Collaborating for Green Skills: Insights from the GreenVET Focus Groups

Throughout 2024, two rounds of national focus groups were organized in all partner countries, involving companies, training providers, environmental organizations, and public institutions. These meetings represented a crucial opportunity to collect direct experiences, understand specific needs, and validate the developed training material. The outcomes flow into the Instructional Design and Integrated Pedagogical Framework, a reference document that guides the development of the GreenVET training package.
The national focus groups fall within WP2 and are aimed to validate the pre-proposal needs analysis that forms the basis for GreenVET, to ensure that subsequent project actions (including WP3, 4, 5). By localizing the needs, perceptions, challenges, and expectations of target groups and stakeholders and leveraging existing good practices in the VET field, the Instructional Design and Integrated Pedagogical Framework will establish guidelines and provide everything necessary for the design phase of the Training Package.

The focus groups, held in each partner country, produced several outcomes, summarized as follows:

• Italy: The focus groups highlighted the need to adapt training pathways to different company contexts, emphasizing the importance of tailored approaches. The second meeting allowed testing of Modules 1 and 4, which were appreciated for their interactive activities and supporting visuals, with numerous useful suggestions to enhance effectiveness.
• Greece: Two focus groups led by Stimmuli for Social Change gathered 10 participants and identified key priorities for promoting sustainability in companies: a clear strategy, cultural shift, flexible training, and active employer engagement. Companies require structured plans supported by government, alongside a workplace culture that motivates employees to adopt green practices. Training should be practical, adaptable, and delivered by qualified experts, with incentives to encourage participation. GreenVET can bridge gaps by fostering partnerships with government, industry, and education, ultimately equipping Greece’s workforce with essential green skills and advancing a sustainable economy.
• Serbia: Minds Europe successfully organized two focus groups with the same 13 participants, whose contributions played a key role in shaping the GreenVET training platform. The first focus group, held online in March 2024 (25/03/2024), generated valuable insights into the green transition needs of the IMR sector. Participants particularly emphasized the importance of raising environmental awareness and providing training opportunities to strengthen green skills. The second focus group, held in October 2024 (07/10/2024), focused on reviewing Modules 2 and 3 of the Training Package. Attendees praised the clarity and practicality of the content while suggesting the addition of more interactive features, examples of good practice, and tailored case studies to enhance engagement. Their ongoing feedback has been instrumental in refining the platform and ensuring that it effectively responds to the real needs of the target groups in Serbia.
• Spain: The first focus group consisted of a series of face-to-face interviews conducted between March and April 2024. Representatives from seven key companies in the sector participated: Arcelor, Asturcert, Biodevas, Fundación Masaveu, Muebles Ornia, MYA Fotovoltaica, and Norenergies. Afterwards, between October and November 2024, a second, broader focus group was held, bringing together nine professionals from various fields, including VET trainers, IMR companies, certification bodies, and environmental organizations. This group explored in greater depth the needs and challenges of the transition to sustainability. Among the most important findings, participants agreed on the urgent need for a national strategy to integrate sustainability into all educational levels, going beyond theory.
• Cyprus: Two focus groups were successfully organized by the Center for Social Innovation with the participation of the same 10 attendees, whose contributions were vital in shaping the GreenVET training platform. The first session, held online in March 2024, provided valuable insights into the green transition needs of the IMR sector, with participants emphasizing the importance of environmental awareness and training opportunities to enhance green skills. The second focus group, conducted in two sessions on 16 & 21 October 2024, focused on reviewing Modules 2 and 3 of the Training Package. Participants highlighted the clarity and practicality of the content while recommending the inclusion of more interactive elements, good practices, and tailored examples to strengthen engagement. Their continuous input has been instrumental in refining the platform and ensuring it meets the real needs of the target groups in Cyprus.

Thanks to these contributions, the GreenVET consortium was able to refine and finalize the training package, which will be delivered through the project’s interactive digital platform. The platform, tested in all partner countries during 2024, has already been launched and represents an innovative tool to foster the dissemination of green skills and support the sustainable transition in the IMR sector.