CORE

CORE

Circular Economy for Young Entrepreneurs

A 28-month European project supporting young entrepreneurs to launch circular and green businesses in the fashion and agri-food sectors

Programme: Erasmus+ KA220-VET – Cooperation Partnerships in Vocational Education and Training
Duration: 28 months (November 2025 – March 2028)
Lead Partner: Centoform Srl – Italy
Partners: Moebeus SB S.R.L. (IT), Institut Régional de Formation à l’Environnement et au Développement Durable (FR), Institute for Technology Transfer and Innovations (BG), Know-House s.r.o. (CZ)
Reference sectors: Fashion, agri-food, green and circular entrepreneurship

Project Overview

CORE (Circular ecOnomy foR young Entrepreneurs) sostiene la transizione green e circolare dei giovani aspiranti imprenditori e delle micro e piccole imprese già attive in due dei settori più inquinanti e in maggiore difficoltà in Europa: la moda e l’agroalimentare.

The project brings together a VET centre, an Italian sustainable fashion company, a French environmental training institute, a Bulgarian innovation centre and a Czech research-oriented enterprise, in a partnership spanning Italy, France, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. Together they design tools, advisory services and training resources that turn circular economy principles into concrete business opportunities for the next generation of European entrepreneurs.

Objectives

  • Support the green and circular transition of young aspiring entrepreneurs and operators already active in the fashion and agri-food sectors
  • Develop a European open-source platform featuring the CORE Decision Support System (DSS), integrated with a generative AI tool, providing personalised advice for starting or converting a business along green and circular lines
  • Build a multilingual upskilling catalogue to develop and strengthen the skills required by green entrepreneurshipBuild a multilingual upskilling catalogue to develop and strengthen the skills required by green entrepreneurship
  • Foster a “green entrepreneurship spirit” across the EU, raising awareness and engaging lasting stakeholder communities

Implementation
The five partners work collaboratively across five work packages over 28 months. WP1 ensures project management and quality assurance; WP2 designs and develops the CORE DSS methodology integrated with a generative AI advisor; WP3 produces the multilingual training catalogue, gathering at least 50 “green” learning opportunities; WP4 tests, reviews and validates the full toolkit with at least 200 beneficiaries across the four partner countries; WP5 handles communication, dissemination and the creation of a LinkedIn Community of Practice. Centoform leads the partnership as the VET partner, ensuring that outputs are directly applicable in vocational training, IFTS/ITS pathways and existing micro and small enterprises.

Expected Results

  • A multilingual, freely accessible Decision Support System (DSS) for green and circular entrepreneurship, integrated with a generative AI advisor
  • An upskilling catalogue featuring at least 50 “green” training opportunities for the fashion and agri-food sectors
  • At least 200 beneficiaries (new and existing green entrepreneurs) directly involved in piloting the CORE tools across the four partner countries
  • A European Community of Practice on LinkedIn with at least 300 members and 600 followers across social channels
  • A series of multiplier events – local in-person events, an online international event on innovative business models in agri-food, and a final international hybrid event in Bulgaria on innovative business models in fashion

CORE enables young Europeans to start and grow circular and sustainable businesses, accelerating the green transition in two of Europe’s most impactful sectors.

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GREEN LABS

GREEN LABS
International living lab network for the co-creation and development of green ecosystems

A 30-month international project to build a European network of living labs and a new VET curriculum to drive the green transition from local ecosystems

Programme: Erasmus+ KA220-VET – Cooperation Partnerships in Vocational Education and Training
Duration: 30 months (November 2024 – May 2027)
Lead Partner: Institut Régional de Formation à l’Environnement et au Développement Durable (IRFEDD) – France
Reference sectors: Green transition, living labs, VET innovation, multi-stakeholder co-creation

Project Overview

GREEN LABS (International Living Labs Network for Co-creation and Development of Green Ecosystems) builds a European network of living labs designed as collaborative spaces where citizens, businesses, public bodies, training organisations and research actors co-design innovative solutions for the green transition.

