As the AILEEN project passes its two-year mark, the consortium proudly reflects on significant milestones achieved in strengthening vocational education and training (VET) within Europe’s strategic aerospace and defence sectors. Funded under the Erasmus+ Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) initiative, AILEEN is contributing to one of Europe’s most urgent needs: securing a highly skilled and future-proof workforce to support advanced manufacturing and industrial resilience.
Since its launch, AILEEN has been at the forefront of aligning VET ecosystems with evolving industry demands. In its first 24 months, the project has established a robust transnational network of six Centres of Vocational Excellence across Europe. These centres – carefully selected through a nomination-based methodology – form the backbone of a collaborative and high-quality skills infrastructure. Each centre actively engages with local and international partners from education, research, and industry to promote excellence in training, foster innovation, and build capacity across national boundaries.
🔗 Explore the AILEEN Centres of Vocational Excellence
With ten additional CoVEs planned for launch in the coming two years, AILEEN is set to significantly expand its reach, welcoming cooperation from new stakeholders and partners who share its commitment to high-impact vocational education.
One of AILEEN’s hallmark achievements is the development of a European training framework, tailored specifically to the challenges and opportunities within aerospace and defence. Rooted in the International Qualification Systems maintained by EWF, this framework provides a modular, forward-looking structure that equips learners and professionals with the competencies needed to thrive in a fast-changing industrial environment.
Key thematic areas of the framework include:
- Quality assurance and control in Additive Manufacturing (AM)
- AM design and inspection techniques
- Advanced welding processes and materials
- Welding applications for aerospace and defence platforms
- Integration of digital technologies into manufacturing workflows
- Sustainable engineering and environmental compliance
The framework is designed to be both adaptable and scalable, ensuring relevance for a wide range of users – whether young students entering the field or experienced technicians seeking upskilling. The first course offerings based on this framework are set to launch in autumn 2025.
🔗 Read more about the qualification framework
To complement its formal training efforts, AILEEN has also launched a series of national skills leagues – competitive platforms inspired by the WorldSkills model. These leagues aim to elevate vocational training visibility, promote a culture of excellence, and help identify emerging talent. By fostering healthy competition and innovation, they bring vocational training into the spotlight as a dynamic and respected career pathway.
Currently, the AILEEN Aerospace & Defence Excellence Platform has been launched as a connection point for Industry, Research and Education. This is the place where the network of CoVEs and their stakeholders can share knowledge related to research and education in Advanced Manufacturing for the aerospace and Defence Sectors. What will be available in the Platform
- Map of National CoVEs
- Information on how to be involved /interact or become an AILEEN CoVE
- Interact with experts in a dedicated sector
- Access to education materials, events, and many other opportunities
A major milestone was the delivery of AILEEN’s first stakeholder workshop at the Institut für Integrierte Produktion Hannover (IPH). This event provided an early opportunity to present the European Training Framework to a broad mix of educational institutions, industry leaders, and policy stakeholders. The next AILEEN workshop will take place from 7–9 October 2025 at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) Campus in Coventry, UK – offering yet another valuable venue for exchange, collaboration, and shared learning.
AILEEN’s visibility continues to rise, thanks to active representation at high-profile events across Europe. The project has been featured or presented at:
- CEDEFOP Conference “Shaping Learning and Skills for Europe” in Brussels
- EDA Innovation Days 2025 in Krakow
- Danish Defence Annual Conference (DDAC) 2025 in Aalborg
- WAM 2024 – 2nd International Hybrid Conference in Istanbul
- Dutch Welding Symposium (October 2024)
- FEINDEF – Spain’s International Defence and Security Fair
- Advances in Welding and Metal Additive Manufacturing Technologies (WAM 2024)
- Referenced in the Wohlers Report 2025 – a key publication in the AM industry
These appearances underscore AILEEN’s relevance in a European landscape defined by digital and green transitions, supply chain security, and workforce resilience. By directly supporting flagship EU strategies like the European Green Deal and the Digital Education Action Plan, the project contributes to making Europe more competitive, sustainable, and strategically autonomous.
Looking to the future, AILEEN will continue to grow its partner base and strengthen its contribution to Europe’s VET ecosystem. The final two years will focus on deepening the project’s real-world impact by engaging additional stakeholders, piloting new training content, and connecting outcomes to broader policy and industrial needs.
AILEEN is well on course to leave a lasting legacy – not only within its immediate network of countries but across Europe’s wider skills, education, and innovation communities.
📩 For further information or collaboration inquiries:
info@aileencove.eu
🌍 https://aileencove.eu
This project has been funded with support from the European Union. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). The EU and EACEA are not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained herein.
