Title : Project EQVEGAN offers innovative trainings for food industry to strengthen competitiveness on the food market
Abstract:
Over the past decade, the food industry worldwide has experienced profound transformations, driven by urgent issues such as sustainability, health concerns, and a widening skills gap in the job market. One of the most remarkable changes has been the rapid technological advancements, including the integration of information technology, artificial intelligence, automation, and robotics. These innovations have not only displaced certain jobs but also created a pressing demand for new skill sets. The food industry, in particular, faces unique challenges as consumers increasingly demand plant based foods, including vegan alternatives for reasons of sustainability, animal welfare, and dietary health.
This rise of plant-based foods goes in line with the concept of “Planetary Health Diet”, that is a powerful worldwide movement nowadays, fueled by both vegan and flexitarian consumers. Vegans are particularly consciously avoid all meat and animal products, while flexitarians reduce their meat consumption without completely eliminating it. Both groups wield significant influence over the dietary choices of their peers, including friends and family. Although the market for vegan products is still in its early stages, it is poised for substantial growth and stabilization within the next two decades.
To effectively bridge the skills gap created by these emerging trends, the European Union supported the EQVEGAN project (European Qualifications & Competences for the Vegan Food Industry), through the Erasmus+ Programme (the Sector Skills Alliance Programme, SSA) as part of the Key Action 2 projects, executed in the years 2020-2023. This project involving 15 institutions from 11 countries, aimed at tackling skills gaps, by identifying sector specific labour market needs and demand for new skills with regard to one or more occupational profiles, or by enhancing the responsiveness of initial and continuing VET systems, at any level, to sector–specific labour market needs.The project was dedicated to providing comprehensive training in essential areas such as soft skills, green skills, digital and automation skills, and cutting-edge plant-based processing technologies. Furthermore, the EQVEGAN project aimed to establish job profile certifications and create valuable work-based learning opportunities, ensuring that workers remain at the forefront of industry developments. The EQVEGAN project has successfully launched training programs that cover the latest developments in plant-based processing, green skills, digitalization, and automation.These programs have equipped numerous professionals with the skills needed to thrive in the evolving food industry (see the reference: https://eqvegan.eu). The achievements of this project will be presented in detail at the meeting.
