SAM Results

Work Package 1: Sector Skills Strategy in the Additive Manufacturing Sector

WP1 Overview.

WP1 objective is to support the definition of the European AM Skills Strategy, by providing a state of play on three pillars: firstly, global and societal challenges, secondly technology development and thirdly professional profiles (skills).

WP1 deliverables are critical inputs for the definition of the European AM skills strategy (available soon in WP4 results section), as it enables to discover the essential gap drivers and to set objectives and supporting actions for tackling shortage or lack of skilled professionals.

WP1 deliverables are represented graphically as a visual timeline in the AM Observatory (WP4).

D1.1 SAM Glossary

This deliverable corresponds to the SAM Glossary of terms for both areas of expertise: Additive Manufacturing / 3D Printing Technology and Education/Training.

D1.2 will be kept updated along the project duration.

D1.2 Global and Societal Milestones

This deliverable corresponds to the characterization of Global and Societal Milestones, which aims to identify global and societal developments until 2030, including all the transformations that can direct and indirectly impact on the Additive Manufacturing Sector and Skills and also the necessary European AM Skill Strategy to address these transformations.
Read also the Executive summary here.

D1.4 Professional Profiles/Set of Skills Roadmap

This deliverable corresponds to the Professional Profiles/Set of Skills’ Roadmaps, which covers the analysis of current and emergent Professional Profiles in Additive Manufacturing (AM) required by the Sector.
The findings achieved in the document are based on a literature review of AM professionals in the industry and data available from recruitment advertisements and available resources in Europe.
D1.4 reflects the mid-point between existing skills and future ones, providing relevant findings and hypotheses to guide future work on the assessment of current and future skills in AM, which will take place in WP 2 (Forecast Methodology) as well WP3 (Methodology for design and review of professional profiles and skills).

D1.5 Visual Timeline

This deliverable corresponds to visual timeline, which is a graphical representation of (estimated) future trends that will impact the skills required for the implementation of Additive Manufacturing technologies in general.
The timeline is fed by D1.2, D1.3, D1.4 and D4.5 among others.
The timeline will be Kept updated along and after the project duration.

Work Package 2: Forecast Methodology: Assessment of current and future skills in AM

WP2 Overview.

WP2 objective objective is to develop the methodology for determining the skills mismatches, gaps and shortages in the Additive Manufacturing sector.
Find out how to use the Kits by reading this interactive guide.
WP2 Deliverables are implemented in WP4 (AM Observatory), WP5 (Piloting of the Methodology) and WP6 (Implementation of the Final Methodology).

D2.4 Foresight Scenarios’ Kit

This kit encompasses guidelines and templates for collecting Foresight Scenarios data, meaning it addresses the skills needs to be deployed within 10 years.

D2.5 ESCO and Skills Panorama Kit

This kit encompasses the guidelines and templates used for feeding the multilingual classification of European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations (ESCO) and the EU Skills Panorama.

D2.7 Kit to Collect Feedback on the Qualifications/ Units of Learning Outcomes

This kit encompasses guidelines and templates for collecting AM students’ feedback about the training / learning courses, which is aligned with the European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for VET (EQAVET).
The Kit is available in several languages:

Work Package 3: Methodology for developing and revising professional profiles and skills

WP3 Overview.

WP3 objective is to settle the methodology for designing and reviewing Additive Manufacturing professional profiles, qualifications, and Units of learning outcomes. WP3 deliverables are implemented in WP5 (Piloting of the Methodology) and WP6 (Implementation of the Final Methodology).

D3.1 Methodological Guideline for Design and Review Processes of Professional Profiles and AM Sectoral Framework

This deliverable corresponds to the methodological approach used to design and review Professional Profiles in AM, in order to sustain the and feed the European AM Qualifications System.
The methodology is based on EWF Sectoral Approach, which is built upon on subsequent activities that begins with a general description of what a job is, as professional profile, and ends with a set of smallest units that fed the required qualification for that professional profile. The defined methodology follows a modular approach in which each qualification consists of a set of units learning outcomes.

D3.3 Operational Guideline on Context and Training Tools

This deliverable corresponds to the operational guideline for delivering AM training courses.

The guideline maps and assesses different training contexts and tools matching to the learning outcomes of AM qualifications.
For every training context/tool, there is a classification of “Advantages”, “Constraints”, and “Recommendation" for being used in AM training.
The Operational guideline is available in several languages:

Work Package 4: Observatory in Additive Manufacturing

WP4 Overview.

WP4 objective is to put into practice the continuous forecast methodology, providing real-time mapping and monitoring of industry needs, technological trends, skills shortages and mismatches, as well as policies and figures for AM.
The AM Observatory is also implementing the AM Qualification System, through a network of AM training centres from Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Higher Education (HE) institutions.

D4.5 Reports on the Analysis and Validation of Needs

This deliverable corresponds to a set of reports (four reports in total) addressing the findings on skills needs, mismatches and shortages in the AM Sector for the three scenarios (Real Case, Sort Term and Foresight). The 1st Report (2020) is the baseline to identify skills gaps and demandsof the AM Sector for the real case and short-term scenarios. It addresses the 1st round of auscultation with key target groups, namely Companies, and Research and Technology Development Organisations (RTOs).
Read also the Executive summary HERE.