The project brings together seven partners from France, Italy, Greece, Serbia, Portugal and Germany — combining VET expertise, environmental training, entrepreneurship, public administration, collective intelligence methodologies and consulting — to ensure that the labs generate a concrete and replicable impact at local community level and train a new professional figure capable of facilitating the green transition: the Green Innovation Manager.

Objectives

  • Create an international network of living labs as collaborative spaces for multi-stakeholder participatory innovation in support of the green transition at local ecosystem level
  • Design, develop and pilot a new VET curriculum for the Green Innovation Manager (GIM), a professional figure capable of facilitating and coordinating co-design processes for green initiatives
  • Generate positive community-level impacts towards more sustainable modes of production and living, through knowledge sharing and the co-creation of new initiatives
  • Promote a widespread green social mindset across Europe through multichannel awareness campaigns and broad multi-stakeholder engagement.

Implementation

The seven partners work collaboratively across four work packages over 30 months. WP1 ensures management, coordination and quality assurance under the leadership of IRFEDD. WP2 builds and pilots the international living lab network for green ecosystems, applying a participatory approach based on the quintuple helix. WP3 designs, develops and tests the new VET curriculum for the Green Innovation Manager, validated through pilot training in the partner countries. WP4 handles communication, engagement and dissemination, with multichannel campaigns targeting citizens, stakeholders and policymakers during and beyond the project’s lifetime. Centoform participates as the Italian VET partner, ensuring that outputs are directly applicable in vocational training pathways (IFTS/ITS) and in cooperation with local socioeconomic actors.

Expected Results

  • A European network of local living labs aimed at promoting the green transition and the development of a widespread green social mindset
  • A new VET curriculum for the Green Innovation Manager — a facilitator figure capable of coordinating community-level green transition initiatives
  • Pilot training delivered in the partner countries to validate the curriculum with the first cohorts of Green Innovation Managers
  • Targeted multichannel awareness campaigns and extensive multi-stakeholder engagement activities
  • A sustainability model for the post-project life of the labs and for their replicability in other European regions

GREEN LABS creates a living European network in which citizens, businesses and institutions co-design the green transition from the ground up, training the new facilitators Europe needs to make it happen.

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CraftAdapt: New Crafts Emerging

CraftAdapt
New Crafts Emerging

Secondary Waste Processing as a New Entrepreneurial Opportunity for Artisans from Disadvantaged Backgrounds

Programme: Erasmus+
Focus: Circular economy integration in VET for the crafting sector
Pilot Target: Over 100 artisans and VET stakeholders
Key Materials: 10 e-learning units, 5 entrepreneurial manuals, 25 best practice examples

Overview del progetto
CraftAdapt aims to contribute to vocational education in the crafting sector by integrating circular economy principles. The project addresses modern environmental and market demands through the innovative use of waste materials — plastics, debris and scraps — transforming them into new entrepreneurial opportunities, particularly for artisans from disadvantaged backgrounds. Responding to both EU green transition strategies and the evolving needs of craft markets, CraftAdapt equips artisans with updated skills to thrive in an economy increasingly shaped by sustainability requirements, the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and the Plastics Strategy.

Objectives

  • Bridge traditional and modern craft skills, focusing on secondary waste processing, upcycling and repurposing techniques
  • Promote upcycling as a craft practice, contributing to the circular economy and aligning with EU environmental strategies
  • Update educational materials with new guidelines and learning resources tailored to the changing needs of craft markets
  • Foster digital literacy, introducing digital tools to support upskilling and knowledge exchange among artisans
  • Pilot test new VET programme through international tests with over 100 artisans and stakeholders

Implementazione
CraftAdapt develops a digital educational toolkit featuring 10 e-learning units for VET schools, 5 entrepreneurial manuals on upcycling and repurposing, and 25 best practice examples highlighting innovative and sustainable crafting solutions. These resources are tested through a training programme targeting apprentices and VET students, ensuring practical application and real-world feedback. International pilot sessions validate the methodology across partner countries.

