It is anticipated that Europe will need 800 000 workers for the emerging battery industry by 2025. Approximately 75% of these are blue collar workers with a VET background. In order to meet these needs there is an urgent need to prepare IVET and CVET around Europe for this challenge and to find flexible means of up-skilling and reskilling the existing workforce in sectors such as the automotive industry, gas industry and cellulose sector.

ALBATTS (Alliance for Battery Sector Skills) is a European Erasmus+ project considered the only consortium supporting the transition to electrification of transport and green energy in Europe at VET level with regards to the skills and education needed in the battery value chain. The aim is to make Europe a competitive and self suffiecient player in the battery ecosystem, enabling European industry to have a highly skilled workforce and expertise in battery development and production.

By bringing together 20 organisations from 11 European countries, ALBATTS establishes guidelines regarding the demand and supply of skills, covering the entire life cycle of the battery value chain, from raw materials to second use and recycling of stationary and mobile batteries. The partners have mapped the current state of the sector, technology used, job roles and needed job skills for the sector. In addition available education and training in Europe has been mapped. Based on the results, the project has developed an educational framework, job skill cards for the battery sector, designed and piloted courses and developed means for to train the trainers. In addition the partnership seeks to develop EU wide recognition for the sector. A blueprint with recommendations to the European Commission, national authorities, VET schools and companies will be delivered and disseminated.

The project runs from 2019 to 2024 with a budget of €4 million and includes key stakeholders in the battery sector, including industries, R&D organisations, IT company, public authorities, European sector associations, education and training centres and universities.