GICAN
GICAN, the French maritime industry association, is the trade association for over 300 manufacturers and organizations in the French maritime sector.
The association, which celebrates in 2024 its 125th anniversary, brings together shipyards, systems manufacturers, equipment suppliers, subcontractors, engineering companies, naval architects, the naval aviation industry, as well as companies and organizations from the maritime ecosystem.
The organisation has three main missions :
- Defend the interests of the French maritime industry with regional, national and european public and political players, to promote an institutional and political environment favorable to the development of our industry, in both the civilian and military arenas.
- Promote French maritime technological and industrial expertise by highlighting the expertise of its members, both in France and abroad.
- Support the development and competitiveness of the maritime industry by participating in the structuring of the sector to meet the challenges faced by manufacturers : innovation and its financings, training and skills with support to CINAV, The National Campus for the sea industry.
GICAN is involved in LEADERSHIP in several work packages and in particular WP 2 with to realize the mapping of upskilling and reskilling support and financing schemes, that includes the identification at EU, national and regional level, and the highlight of best practices to be upscaled.
Groupement des Industries de Construction et Activités Navales (GICAN)
Contacts
Philippe MISOFFE, Managing Director
Mélanie VERON FOUGAS, European Policy Manager
Anne-Hélène LAOT, Project Manager skills and attractiveness, anne-helene.laot@gican.asso.fr
Turku Vocational Institute
Turku Vocational Institute (TAI) is a vocational education institution with 10,198 students annually and 641 staff members. TAI has been operating in Turku, Finland since 1998. Vocational upper secondary qualifications further vocational qualifications and specialist vocational qualifications in various fields, including mechanical engineering and production technology, building services engineering and electrical and automation engineering.
TAI’s primary missions are:
- Developing individuals’ skills
- Serving and developing the working life
- Fulfilling social responsibility through its services
TAI is involved in LeaderSHIP in several work packages, particularly WP3 and WP4, which focus on designing a European sector-wide agreed “core” curricula and training programs and delivering these core curricula and training programs.
Contacts
Mikko Hauninen, Training Manager for Mechanical and Metal Engineering and Building Services Engineering
Hannu Immonen, Managing Director/ Service Area Director, Vocational Education
Transnational meeting in Bilbao!
4th Transnational Meeting of the Erasmus+ KA2 LeaderSHIP Project in Bilbao!
The Basque Maritime Cluster is hosting the fourth transnational meeting of the LeaderSHIP – Skills of Tomorrow in the European Maritime Sector project on June 10–11 in the city of Bilbao, Spain!
This key event is organized by the University of Deusto, BASQUE MARITIME CLUSTER & Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea
For two days, partners from across Europe are gathering to:
Present the results of the Report on Upskilling and Reskilling in the maritime sector (WP2)
Dive deep into WP3 (Curricula Design) and WP4 (Training Provision)
and much more....!
The aim of the Report on upskilling and re-skilling in the maritime sector is to design and implement post-secondary and tertiary training for upskilling and reskilling current and future workers in key areas to support the maritime technology industry in meeting the targets of digitalisation and green transition.
Together, we are shaping the future of maritime education and training to meet the evolving needs of the industry and empower the next generation of maritime professionals.
Strengthening maritime expertise and competitiveness through Erasmus
Together with 18 partners from eight European countries, Norway's MAFOSS will contribute to maintaining and developing Europe's competitiveness in the maritime industry.
‘It is very useful for us to be part of this Erasmus+ project,’ says Jan Thormodsæter, general manager of the Maritime Association for Southern Sunnmøre (MAFOSS).
The project, called LeaderSHIP (Learning European Alliance for Digital, Environmental and Resilient Shipbuilding), has received EUR 4 million from Erasmus+ to help meet the future green and digital skills needs of Europe's maritime industry.
Together with universities, industry organisations, educational institutions and business stakeholders, MAFOSS will develop common models and systems for continuing and further education.
Watch a video about the project (you can choose between Norwegian and English subtitles by clicking on the cogwheel icon):
– Green and digital skills are key
Jan Thormodsæter, CEO of MAFOSS, believes that it is extremely useful for industry in southern Sunnmøre to be involved in shaping and developing training programmes for the maritime professions of the future and to help tell a new story about the “old” professions.
‘We must provide young people with training that enables them to meet the future skills needs of the maritime industry – and green and digital skills are key to this. Young people are concerned about sustainability, and incorporating more sustainability into training makes it more interesting for young people to apply for maritime subjects,’ he says.
Read more about the project on the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform.
Gaining valuable experience, knowledge and networks
The project partners also include Møre og Romsdal County Council. International advisor Kristian Severeide believes it is important for the county council to participate in the project, among other things to be able to adapt and test new elements in the education programme.