Expected Results

  • Enhanced skills in waste utilisation and circular crafting practices among VET students and artisans
  • Improved resilience and competitiveness of artisans from disadvantaged backgrounds
  • Integration of sustainable crafting practices into standard vocational education curricula
  • Emergence of new craft professions addressing the demands of a green economy

CraftAdapt transforms waste into opportunity, empowering a new generation of artisans to lead the green transition from their workbenches.

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Carbon Farming Awareness Hub (CarboFarmHub)

CarboFarmHub
Carbon Farming Awareness Hub

Building a European network of awareness hubs to foster green transition and carbon farming in the primary sector

Programme: Erasmus+ / EU-funded
Countries: Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal
Target: young people, stakeholders, farmers
Format: On-site and online awareness initiatives, policy brief, Carbon Farming Hub network

Project Overview

Climate change poses irrecoverable risks for the environment and human life, requiring flagship initiatives and a common intervention framework. In this context, Carbon Farming Awareness Hub (CarboFarmHub) responds to the joint challenge of increasing awareness and skills among young citizens and farmers, preparing them to face the emerging demands of sustainable food systems and to fight food insecurity. CarboFarmHub creates a network of awareness hubs in four partner countries — Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal — all leaders in organic agricultural areas in Europe. The project aligns with EU strategies including the Green Deal, the Farm2Fork strategy, and the Carbon Farming Initiative launched in December 2021.

Objectives

  • Increase awareness of youth and relevant stakeholders on European green transition strategies and climate action
  • Valorise the role of the primary sector — specifically farming — in reducing environmental and social impacts
  • Create a network of CarboFarmHubs acting as points of reference and accelerators for sustainable production in four countries
  • Produce a policy brief collecting evidence and feedback to support policymakers in designing carbon farming policies

Implementation

CarboFarmHub implements a wide set of outreach initiatives both on-site and online across all four partner countries. The Hub operates as a point of reference and an accelerator promoting sustainable ways of producing and new sustainable business models. At least 600 young people and 350 stakeholders — including public administrators, policymakers, farmers, BSOs, youth associations, VET providers and universities — are engaged in the Global Framework of initiatives, along with at least 100 farmers interested in conversion and the emerging European carbon market.

Expected Results

  • Operational CarboFarmHub network in Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal
  • Over 600 young people engaged through awareness-raising initiatives
  • Over 350 stakeholders involved in the Global Framework of initiatives
  • At least 100 farmers engaged in conversion and carbon market exploration
  • A policy brief on carbon farming strategies, barriers and payment systems to inform EU policymakers

CarboFarmHub puts the primary sector at the heart of Europe’s green transition, empowering young people and farmers to become active agents of sustainable change.

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Documents

EXCEED – Excellence in green and digital manufacturing

EXCEED
Excellence in Green and Digital Manufacturing

Preparing the Advanced Manufacturing sector for the twin green and digital transitions

Programme: Erasmus+ – European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA)
Project ID: 101103982 | CUP E31B23000120004
EU Grant: € 2,582,433
Duration: 4 years
Countries: Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, Greece, Finland
Lead Organisation: Centoform SRL – Via Nino Bixio 11, 44042 Cento (FE), Italy
Website: www.exceed-cove.eu

Project Overview

EXCEED — Excellence in Green and Digital Manufacturing — prepares the Advanced Manufacturing sector for the disruptive changes driven by the simultaneous green and digital transitions. The project assumes these two forces are synergistic and mutually reinforcing, representing powerful levers to accelerate innovation in Advanced Manufacturing. Through a large international consortium of universities, VET institutions, industry clusters and companies across five European countries, EXCEED develops joint, individualised lifelong learning programmes and updates curricula for Higher VET (EQF 4–5). A particular focus is placed on low-skilled adults at risk of marginalisation, in line with the “leave no one behind” principle of the European Green Deal.

