In most European countries we are facing the same problems in our wood and furniture industry: too few young people choose a technical education that leads to the wood or furniture sector. Or after their education, too few go on to the sector itself.

Moreover, there are many new, emerging challenges for our sector: digitalisation, industry 4.0, circular economy, corporate social responsibility… Most training centres in the EU have a good, but traditional infrastructure. Thus, pupils and students are still too often trained in the traditional way of woodworking and furniture production. In addition, we unfortunately often see a lack of innovation and technological evolution to meet the social and environmental challenges. There is also a shortage of workers with these new skills. On the other hand, companies are doing excellent work in the field of digitalisation, green business models and social inclusion…

That is why 22 partners from 8 countries decided to work together to build a Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) for the European wood and furniture industry. With the support of the European Commission through Erasmus+ Key Action 3, we turn the challenges mentioned above into opportunities to develop this CoVE as the main catalyst in the EU’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) policy in our sector.

The ALLVIEW project – as a Centre of Vocational Excellence – is a new transnational cooperation platform that connects partners within the wood and furniture sector, with operational objectives on a regional, national and European level. With the ALLVIEW project, we aim at an innovative approach to modernise vocational education and training.

The ALLVIEW consortium consists of representative associations and federations of the wood and furniture industry in Europe, VET providers, VET authorities, sector research and innovation centres and other experts from the wood and furniture sector. Each of them brings in his/her own specialised expertise that creates added value for the wood and furniture sector.