Quick facts

• Programme: Erasmus
• Project number: 101193814
• Start date: 1 March 2025
• End date: 28 February 2029
• Duration: 48 months
• Total budget: 3,585,033 EUR

About the project

The WELDNET project addresses the need to develop a skilled workforce in the field of welding circular/reused metals. As the circular economy is becoming mainstreamed in European automotive manufacturing (particularly with regards to iron/metallic parts), industries are striving to adhere to the latest cutting-edge practices in circular material welding (CMW) with embedded preventive maintenance systems (PMS) that would rapidly reduce corrosion, infrastructure and critical parts failures (breakage) and ultimately reduce/avoid severe injuries to employees and end-customers (society).

WELDNET has the general aim of developing a network of 5 centres of vocational excellence – COVEs (in particular regions from Greece (Central Macedonia), Romania (West Region), Austria (Multi-region), Serbia (Sumadija & Pomoravlje), and Spain (Valencia)) capable of building regional skills ecosystems in the field of circular material welding & preventive maintenance in automotive manufacturing. This will be achieved by providing long-term sustainable upskilling mechanisms (IVET/CVET) for workers/learners (including those with disabilities or from social groups at risk such as minorities/refugees).

WELDNET adopts a systemic approach to designing skills ecosystems around CMW/PMS in a living lab approach by aiming to massively transform the capacity of VET centres to upskill regional talent via public-private partnerships, shared infrastructure, fair mobility, use of public & private funds and upskilling that goes beyond technical elements, covering also life skills and support mechanisms for learners/workers with disabilities.

Project partners

The WELDNET consortium brings together 15 partners, including two associate partners, from 5 countries to form innovation ecosystems.

• EIT Manufacturing East – Austria
• Technical University Vienna (TU Wien) – Austria
• Centre for Research & Technology Hellas (Coordinator) – Greece
• ISALOS C.O. – Greece
• YET Amke – Greece
• Region of Central Macedonia (associate partner) – Greece
• Institutul National de Cercetare Dezvoltare in Sudura si Incercari de Materiale – Romania
• SUDOTIM AS SRL – Romania
• ADRVEST (associate partner) – Romania
• Helix Connect Balkans – Serbia
• MINDPARK Group – Serbia
• Regionalna agencija za ekonomski razvoj Sumadije i Pomoravlja – Serbia
• Secondary Vocational School Kragujevac – Serbia
• CESOL, Spanish Association of Welding and Joining Technologies – Spain
• FEMIVAL, Valencian Employers’ Federation of the Metal Sector – Spain