Objectives

  • Equip current and future workers with the competences needed to master the twin green and digital transitions in Advanced Manufacturing
  • Provide lifelong learning pathways enabling workers to remain employable and keep pace with rapidly evolving skill demands
  • Ensure no one is left behind, with a focus on upskilling and reskilling low-skilled adults
  • Establish an International Talent Factory to attract, develop and retain talent in Advanced Manufacturing

Implementation

EXCEED operates through four interconnected work streams: a joint international lifelong learning offer (flexible and individualised), new and updated Higher VET curricula (EQF 4–5), an International Talent Factory connecting education and industry, and capacity building for VET professionals. Over four years, partners will involve at least 600 learners directly and reach over 26,000 beneficiaries through a multichannel communication strategy.

Expected Results

  • A joint, international and individualised Lifelong Learning offer for Advanced Manufacturing
  • New and updated Higher VET curricula at EQF 4 and 5
  • An International Talent Factory supporting skilled workforce development across Europe
  • Upskilled VET professionals translating green and digital innovation into education
  • At least 600 learners directly involved; over 26,000 beneficiaries reached

EXCEED drives the twin transition in Advanced Manufacturing, building a skilled European workforce ready to lead the green and digital economy.

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Project newsletter

Documents

SEE-VET

SEE-VET
Social and Emotional Education in VET

Improving VET educators’ and learners’ social and emotional literacy through the five SEE lenses
Programme: Erasmus+
Duration: 24 months
Focus: Social and Emotional Education (SEE) in Vocational Education and Training
Target: VET teachers, trainers, mentors and students
Project Overview
SEE-VET is a 24-month Erasmus+ project designed to improve VET teachers’ and students’ emotional and social literacy, as well as their self-awareness, empathy, resilience and assertiveness. Under five SEE lenses — social and emotional competences — SEE-VET positively influences VET teachers’ professional growth and helps them develop their own skill sets. At the same time, the project supports students’ social and emotional wellbeing and fosters a proactive attitude toward the VET system. By making Social and Emotional Education a natural part of VET provision, SEE-VET creates more inclusive, engaging and effective learning environments.
Objectives
  • Help VET professionals understand and implement the Social and Emotional Education (SEE) framework in their daily practice
  • Create a repository enabling VET professionals to experience a SEE environment first-hand and continue generating a culture of SEE in their institutions
  • Provide VET teachers with innovative knowledge and competences to increase students’ motivation to learn, practise and work
  • Contribute to increasing achievement levels among VET students through SEE-informed pedagogy

Implementation

SEE-VET develops training resources, a digital repository of SEE tools and methodologies, and practical learning experiences that allow VET educators to apply Social and Emotional Education approaches in their classrooms. The project builds capacity at institutional level, creating a culture of SEE that goes beyond individual professional development and becomes embedded in VET providers’ everyday practice.

Expected Results

  • A practical SEE framework adapted for the VET context
  • A digital repository of tools and methodologies for Social and Emotional Education in VET
  • VET educators equipped with innovative competences to foster student motivation and achievement
  • An enhanced culture of social and emotional wellbeing across VET institutions

SEE-VET brings the human dimension to VET, building educators and learners who are not only technically skilled but emotionally intelligent and socially aware.

Partner

Erasmus+: Share your skills

Erasmus+ – Share your skills
Skills for Repair, Recovery and Recycling in the Context of Ecological Transition

Valorizing informal repair skills to support lifelong learning, ecological transition and inclusive societies

Programme: Erasmus+ – Adult Education
Project code: 2021-1-FR01-KA220-ADU-000026628
Duration: 2 years (from 2021)
Lead partner: France
Focus: Skills in the repair sector, ecological and digital transition, lifelong learning

Project Overview

Share Your Skills is an Erasmus+ project for adult education, funded by the European Commission for a duration of two years. The project focuses on the repair sector as a testing ground for developing and strengthening technical and transversal skills—both formal and informal—for adults. Drawing inspiration from successful experiences across Europe—such as the “Repair Cafés” widely established in France and Germany and growing in Italy as well—the project explores how repair skills can be integrated into lifelong learning pathways. The objective is to support ecological and digital transition while fostering more inclusive and participatory societies.