The 2nd Report (2021) addresses the 2nd round of auscultation with industry (AM companies & workers), training organisations and recruitment agencies.
Read also the Executive summary HERE.

The Foresight Report focuses on forecasting the AM skills, trends and developments until 2030. Findings are based on data from multiple rounds of activities, including an initial skill forecast workshop and two rounds of follow-up surveys (i.e., Delphi method) with AM experts experts from industry, academic institutions, research, and technological centres.
Read also the Executive summary HERE.

The 3rd Report (2022) addresses the 3rd round of auscultation with industry (AM companies & workers), training organisations and research organisations regarding real case and short terms scenarios.

The 4th Report (2023) addresses the 4th round of auscultation with Industry for real case scenarios.

D4.6 Feedback Reports on the Existing Qualifications and Training Modules

This deliverable corresponds to a set of reports (three reports in total) which collect the feedback of students on the existing / attended training in AM.
The 1st report (2021) addresses the feedback of students on the existing / attended training in AM during the 1st stage of pilots on Real Case Scenarios. And the 1st Impact and Follow Report (2021).
Read also the executive summaries of the 1st stage reports (2021) in several languages:

The 2nd report (2021) addresses the feedback of students on the existing / attended training in AM during 2nd stage of pilots on Real Case Scenarios.
And the 2nd Impact and Follow Report (2022).
Read also the executive summaries of the 2nd stage reports in several languages:

The 3rd Report (2022) addresses the feedback of students on the existing / attended training in AM during 3rd stage of pilots on Short- Term Scenarios. And the 3rd Impact and Follow Report (2022)
Read also the executive summaries of the 3rd reports in several languages:

D4.10 Sector Skills Strategy Roadmap

This deliverable corresponds to the Additive Manufacturing Skills Strategy Roadmap, which settles the Sector Skills Strategy for AM until 2030.
Two versions of the Roadmap were published, in 2021 and 2023, in order to reflect the dynamic features of the sector and increasing speed in which AM technologies are evolving.
The Sector Skills strategy Rodmap (2021) has identified seven “Gap Drivers” were identified as key challenges, for which strategic objectives are presented, together with the reasoning for the specific supporting actions that have been planned to help drive the implementation of each strategy plan. See here the European AM Skills Strategy Short Version – Booklet.

The Sector Skills Strategy Roadmap (2023) is an update to the previous version of the strategy, and addresses the impact and key recommendations on how to carry on with future actions that will enable to achieve the strategic objectives until 2030. See here the short version of the Final European AM Skills Strategy – Booklet.

Work Package 5: Piloting of the methodology for developing and revising professional profiles and skills

WP5 Overview.

WP5 objective is to pilot the methodology developed during WP3, where four Real Case Scenarios and two Short Term Scenarios were tested, corresponding to 33 courses in total.

D5.5 Piloting Events of the 2nd Stage Real Case Scenarios

The pilot courses covered the Polymers AM Designer Qualification & two CUs/ULOs on Business for AM and Certification; Qualification and Standardization (CQS).
The training resources (mainly slides presentations and exercises) are available for download:

D5.6 Short-Term Scenarios - New Professional Profiles /Qualifications and Units of Learning Outcomes

This deliverable entails the description/ presentation of the new the Professional Profiles, Qualifications and Units of Learning Outcomes developed in less than 3 years.

D5.7 Piloting Events of the Short-Term Scenarios

The pilot courses covered three CUs/ULOs on Metal Binder Jetting Process; Sustainability for AM; and Certification, Qualification and Standardization (CQS) in Additive Manufacturing for specific sectors The training resources (mainly slides presentations and exercises) are available for download:

Work Package 6: Implementation of SAM’s final methodology for developing Professional Profiles

WP6 Overview.

WP6 objective is to implement the final methodology developed during WP3 linked to findings collected in the 3rd round of auscultation described in D4.5 report.
Four Real Case Scenarios and two Short Term Scenarios were implemented. One course for a full Qualification was tested.

D6.3 Short-Term Scenarios - Review Professional Profiles /Qualifications and Units of Learning Outcomes

This deliverable entails the description of updates carried out in an existing Professional Profiles, Qualifications for Short Term Scenarios, corresponding to the International Metal AM Coordinator.

The pilot course covered the testing of the full International Metal AM Coordinator Qualification.
The training resources (mainly slides presentations and exercises) are available for download:

D6.5 New Modules / Competence Units / Units of Learning Outcomes

This deliverable entails the description of the development process of four new Units of Learning Outcomes developed in less than 1 year, namely:

  • AM for Aerospace & Part Quality Control;
  • Outlook of professional careers in Additive Manufacturing;
  • Metal AM Sustainability and Circularity;
  • Polymer AM Sustainability and Circularity

Work Package 8: Dissemination and Exploitation

WP8 Overview.

WP8 objective is to ensure the diffusion and exploitation of SAM project results at European and National levels.

D8.8 Dissemination &Exploitation Portfolio

This deliverable corresponds to the Dissemination and Exploitation Portfolio, which provides information and evidences about the impact of the activities carried out by each partner in order to engage with external stakeholders during the project. The dissemination tools are available in the Marketing Materials Repository.

D8.10 Action Plan

This deliverable corresponds to the Action plan that will ensure the sustainability of SAM outcomes after the project end.