3D2ACT

Digitization and industry 4.0 are perhaps the most important drivers behind the profound transformation of the labour market, the way people work and the new digital skills required to meet the needs of the digitalized market. VET is valued for fostering job-specific and transversal skills, facilitating the transition into employment and maintaining and updating the skills of the workforce according to sectoral, regional and local needs.

FOSTERING INDUSTRY 4.0 AND 3D TECHNOLOGIES THROUGH SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAMME FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE – 3D2ACT project is a 30-months project co-funded by the European Commission with the Erasmus plus programme KA2. It addresses three main priorities of the Erasmus+ Programme as shown below:

  1. VET: Further strengthening key competences in initial and continuing VET;
  2. VET: Supporting the uptake of innovative approaches and digital technologies for teaching and learning;
  3. HORIZONTAL: Supporting educators, youth workers, educational leaders and supporting staff.

3D2ACT project will sustain VET trainers and educators in an attempt to strengthen their profiles with the acquisition of new skills with the development of targeted material and the collection of tools and resources, while at the same time it will create opportunities for linking VET schools with the labour market building on synergies and partnerships with established organizations using industry 4.0 and automation or 3D printing and robotics.

The key competences to be promoted as part of the 3D2ACT project are:

  • 3D design, modeling and printing skills (3D-P) which appear to be missing from VET curricula and are currently needed to enter the labour market and be included in VET job profiles. 3D-P is currently seen as a cornerstone of the industrial shift towards advanced manufacturing, creating opportunities for employment, value creation, and reallocation of manufacturing production back to Europe;
  • targeted ‘wide and deep’ digital competences, as required by the 2018 Digital Action Plan: coding, robotics and STEAM skills based on a cross-curricular approach away from subject boundaries;
  • Entrepreneurial skills, but with a social impact as they are responding to social challenges/needs and have a benefit for the community, the environment or the culture. Having an entrepreneurial mindset is a great advantage in today’s job market since it is what makes ideas come true and become a reality. Creativity is the engine of entrepreneurship.

Therefore, 3D2ACT’s objectives will also include:

  • To upgrade the VET provision and to strengthen the profiles of VET trainers and educators in the use of 3D technologies and skills
  • To promote the acquisition of key competences among students, especially girls, such as 3D-P, STEAM, Robotics & Social Entrepreneurship (SE).

The project is developed by the National Center for Scientific Research “DEMOKRITOS” (Greece), Politeknika Ikastegia Txorierri (Spain), Emphasys Centre (Cyprus), Stichting Incubator (The Netherlands), Regional Directorate of Primary and Secondary Education of Crete (Crete – Greece), the University of Crete (Crete – Greece) and the European Digital Learning Network (Italy).

Stay up to date on the project online:

Visit the website: www.3d2act.eu

Follow the project activities on