"The maritime industry is a mainstay in our region. When skills requirements change, it is crucial that we, as a regional developer and provider of upper secondary education, keep up with developments and adapt our programmes. LeaderSHIP gives us valuable experience, knowledge and networks in Europe, as well as the opportunity to test new elements in our educational programmes," says Severeide.
The Draghi report: A major skills gap must be closed
In autumn 2024, the renowned economist Mario Draghi delivered a high-level report pointing out that there is a significant gap between supply and demand when it comes to the skills needed by the European labour market.
This skills gap must be closed in order to secure and strengthen Europe's competitiveness in a more uncertain world. Europe must stand together and work together to compete with, for example, the United States and China as powerhouses of innovation and development.
Erasmus+ is a tool for meeting the challenges
Thormodsæter recognises the situation described by Draghi and points out that Erasmus+ is a tool that can be used to meet these challenges.
‘The project gives us a unique opportunity to see what our competitors in other European countries are doing, while at the same time we can jointly stem Asian competition in the maritime industry,’ he says.
The project is funded through the Innovation Alliances initiative, Lot 2: Alliances for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills.
Watch the video here : Styrker maritim kompetanse og konkurransekraft gjennom Erasmus+ | HK-dir
Building skills for the future: Highlights from the Shipbuilding Pact for Skills event
On January 21st, 2025, over 50 representatives from maritime manufacturing industries, training providers, trade unions and policymakers gathered online for the Shipbuilding Pact for Skills event. The event, supported by the European Commission and the LeaderSHIP project, focused on the progress of the Pact for Skills in the maritime technology industry and explored future opportunities to strengthen skills across Europe.
The event kicked-off with keynote speeches from European Commission representatives from DG EMPL, DG GROW, and DG MARE. It has highlighted the growing importance of skills development in boosting industrial competitiveness, particularly in the context of green and digital transitions.
The commitments of the Pact for Skills were as well presented, highlighting its ambitious goal of upskilling and reskilling 200 000 workers, attracting and retaining 230 000 new talents, and mobilizing 1 billion euros of public/private investment. Two key projects, the CHAlleNGE 4S project, and the LeaderSHIP project, were presented as key contributors to the realization of these commitments. Both projects aim to strengthen skills development and ensure that the maritime industry is ready to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.
In addition, Lisnave shipyards shared their experience of skills and labor shortages, and the urgent need for skilled workers. Deusto University offered an educational perspective, discussing ongoing efforts to align training programs with industry needs. Trade Unions echoed these concerns, stressing the importance of continuous training to keep workers competitive in a rapidly evolving sector.
Looking ahead, the LeaderSHIP project will continue to play a vital role in advancing the Pact for Skills, working to attract new partners and raise awareness across the industry. Through its efforts, the maritime technology sector will not only be able to meet today's challenges, but also build a skilled workforce ready for the future.
The event served as a vital platform for collaboration and reaffirmed the importance of skills in shaping the future of the European shipbuilding industry.
Apprenticeship trial at Meyer Turku shipyard
An apprenticeship trial spanning the spring semester is an opportunity for Alvar Vilkkinen and eight other students to gain professional skills and get motivated to finish their studies. The aim of the trial is to offer the students positions at the shipyard after graduation.
During the spring term, nine second-year welding students from Turku Vocational Institute are taking part in an apprenticeship trial at Meyer Turku Shipyard. The cooperation is part of the LeaderSHIP project led by Turku University of Applied Sciences and co-financed by the European Union. The project involves piloting different kinds of course trials and study implementations related to the needs of the shipping industry.
During the spring, the students will learn welding-related skills, getting the opportunity to do practical work in the shipyard’s production facilities and conditions under the guidance of Turku Vocational Institute teacher Mika Haapalainen and shipyard teachers Aarre Kajari, Teppo Suonpää, Arto Söderblom, Tanel Ruotsalo and Jari Heiti.
In the spring, the teachers will evaluate the students’ performance, for example their demonstrations, with the basic criteria of the degree programme. After the evaluations, the teacher team will discuss the students’ placements in the autumn and where they could get an apprenticeship at the shipyard. The options are plate welding and welding at the various hull departments of the shipyard.
The teachers consider the apprenticeship a good opportunity, its focus on real-life work being a definite benefit. As a result of the trial, personnel at the shipyard will get to see the students’ development and competence over a longer period of time, and the students have the opportunity to elevate their competence to the standard required by production at the shipyard.
“The apprenticeship trial gives students an opportunity to practise doing real-life work”, Mika Haapalainen summarises.
