BattEdu - A network of educational institutions for the competence needs of the battery value chain

According to national battery strategy, the battery sector requires more skilled labor, and expertise will determine Finland’s success in international competition. The goal of this network is to ensure the quality and quantity of competence so that companies and society can meet future challenges. The primary objective of the project is to create, strengthen, and diversity connections between educational institutions and companies operating within the battery value chain, ensuring that education better meets the demands of working life and future skill needs. To support this goal, the project will establish a strong educational network to support industry, leveraging existing networks and projects. The education network will highlight various learning pathways and lifelong learning opportunities across the entire battery value chain. The overall structure will be created across organizational boundaries and levels of education.

The project will develop new methods to better engage lifelong learners in education and support employers’ and industry’s goals for continuous learning. Through the network, the aim is to ensure that educational pathways meet the needs of current and future labor markets. This integrated approach promotes collaboration between educational institutions and working life, strengthening Finland’s position as a leader in innovation and sustainable development.

The project will improve the Finnish cooperation network of educational organizations in the areas of battery technology and related value chain expertise, thereby enhancing national competitiveness. It will establish clear new operational models for joint national educational network activities, for example by organizing national seminars and webinars. This helps avoid overlapping educational pathways and content. The project’s work packages focus on creating study paths, developing cooperation with working life, and establishing the network’s operations. Study paths will be created based on existing training needs assessments, developing better-suited methods for lifelong learners to update existing skills and acquire new knowledge and competencies from work-life-oriented modules.

In working life collaboration, networks will be developed where education providers and companies can regularly meet and exchange information. To establish the network’s operations, a permanent collaboration network will be built, enabling regular interaction between education providers and companies. The goal is to create a stable foundation for cooperation and strengthen the competitiveness and expertise of the battery sector.

As a result of the project, a well-established and strategically managed collaboration network will be achieved, improving the availability of education and cooperation among network participants. This will help build a strong competence base for the battery sector and effectively and proactively respond to future challenges. After the project ends, the operational model will enable open network activities and the growth of new operators and stakeholders.