The MiCRET (Microcredentials for Renewable Energy Technicians) project is an initiative designed to address the significant labour shortages and skills gaps within the European renewable energy sector. The project aims to develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive framework for microcredentials specifically tailored to this industry. By creating this framework, the project will help the industry and its professionals adapt to the shifts toward digital and green technologies, ensuring the workforce is equipped with the necessary skills to support a more resilient, innovative, and environmentally friendly energy system.
The project has a duration of 36 months. It is supported by a diverse consortium of 16 organisations, including VET institutions, microcredential providers and experts, industry and corporate partners, public bodies and networks and umbrella organisations from Greece, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany.
The project directly aligns with key European Union strategic goals, such as the European Green Deal, the European Skills Agenda, and the Council Recommendation on a European approach to microcredentials. This alignment ensures that the project’s outcomes are both relevant and scalable at national and EU levels.
MiCRET’s innovative approach is built around several key features and objectives to address sectoral and policy challenges:
The project seeks to create a common European definition and framework for microcredentials in the renewable energy sector. This framework will establish common standards and criteria for transparent and interoperable microcredentials across borders, addressing the current lack of a unified definition and inconsistent national approaches. This is crucial for enhancing the recognition and portability of skills, thereby improving employability and mobility for professionals.
The project focuses on designing “stackable,” modular learning units tailored to the green and digital transitions. These programs are meant to bridge the green and digital skills gaps identified in the sector. The training will incorporate specific elements to help professionals gain skills required for the digital and green transitions, such as those related to smart meters and IoT devices, aligning with the GreenComp and DigComp Frameworks.
By ensuring microcredentials are recognised by both employers and educational systems, MiCRET aims to facilitate worker mobility across the EU. The project will develop mechanisms to assess and validate the transferability and recognition of these credentials across borders, enabling seamless mobility and job opportunities.
A core part of the project involves fostering partnerships among educational institutions, industry stakeholders, and policymakers to co-create a resilient microcredential ecosystem. This collaboration will ensure that training programs are directly aligned with industry needs and provide potential employment opportunities for learners.
By the end of its 36-month duration, the MiCRET project aims to achieve several key results, which will be maintained and mainstreamed through an online platform:
The project will develop a European Microcredential Framework for the renewable energy sector. It will also produce evidence-based policy recommendations and white papers to inform national and EU-level decisions on the adoption and regulation of microcredentials. The recommendations will be in line with existing legal frameworks and international standards like Open Badge 3.0 and the European Learning Model.
The project will create a portfolio of Learning Pills for upskilling and reskilling professionals in the renewable energy sector. It will also deliver and test at least five pilot microcredential learning paths across partner countries. A digital platform, integrated with systems like Europass, will be used to issue, track, and share these microcredentials.
The project aims to train at least 240 beneficiaries and award them with microcredentials. It will also train a community of VET educators, trainers, and curriculum designers to scale up these initiatives.
A sustainability strategy and business model will be developed to ensure the continued use and expansion of MiCRET’s outputs beyond the project’s lifespan. The project also aims for its framework to be used by at least 25% of the involved parties after its closure.