Apprenticeship trial produces skilled employees for the shipyard
In just a few weeks’ time, the students’ skills have improved in leaps and bounds, for example when it comes to welding and flame cutting. This improvement is thanks to the students having more time to hone their skills during the apprenticeship trial. The shipyard also has higher quality requirements for welding than school, which makes the students work harder and improve.
The students have also noticed how quickly they have learned things in just a short time.
“During my time at the shipyard, I have understood my potential and realised that I can do much better than what I thought at school. It makes me motivated to keep studying”, says student Alvar Vilkkinen.
The Meyer Turku shipyard is a unique learning environment, giving the students an opportunity to see how large cruise ships are built. Shipbuilding is a complex process, and the students get to learn many different things and at the shipyard since there are plenty of departments, each with their own special features.
“Thanks to the apprenticeship, we’ll have new sharp employees for the shipyard”, says Tero Iivonen, training specialist at Meyer Turku.
Working at the shipyard looks good in a CV and teaches work skills
The students participating in the apprenticeship trial all agree that, as a learning environment, the shipyard is more versatile than school. At the shipyard, the students get to do things in practice, and studying is different than at school. The shipyard also has better equipment than the educational institution, and the shipyard gives students more responsibility, which they consider to be a good thing.
The students are satisfied with the level of teaching at the shipyard, saying that they can always get help from the teachers when they need it. In addition, the working conditions at the shipyard halls are clean and the ventilation is good. The students were surprised how tidy the halls are. They have come to find that everyday cleanliness is important, because a tidy environment motivates them to work. The students have even received praise from the hall manager for their tidiness.
The students think that the option to get an apprenticeship at the shipyard in the last year of studies is a very good thing. It gives them an easy start in their careers, and working at the shipyard also looks good in a CV.
Studying at the shipyard helps accumulate work skills, and the students also consider it important to learn adjusting to the rhythm of a workplace: at the shipyard, every morning starts at 7, so the students are practising going to bed early so that they have good energy in the morning. They also find that they have good appetites at the shipyard, since they do a lot of physical work during the day.
The young students have enjoyed studying at the shipyard. Some of students had initially faced shocked reactions about working at a shipyard, but they have discovered that it is a much more pleasant environment than they had expected.
“The shipyard is a much nicer place than we had assumed. It’s not as bad as we thought. They make ships here that no-one else makes anywhere else in the world”, the students say.
Aiming for the students to find employment at Meyer Turku after graduation
The aim of the LeaderSHIP project is to design and implement Europe-wide curricula, degree programmes and courses to meet the urgent demand for competence in the maritime industry. The project is developing new implementations and content for the degree programmes and teaching of vocational education and training. The content of the project also includes considerations for the green transition, circular economy, waste reduction and ocean protection.
The Turku Vocational Institute is continuously striving to discover avenues of cooperation and solutions to new challenges and the needs of the changing world of work. The LeaderSHIP project is one example of such efforts, and the project involves several different trials, for example on the challenges of the availability of skilled labour.
Head of Education Mikko Hauninen is closely involved in the implementation of the LeaderSHIP project.
“Our cooperation with the Turku shipyard to develop an apprenticeship system is great for supporting the general development of vocational education and training. We are working closely with the shipyard and its partners”, says Mikko Hauninen.
The apprenticeship trial between the Turku Vocational Institute and Meyer Turku combines the basics of the welding degree programme with the requirements of the Meyer Turku shipyard. The trial involves students completing the welding qualifications required by the shipyard and practising welding frame structures, flame cutting and welding standards. The aim is to get as many students as possible an apprenticeship at the shipyard for their third year at the vocational institute. The aim of the trial is for the students to find employment at the Meyer Turku shipyard after graduation.
The apprenticeship trial will be organised again during the upcoming operating period in cooperation with the Meyer Turku shipyard through the LeaderSHIP project. The trial gets a recommendation from the students currently participating in it, the shipyard being a great environment for ambitious students who are eager to start their working life.
Studying at the shipyard requires an active attitude and being able to get out of bed in the morning.
“If you’re not motivated, it’s not for you”, say the students.
Project website: LeaderSHIP for Skills – LeaderSHIP for Skills
SEA Europe
SEA Europe: The Shipyards’ & Maritime Equipment Association of Europe
The voice of the maritime civil and naval technology industries in Europe
What does SEA Europe stands for?
SEA Europe represents close to 100% of the European shipbuilding industry in 16 nations, encompassing the production, maintenance, repair, and conversion of all types of ships and floating structures, commercial as well as naval, including the full supply chain with the various producers of maritime systems, equipment material, and services. Consolidates and strengthens the EU’s frontrunner role in RD&I, greening of the waterborne sector, and digital technologies. Develops concepts essential to ensure the transition to a clean, digital and competitive European waterborne transport sector and to enhance the sector’s competitiveness. Moreover, SEA Europe is a recognised social partner in the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for Shipbuilding.
