This autumn, NESSIE stepped beyond its lighthouse regions to actively contribute to Europe-wide conversations on skills, education, and workforce development for the energy transition. Through participation in three major replication and policy events - the P4ELECS Skills Ecosystem Days, the EIT Education & Skills Days, and the EVBB EU Policy Camp - NESSIE shared lessons from its island-based approach while strengthening alignment with parallel European initiatives.
Together, these events marked an important phase in Work Package 4, where NESSIE’s models for Short Advanced Courses (SACs), E-Campuses, and skills ecosystems are shared, discussed, and positioned for wider replication across Europe.
P4ELECS Skills Ecosystem Days: Co-creating Electrification Skills Models
Arnhem, the Netherlands | 30 September – 1 October 2025
NESSIE participated in the P4ELECS Skills Ecosystem Days, a two-day European workshop focused on upskilling for electrification across five EU regions. Hosted at CONNECTR, Arnhem’s energy innovation hub, and HAN University of Applied Sciences, the event brought together policymakers, education providers, industry representatives, and skills developers from across Europe.
The programme centred on modular, flexible approaches to skills development, closely aligned with NESSIE’s own SAC model. Key sessions explored:
- Regional skills ecosystem mapping for electrification
- The P4ELECS Building Blocks methodology for modular training
- Practical workshops on PV, wind energy, smart grids, and energy systems
- The “HEI–VET handshake” as a mechanism for stronger cooperation between higher education and vocational training
For NESSIE, the event provided a valuable space to exchange insights on how regional ecosystems can translate labour market needs into concrete learning pathways, particularly for installers and technicians working with rapidly evolving technologies.
EIT Education & Skills Days: Positioning NESSIE in Europe’s Net-Zero Skills Agenda
15 October 2025
NESSIE also took part in the EIT Education & Skills Days, a flagship European conference focused on addressing skills gaps for the green and digital transitions. Organised by EIT, the event highlighted the urgency of scaling reskilling and upskilling solutions to meet the EU’s climate and industrial targets.
Discussions emphasised:
- Skills shortages as a systemic bottleneck for the energy transition
- The need for closer collaboration between education, industry, and policy
- Scalable, modular learning formats that support lifelong learning
- Cross-project alignment to avoid fragmentation of skills initiatives
NESSIE’s participation strengthened its positioning within a growing European ecosystem of skills projects. Through exchanges with EIT representatives, new contacts were established and follow-up meetings initiated—laying the groundwork for future cooperation and replication beyond the North Sea Region.
EVBB EU Policy Camp: Bridging Practice and Policy
3 October 2025
At the EVBB EU Policy Camp, NESSIE contributed to policy-focused discussions on the future of vocational education and training in Europe. The event offered a platform to reflect on how hands-on training models, such as those piloted within NESSIE, can inform European policy frameworks.
Key themes included:
- Recognition of short, flexible training formats
- Better integration of industry needs into VET systems
- Supporting regional and local innovation within EU-level policy
- Creating pathways for replication across countries and sectors
By sharing practical insights from island-based pilots, NESSIE helped ground policy discussions in real-world implementation challenges and opportunities.
Building Momentum for Replication
Across all three events, a consistent message emerged: Europe does not lack ideas for upskilling the energy transition workforce - but it urgently needs models that are adaptable, connected, and ready to scale.
Through its participation this autumn, NESSIE:
- Contributed practical experience from lighthouse regions to European debates
- Strengthened ties with complementary EU skills projects
- Engaged with policymakers, educators, and industry at multiple levels
These replication activities mark an important step toward ensuring that the lessons learned within NESSIE can inform broader European approaches to skills development, supporting a resilient and future-ready energy workforce.