- The event has been a meeting space between youth and local industry
- The participants have had the opportunity to learn about the economic and employment situation in Onil.
25/06/2024, Brussels. MANUFACTURING4ALL project partners met from June 11 to 13 in Onil (Alicante), in an event organized by the Alicante city council that included a series of workshops and interactive activities. Over the course of three days, the Alicante town became a meeting place for youth and local industry.
On the first day of this meeting, the EFICAZE and IBIAE teams provided attendees with key data on Onil’s socioeconomic situation. The locality is facing urgent needs in this area in terms of digitalization and automation, especially in the context of the move towards Industry 4.0 in neighboring regions. In addition, persistent communication difficulties between neighboring municipalities and Alicante were also put on the table, hindering access to study centers. This situation highlights the need to improve accessibility and facilitate enrollment in educational and employment programs, such as EURES or Youth Guarantee programs.
Throughout the second day of the event, a series of workshops were held with young people in vocational training (VET) and those interested in doing VET to identify their needs, attracting them to Onil’s manufacturing industry. During these workshops, surveys and activities were conducted explaining how to use artificial intelligence tools to design sustainable products following circular economy models. In the afternoon, attendees visited the facilities of Muñecas Paola Reina, one of the largest doll companies in Europe and the only one that performs the entire production cycle in an artisanal way.
Finally, the event concluded with a second session of activities with young people, organized by Mestieri Lombardia and Eficaze. After learning about the needs of the manufacturing industry and identifying the profiles of the young participants, the last session delved into the interests of young people in the region, investigating what they value in a company and what would make them choose one or the other. The results showed a clear preference for flexible hours and opportunities for personal growth, with a pleasant working environment and salary considered essential.
Finnova, as an entity committed to digitalization, entrepreneurship and youth empowerment, is part of this project that aims to combat sectoral disconnection and youth exodus. The Foundation attended this conference to establish a first face-to-face contact with the project partners and to meet stakeholders interested in the activities of this initiative.
About Erasmus+
Erasmus+ 2021-2027 is the renewed program of the European Union in the fields of education and training, youth and sport, offering opportunities for all people and in all educational sectors (School Education, Vocational Education and Training, Higher Education and Adult Education). This new Erasmus+ is more international, more inclusive, more digital and greener, supporting digital transformation, inclusion and diversity, as well as the environment and the fight against climate change. With a budget of over €28 billion, it will fund learning-related mobility and cross-border cooperation projects for 10 million people of all ages and backgrounds.
About MANUFACTURING4ALL
MANUFACTURING4ALL is a European project dedicated to transform small municipalities through digital education and entrepreneurship, to combat sectoral disconnection and youth exodus. This consortium, led by the City Council of Onil and with the Finnova Foundation, Mestieri Lombardia and Fanweb as partners, is funded by the European Commission through the Erasmus+ program, with a budget of 60.000€.
About FINNOVA
FINNOVA is the Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels and Spain, working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. FINNOVA’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities of European projects is combined with a solid proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programs, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.