the sector willing to learn digital and green skills but lack time / flexibility to take a postgraduate or master program such as the one already offered by IAAC aiming to expand its training programs to the VET ecosystem. IAAC will host a summer-school and organise a hackathon to promote VET attractiveness within green and digital skills building in an inclusive approach.
IVE is a private non-profit foundation that acts as the innovation agency for the Regional Ministry by promoting competitive research, innovation, training and multilateral cross-border cooperation projects by enhancing sustainability, energy efficiency, circular economy and resilience in both buildings and cities. IVE board includes professionals, developers, building contractors, end-users, in order to provide a platform for ideas exchange, developments and knowledge in the different fields of construction. IVE will be responsible for the BIM training methodology and the content of the training material on BIM based on the knowledge gained in previous projects and will further act as a world-of-work representative within the project.
FEMXA is a training company specialized in training for employment, aimed at companies, public administration, consulting, professional offices, training centres and individuals The company is part of Grupo Femxa, with 8 companies specialized in different fields, always focused on improving the qualification of people. With more than 20 years of experience in the development and implementation of training plans in different business sectors, Femxa annually trains more than 40.000 people in Spain and more than 20.000 in Latin America. Femxa is the leading VET provider in the Spanish Cove supporting actions with their branches in Valencia, Barcelona, and Galicia. They participate in all the teaching-learning process, from the analysis of the training needs of an entity, organization or public administration, to the design of the training plan that provides the specific solutions to these needs, through the development of materials and didactic means, the selection of teaching experts or advisors in the teaching process, the delivery of training activities both in training activities, in any type of teaching, and other activities (conferences, coaching sessions, workshops, conferences, etc.), financial management and dissemination of the project. Within INSIDE-CoVE, FEMXA serves as the leading VET provider of the Spanish CoVE.
SGS is specialised in safety and environmental services. SGS brings knowledge of the needs of the industry, through its wide network of clients. SGS is present in 140 countries and has 92,000 employees. SGS will incorporate into its training catalogue the different courses that will be developed, as well as adapt the courses it is already running in the Construction area for Health and Safety to incorporate the new skills of this ecosystem. SGS will offer their experience in BIM, Green building certification (BREEAM, LEED) and will investigate health and safety skills parameters regarding green and digital future construction operations.
Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest
Ireland
TUS
Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest
The Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS) is a Higher Education and Research Institute specialising in research, development and innovation across many disciplines. TUS has a strong record in research, with the Sustainable Research Development Institute (SDRI) successfully delivering on European and Irish funded projects for over 25 years, on energy efficiency, renewables, circular economy, digitisation and decarbonisation research. A member of EU Pact for Skills, TUS specialises in rapid design, development and deployment of training content for the built environment. As part of the INSIDE-CoVE Project, TUS will be the lead partner on circular economy and green skills and the innovation in the Irish Knowledge triangle. TUS will develop a Qualification Framework where circularity is linked to BIM capability, and provide credited digital badge certification and recognition of circularity skills in the construction sector. TUS will facilitate and support training to at least 50 specialist workers and professionals in Higher Education Institutes and Educational Training Boards, ETBs in Ireland. Additionally, TUS will enhance the curricula of higher and further education through supplementing new educational and training courses with circularity and digital modules.
WWETB is a VET provider delivering education on the EQF from levels 3 to 6. WWETB also a nZEB Centre of Excellence provides a broad range of education and training services including post-primary schools and colleges, Further Education and Training (FET), outdoor education and training, music education and has legal responsibilities for youth work in the Southeast of Ireland. WWETB will provide their developed VR retrofitting training tool used alongside existing apprenticeships, aiming to encourage young people into the construction industry.
Limerick and Clare ETB is one of 16 state education and training authorities in Ireland. It manages an NZEB/Retrofit Centre of Excellence (Green Innovation Campus), as well as delivery of numerous construction pathway and apprenticeship skills training EQF Level 3-5 courses across the Mid-West region. The ETB has an active portfolio in the provision of Green Construction training and with INSIDE-CoVE will partner with similar providers in the green skills upskilling area. Its new Green Innovation Campus is currently developing and delivering courses that focus on construction skills specifically on the areas of energy efficiency, circular economy, digitisation, decarbonisation and renewable heating and cooling systems (HVAC). Train-the-Trainer programmes are a central part of the ETB's strategy in order to meet its desired outcomes and targets.
LΟΕΤΒ is a learning provider for EQF Levels 3-5. LOETB is also a nZEB Centre of Excellence hosting Ireland’s MMC Demonstration Park and is leading the FET (VET) sector’s digital construction provision with a range of provision in BIM, REVIT, TEKLA, and in the utilisation of AI and VR in construction upskilling and reskilling provision. Through their expertise, they will enhance the INSIDE-CoVE capacity to offer accessible, responsive, flexible, and relevant skillsets, and at the same time, support the Midlands Region in Ireland to justly transition away from extractive industries.
IGBC is a non-profit organisation launched in 2011 with members from organisations and businesses from across the value chain of the built environment. These include architects, engineers, contractors, universities, professional institutes, NGOs, local authorities, energy companies, leading national and transnational companies. All are united in one common goal to accelerate the transformation of the built environment to one that is sustainable through leadership, research, education, and providing policy input to national and local government. The IGBC will be world-of-work representative of the Irish CoVE
EBC is a European non-profit professional organisation, established in 1990 and based in Brussels, that represents national associations of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and craftspeople in the construction sector. EBC is a recognised European Sectoral Social Partner and part of the employers’ delegation in the European sectoral social dialogue for construction. At national level, EBC members cover crafts ranging from general contractors and bricklayers over specialised crafts such as carpenters, joiners, plumbers, HVAC, electricians and renewable energy installers to finishing crafts such as plasterers and tile-fix painters.
EBC will provide feedback from crafts and SME entrepreneurs in the construction sector as their input is considered crucial for any major development or initiative targeting the sector. EBC will support the proliferation of project results as well as policy and governance through their large network of members and stakeholders across EU through: internal memos to members, monthly newsletter website, social media, intervention in relevant events and through direct engagement in debates at Brussels level. EBC acts as both a multiplier organisation of the project outcomes and a world-of-work European association. Additionally, EBC will create a direct link with other EU-funded initiatives such as Erasmus+ Construction Blueprint for Skills 2 or the policy initiative Pact for Skills in Construction.
EA, founded in 1981 and based in Brussels, is a member-based industry association representing Europe’s most complete and thriving metals value chain. EA counts more than 100 members representing more than 600 plants in 30 European countries. EA’s day-to-day work is managed by an international team of policy- and technical experts. They actively engage with decision makers and the wider stakeholder community to promote the aluminium value chain secure growth and optimise its contribution to meeting the EU’s sustainability and industrial leadership ambitions. EA will provide input from the aluminium value-chain related stakeholders active in the in the construction ecosystem. By leveraging their extensive network of members and stakeholders across Europe and acting as sector representative for the aluminium value chain, EA will promote the dissemination of project results.