Within the LeaderSHIP project, SEA Europe is leading Work Package 2 “Strategic and sustainable cooperation on skills”, which includes important tasks such as:
- Strengthening the Shipbuilding and Maritime Pact for Skills (with Foro Maritimo Vasco)
- Mapping regional ecosystems (with Foro Maritimo Vasco)
- Enhancing business-education and inter-company collaboration
- Mapping upskilling and reskilling support and financing scheme (with GICAN)
- Developing a sectoral skills strategy
Contact us:
Monia El Faziki, Director EU Public and Social Affairs: me@seaeurope.eu
More about SEA Europe: Sea Europe – The Shipyards’ & Maritime Equipment Association of Europe
University of Deusto
The University of Deusto, a HEI of over 130 years, was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus. It covers seven main fields of study: Business, Law, Health, Education and Sport, Theology, Social and Human Sciences and Engineering. It aims to train leaders who can combine a professional, humanist and ethical perspective through a full range of undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education programmes and it is ranked among Spain’s leading universities for its world-class teaching and top-level performance.
Deusto is a non-profit university, with more than 11,200 students, of which 465 are international coming from 77 different countries that combines a high level of internationalisation with excellence in teaching. It is remarkable for its capacity to combine many contrasting elements: local roots and global challenges, historic awareness and concerns for the future, leadership engagement and social commitment, intellectual rigour and experience-based learning, competition and cooperation, tradition and innovation. Ours is one of the 18 universities accredited by the Spanish Ministry of Education as an International Campus of Excellence since 2015. With campuses in Bilbao and Donostia-San Sebastian and branches in Vitoria-Gasteiz and Madrid, its 7 faculties are characterised by their capacity for both internal and external collaborations. UD offers 34 bachelor’s Degrees, 14 Double Degrees, 40 Master Programmes, 15 specialisation courses, 15 Executive Education Masters and courses, 9 Doctoral Programmes.
We are striving for internationalisation, without excluding other regions, and demonstrate a clear commitment to Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America, having signed agreements with 527 universities. 1,767 students and 49 members of staff took part in mobility programmes during the 2022-23 academic year. The faculties are also involved in European programmes. Deusto has developed strong experience in Project Management since 1989, coordinating large projects and participating in 4 Erasmus Mundus Masters Programmes, over 100 International Research Projects, as well as 78 Erasmus+ projects, coordinating 24 of them.
The University of Deusto aims at excellence in education and achieved a significant position of international leadership for decades. In keeping with its institutional policy, Deusto has focused on creating international networks and projects, which have become increasingly important and enhanced the university’s prestige. This offers a wide range of advantages, creating opportunities to share experiences and find research, teaching and management synergies. These initiatives boost exchange between students, faculty and administration and services staff, creating an ideal environment to start up and implement international projects.
Contacts
Dr. José Antonio Campos – Executive MBA | Deusto- Director
Email address: tontxu.campos@deusto.es
Organisation webpage www.deusto.es
Dr. José Luis del Val – Professor | Engineering Faculty
Email address: joseluis.delval@deusto.es
Dr. Fernando Díez – Associate Professor | Education & Sport Faculty
Email address: fdiez@deusto.es
University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)
The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) was founded in 1968 and recognized under the present title in 1980. It is the only public university in the Basque Country, and it is a member of ENLIGHT, a European University alliance of ten Universities from ten European countries (Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland).
The training offer of the UPV/EHU is quite wide: 67 Bachelor´s Degrees, 103 master programs, 44 expert diplomas and 71 PhD programs. There are also research groups. In 2021 there were 289 groups, with, for example, a production of 465 theses in 2020-21 (42% international and 13 % in the Basque language) and 3713 scientific publications in 2020.
Taking part in the LeaderSHIP Project, the members of the UPV/EHU are all from the School of Engineering of Bilbao, which is lay out in three different buildings. Two of them in Bilbao and one in Portugalete (the Nautical Branch). In the School ,there are 4750 Students, 550 Lecturers, 130 Researchers and 150 Services personnel. Two departments are involved: the Energy Engineering department and the Business Organization Department.
Within the Project, the University of the Basque Country will be involved mainly in Work Package 2 (Strategic and sustainable cooperation on skills) in tasks 4, 5 and 6; in Work Package 3 (Curricula Design) in tasks 1 and 2; and above all, in Work Package 4 (Training Provision), developing training/learning methodologies and technologies, piloting the courses and developing a sectoral approach towards the transfer and validation of training.
