WP2 Core Actions:

• Research and analyze existing digital platforms and resources related to competences in the second-hand economy. Enhance the project's competence model with updated information.

• Conduct focus group meetings with project stakeholders to gather insights. They will support project partners in designing a practical competence model that addresses the fundamental skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed for success in the digital and circular second-hand economy.

• Elaborate on the first version of the competence model. This model will support the design of contemporary vocational education and training (VET) curricula (see below).

• Apply the model's approach in the development of the BG Skills Studio - ready!

WP3 Core Actions:

• Collaborate in an instructional design workshop during the BG mobility in Avellino - hosted by CONFORM - on the elaboration of educational materials. 

• Develop educational materials enhanced by Generative AI, along with instructions for educators and facilitators, tailored to the target audience of the project.

• Issue Europass Mobility documents to the staff members who took part in the BG mobility, co-signed by the sending organisation and the host organisation, certifying the competences acquired during the training activity: instructional design skills and the writing of storyboards for the Skill Boosters and the business scenarios.

Bridging Gaps Skills Studio is a comprehensive digital educational hub that will follow the BG competence model, designed to provide a practical and engaging teaching and learning experience. It will deliver a structured Vocational Education and Training (VET) program that incorporates the following key elements: 

• Modular Educational Materials will cover eight topics, one main topic per partner organization, to create a cohesive Vocational Education and Training (VET) curriculum. These resources will directly address critical competence gaps in sustainability, the circular economy, and digital transformation. They will also aim to bridge the gap between VET systems and labor market needs, fostering collaboration among key stakeholders. Moreover, the materials will address the use of innovative, Gen AI-enhanced learning tools.

• Skill Boosters – micro-learning modules combining theoretical insights, practical tutorials, and real-world examples with interactive elements: quizzes, drag-and-drop activities, escape rooms, embedded videos, and downloadable resources.

• AI Assistant: a course chatbot, built on a curated reference document for each topic, that answers learners' questions as they work through the material.

• Business Scenarios – at least two interactive case studies simulating authentic business challenges, enabling participants to apply acquired knowledge within realistic decision-making contexts.

• Diagnostic Test: a single entry test covering all eight Skill Boosters, giving each learner section-by-section results and a recommendation on which Skill Boosters to focus on, while keeping all of them open regardless of the outcome.

• Self-Assessment Tools – designed to measure participants’ understanding upon completion of the training modules.

• Micro-Credentials – digital badges awarded as official recognition of participants’ achievements, enhancing their professional profiles and employability in today’s evolving economy.

• Open publication on EPALE: the complete course package (Skill Boosters, business scenarios and self-assessment tools) is published on EPALE, the European platform for adult learning, once it has been tested with users in WP4 and refined on the basis of their feedback. The competence model developed in WP2 is published together with the training materials, as one set of open resources.

• Translate and finalize digital learning modules for SMEs, vocational educators, and learners in all partner languages.

WP4 Core Actions:

• Meet at the working seminar hosted by TREBAG in Budapest, where partners agree how the piloting will be run in each country.

• Pilot the competence model and the educational materials in each partner country with real users - the Bridging Gaps target audience:

• • Employees and managers in SMEs, especially in sectors related to second-hand goods, re-use, and recycling.

  • Sales professionals looking to update their skills for the digital and circular economy.

  • Vocational education and training (VET) learners, educators, and institutions seeking to align with emerging business trends.

  • Policymakers and business support organizations interested in scalable solutions for green and digital skills development

    • Run the piloting in the five partner countries with at least 100 participants in total, each of them working through the training in the Bridging Gaps Skills Studio and completing a short self-assessment before and after the course.

• Gather and analyze feedback from participants to validate and refine the competence model and training tools in real-world contexts.

• Revise the training materials on the basis of the piloting, producing the refined and improved version of the course in the Skills Studio.

• Produce an evaluation report on training effectiveness, measuring the impact of the training, the level of engagement and the learning outcomes achieved, combining quantitative data from participant surveys with qualitative feedback, and identifying both the strengths of the programme and the areas to improve.

• Define the digital learning and certification framework, describing the validated blended learning approach and the certification model: what learners receive for completing the programme, on what basis it is awarded, and how that recognition supports their employability and credibility in the sector.

• Draft policy and implementation guidelines for VET institutions and SMEs, showing how vocational training providers and small and medium-sized enterprises can integrate the Bridging Gaps training into their own education offer and business strategies, so that the results remain usable and transferable beyond the lifetime of the project.

• Prepare and finalize the overall recommendations for integrating the project’s results into vocational training systems across Europe.