Objectives

  • Raise awareness among communities about the importance of sustainable behaviors and the challenges of ecological and digital transition in the repair sector
  • Identify, develop and valorize repair, recovery and recycling skills in formal and informal learning contexts
  • Develop and promote skills within a lifelong learning framework, making informal repair skills visible and transferable
  • Identify and characterize beneficiaries in the repair sector and understand their diverse needs

Implementation

The project uses innovative experiences such as Repair Cafés as learning environments, analyzing the skills practiced informally in these community spaces. It develops a skills passport to make transparent and portable the competencies acquired by adults through informal repair activities. A training toolkit on recovery, repair and recycling themes is also created and tested in partner countries.

Expected Results

  • Greater awareness among target groups and partners of the challenges of ecological and digital transition in the repair sector
  • A skills passport for transparency and recognition of repair, recovery and recycling competencies acquired informally
  • A training toolkit for adult education on recovery, repair and recycling
  • A stronger link between informal learning in the repair sector and formal lifelong learning pathways

Share Your Skills places repair at the heart of lifelong learning, transforming everyday sustainability practices into recognized pathways for adult education and social inclusion.

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Documents

Tiche Project

TICHE Project
Training & Innovation in Circular Economy per l’Alta Formazione Professionale

Establishing a European VET Academy on Circular Economy through transnational ecosystem cooperation

Programma: Erasmus+
Focus: Competenze verdi, economia circolare, capacity building VET
Partnership:Research centres, VET centres, universities, SMEs, clusters, umbrella organisations, public administrations
Vision: A European Training Area for Circular Economy

Project Overview

Climate change and the imperative shift away from the linear economy paradigm demand a fundamental rethinking of skills in the workforce. The TICHE Project responds to this need by establishing a European VET Academy on Circular Economy, driven by a highly experienced and complementary transnational partnership. The project is grounded in the recognition that “green jobs” — expected to represent more than 80% of jobs by 2030 — require not just compositional skill changes but a substantial shift in skills domains. TICHE addresses both the growing demand for green-skilled workers and the need for entrepreneurs with a “green mindset”, aligning with Smart Specialization Strategies across all partner countries.

Objectives

  • Establish a European VET Academy on Circular Economy as a lasting transnational structure for green skills development
  • Develop a comprehensive green skills framework tailored to the circular economy needs of each partner territory
  • Build the capacity and responsiveness of VET systems to address the demands of a low-carbon economy
  • Support the transition to bio-based, low-impact and sustainable production across different sectors

Implementation

TICHE operates as an ecosystem bringing together research centres, VET centres, universities, SMEs, clusters, umbrella organisations, international networks and public administrations. This diverse consortium works collaboratively to build capacity and produce transferable resources that strengthen the responsiveness of VET systems across Europe, in line with the concept of a European Training Area. Partner engagement covers the entire circular economy innovation chain, from research and curriculum design to piloting and dissemination.

Expected Results

  • A European VET Academy on Circular Economy operational across partner countries
  • A green skills curriculum framework adaptable to different sectors and territorial contexts
  • Strengthened VET system capacity to respond to green transition demands
  • Policy recommendations aligned with Smart Specialization Strategies in partner countries
  • A transnational ecosystem connecting research, education, business and public administration

TICHE builds the foundations of a European green skills ecosystem, enabling VET systems to become the driving force of the circular economy transition.

