WELDNET: Strengthening skills for sustainable automotive manufacturing
The EU funded WELDNET aims to establish a network of five Inclusive Centres of Vocational Excellence (COVEs) in the fields of Circular Material Welding and Preventive Maintenance. The project addresses the significant shortage of skilled workers in the automotive industry by strengthening vocational education and training (VET) in welding and maintenance across several European regions. The project empowers learners, trainers, and industry by providing innovative micro-credentials, digital learning tools, and inclusive support structures across Europe. It ultimately strengthens regional skills ecosystems and supports a safer, greener, and more resilient automotive manufacturing sector.
Consortium Meeting in Vienna
The biannual consortium meeting took place on 11 February 2026, shortly before the project’s one-year milestone in March 2026.
In his opening speech Professor Fazel Ansari welcomed the participants and introduced the TU Wien and Faculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering as well as opportunities for joint efforts in research, education and knowledge transfer. The ongoing projects of the Chair of Production and Maintenance Management and the TU Wien Pilot Factory were also presented, highlighting their relevance for WELDNET’s objectives.
Work package leaders shared progress updates and outlined upcoming tasks and responsibilities. Work package 3 (WP3) focuses on establishing sustainable governance frameworks and guidelines to support regional public-private partnerships, ensure the long-term impact of the COVEs and help shape the future of VET education. The objectives of the WP3 include preparing a blueprint for the future of the COVEs by strategic foresight workshops and interviews, mapping and evaluating the capabilities of each regional ecosystem with regards to VET education, developing public-private partnerships and value-added services. As lead of WP3, TU Wien presented the results from the first project year and informed partners about the next steps.
Workshops conducted by TU Wien and EIT Manufacturing
The afternoon programme featured interactive workshops led by TU Wien and EIT Manufacturing.
Brenda Özyilmaz and Milena Mann from TU Wien facilitated a workshop dedicated to the long-term governance strategy of both the regional COVEs and the overarching COVE network. Participants worked in cross-regional groups to distinguish between elements that should remain region-specific and those that should be standardised across all regions. The discussions generated valuable insights for shaping the governance guidelines.
EIT Manufacturing conducted a second workshop focusing on stakeholder engagement. Participants discussed strategies for approaching vocational education and training providers and encouraging them to join the WELDNET initiative. Regional groups developed and presented tailored “sales pitch” concepts designed to strengthen ecosystem participation.
It was our pleasure to welcome our partners to Vienna and to collaborate with EIT Manufacturing in organizing the meeting. We look forward to the next steps of WELDNET and to further strengthening our collaboration and partnerships.