Brussels, November 2025 – The DEMANDS project (Developing Intercultural Communication Skills for Coal Industry (ex)Workers) proudly marks the successful completion of its first year, achieving significant milestones toward empowering low-skilled workers, strengthening vocational education, and supporting a fair and inclusive energy transition across Europe.
Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union and coordinated by the University of Western Macedonia, the DEMANDS consortium unites partners from Greece, Cyprus, and Spain:
University of Western Macedonia (UOWM) – Coordinator
Public Power Corporation S.A. (PPC)
EconSyS – Economic Systems
Ayesa Advanced Technologies S.A.
Together, the partnership is working to promote upskilling and reskilling actions for workers affected by the shift away from coal-dependent industries, with a strong focus on intercultural communication, lifelong learning, and workplace inclusion.
Key Achievements in Year 1
1. Completion of Needs Assessment for Workers and Trainers
A comprehensive needs assessment, conducted across multiple regions, shed light on the communication challenges, training preferences, and skills gaps of both low-skilled workers and VET providers. Findings demonstrated the increasing importance of intercultural competence, practical learning formats, and digital readiness for today’s rapidly evolving labor market.
2. Development of the DEMANDS Open Educational Platform (OEP)
The consortium achieved major progress in designing the Open Educational Platform, which will soon offer:
- Training courses for trainers and workers
- Digital assessments
- Microcredentials
- Intercultural communication learning tools
The platform aims to become a central hub for inclusive, accessible, and modern adult education.
3. Drafting of Training Materials for Two Target Groups
Training pathways are being developed for:
- VET trainers, focusing on teaching methodologies and intercultural communication strategies
- Low-skilled workers, focusing on awareness, practical communication skills, and workplace interaction
Both courses are aligned with European lifelong learning principles and the needs identified in the assessment study.
4. First Multiplier Event (Seville, November 2025)
The project successfully hosted its 1st Multiplier Event in Seville, bringing together educators, policymakers, industry representatives, and workers.
The event presented early project results, featured a panel discussion with experts, and highlighted the connection between communication skills and a fair green transition.
Notably, the TRAILS project (Horizon Europe) contributed insights on skills mismatch across European regions, offering valuable context for the DEMANDS mission.
5. Training the Trainers Workshop
Held alongside the multiplier event, the first Training the Trainers activity provided hands-on exercises, role-play scenarios, and methodologies to support adult learners in intercultural communication.
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, emphasising the training’s relevance and practical approach.
Looking Ahead: Year 2 Priorities
In the second project year, the DEMANDS consortium will focus on:
Finalizing training materials
Launching and testing the Open Educational Platform (OEP)
Conducting pilot training sessions
Expanding engagement with industry stakeholders and regional authorities
The project continues to contribute to European goals for inclusive workforce transformation, lifelong learning, and support for regions in transition.
About DEMANDS
The DEMANDS project supports the employability, adaptability, and social inclusion of workers formerly employed in coal-related sectors. Through innovative training tools and intercultural communication strategies, the project aims to help individuals thrive in new labor market conditions shaped by the European Green Deal.