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Documents

Video

Life ADA Project

Life ADA
Agriculture and Climate Change Adaptation

Building climate resilience across three agri-food supply chains in Emilia-Romagna

Programme: LIFE – EU Programme for Environment and Climate Action
Period: October 2021 – June 2022
Territory: Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy
Supply Chains: Fruit & Vegetables, Viticulture, Dairy – Parmigiano Reggiano
Target Participants: 50 farmers and producer organisation members
Contact: Elena Zani | elena.zani@centoform.it | 051 68 30 470

Project Overview

Life ADA aims to build robust climate resilience objectives along three key agri-food supply chains in the Emilia-Romagna region: the dairy sector (Parmigiano Reggiano), viticulture and fruit and vegetable production. The project delivers a structured training and awareness programme for farmers, producer organisations and sector operators.
Through a series of technical webinars and good practice exchange workshops, Life ADA provides concrete, sector-specific knowledge on climate change impacts, risk management, adaptation strategies and new digital tools applied to agriculture.

Objectives

  • Provide farmers with up-to-date knowledge on climate change, its projections and impacts on agriculture
  • Share adaptation strategies and tools specific to each of the three supply chains (dairy, viticulture, fruit & vegetables)
  • Facilitate knowledge exchange and good practice sharing among operators from the three sectors
  • Facilitate knowledge exchange and good practice sharing among operators from the three sectors

Implementation

The programme delivers 9 webinars — 6 technical and 3 dedicated to good practice exchange — plus in-company study visits. Activities are supported by a facilitator-tutor figure ensuring pedagogical quality and participant engagement. Topics range from climate projections and big data in agriculture to sector-specific economic impacts and adaptation tools for Parmigiano Reggiano, viticulture and fruit & vegetable production.

Expected Results

  • 50 trained farmers and producer organisation members across three supply chains
  • 9 webinars delivered covering climate change, risk management and sector-specific adaptation strategies
  • Good practice exchange among best-in-class companies in the Emilia-Romagna agri-food sector
  • Increased capacity of operators to implement climate adaptation measures in their enterprises

Life ADA equips Emilia-Romagna’s agricultural operators with the knowledge and tools to build climate resilience and secure the future of their supply chains.

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Useful links

Contact persons
Elena Zani

elena.zani@centoform.it
Tel: 051 68 30 470

Partner

Documents

SHVET

SHVET
Smart Development of HVET for Highly Skilled and Mobile Workforce

A joint higher VET qualification for building automation experts across Croatia, Slovenia and Italy

Programme: Erasmus+
Countries: Croatia, Slovenia, Italy
Focus Area: HVET / IFTS – EQF Level 5
Sector: Electrotechnical, Technical, Construction
Methodology: Work-Based Learning (WBL)

Project Overview

SHVET aims to contribute to the development of a highly qualified professional profile that is free to move across Croatia, Slovenia and Italy, supporting employment and reducing skills gaps in the electrotechnical, technical and construction sectors. The project focuses on defining a new joint IFTS/ITS (EQF 4 and 5) qualification for experts in building automation, aligned with current and future employer needs, incorporating a Work-Based Learning approach and student/worker mobility.

Objectives

  • Contribute to the training of a highly qualified, mobile workforce across three economically connected countries
  • Reduce the skills gap in the electrotechnical and construction sectors
  • Define a new joint IFTS/ITS qualification for building automation experts at EQF Level 5
  • Support the development and promotion of higher vocational education and training

Implementation

Employers are involved throughout the entire process through questionnaires, focus groups and working groups to identify competences and learning outcomes. Prior knowledge of learners is recognised based on assessment guidelines and standards. The new curriculum and qualification are validated by teachers, trainers and IFTS/ITS experts through a “Train the Trainers” event. The SmartApp network is activated through a Memorandum of Understanding between IFTS/ITS support organisations and employers.

Expected Results

  • New joint qualification at EQF Level 5 in building automation for Croatia, Slovenia and Italy
  • Validated curriculum aligned with employer needs using a Work-Based Learning approach
  • SmartApp network connecting educational institutions and SMEs for learner and worker mobility
  • Memorandum of Understanding supporting structured cross-border mobility

SHVET creates a new generation of highly qualified building automation experts capable of working and moving freely across three interconnected European countries.

Partner

Documents

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