Apply for GEMSTONE Financial support for Training (TRAIN)

GEMSTONE aims to mobilise manufacturing companies, in particular innovative SMEs, on the challenges of “Green Manufacturing” by developing a dedicated joint service offer and operational and financial support tools around the 3 pillars “Train, Innovate, Explore” to encourage and empower manufacturing companies in their environmental and digital transition process.

The project aims to define, deepen and apply a common methodology on issues related to Green Manufacturing in 5 identified industrial sectors: Aeronautics/Defence, Energy, Mobility, Agriculture/Agri-food, Materials. This ambition is driven by the thoughtful association of European clusters with complementary ecosystems both in terms of expertise and priority targets, bringing together organizations and people facilitating innovation.

Funding Information

• The total EU funding available for the Call TRAIN is €62 000,00.
• The maximum financial support per financial support for Training (TRAIN) is €2.000 in the form of a lump sum.
• 8 cut-offs will be organised by GEMSTONE project in order to provide opportunities for applicants until early 2025.

Eligible Activities 

• Skills are a critical to achieve the green transition; currently skills mismatches are identified as major obstacles to the greening of the manufacturing industry. Also, the lack of knowledge of the environment–skills nexus is hindering the achievement of an effective transition. Therefore, it is necessary to help people acquire or improve skills that will be essential for the development of their jobs – and this at all level of the company (workforce, management…).
• The GEMSTONE financial support must be used by the selected organisation as support to purchase services related to “green skills” understood as (i) technical knowledge and skills that enable professionals to effectively use green technologies and processes and (ii) transversal skills, as well as knowledge, values and attitudes needed to live in, develop and support a sustainable and resource-efficient manufacturing industry.
• The following categories are eligible:
  • Value, behaviour, normative skills (values related to responsibility, future, environment, justice, solidarity and tolerance, e.g. environmental awareness. Skills that will allow trainees to better understand the framework of Green Manufacturing and to have a more thorough knowledge of the challenges and impacts)
  • Technical occupational competences (vocational and technical skills related to technology, emerging products and services. Occupation-specific skills that are related to the particular challenges of a certain job).
• Training services can address either upskilling or reskilling. The eligible activities can take the form of individual or group activities. They can be attended online or physically.  Training service providers should be established in EU or SMP-associated countries.

Who can apply? 

• Maximum one application will be granted per SME.
• Cluster organisations/networks are not eligible.
• To be eligible, applicants must satisfy all the following conditions:
  • Be a legal entity;
  • Be a small or medium sized enterprise (SME): Companies must declare their SME status in accordance with the SME definition of the European Union as part of the application;
  • Apply as an individual organization;
  • Be located in one of the Single Market Programme (SMP) associated countries
    • EU Member States
    • Other countries which participate in SMP Work Programmes 2022 and 2023
  • Do not have a conflict of interest3 with the partners in GEMSTONE project.

For more information, visit Gemstone.