In the charming city of Seville, the groundbreaking Kick-Off Meeting for the INVEST project was convened, marking the commencement of a pivotal venture dedicated to fostering Innovation in Green and Digital VET skills for Sustainable Lifestyles. Held over three productive days from the 18th to the 20th of March 2024, the event gathered a consortium of partners; INCOMA from Spain, CESIE and CIOFS-FP from Italy, Albanian Skills, CETEOR from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo Chamber of Commerce (KCC) and Chamber of Economy of Montenegro (CEM) set to embark on a journey towards a more sustainable and digitally inclusive future.

The first day was a blend of warm welcomes and profound insights, beginning with a registration and welcome session, including warm-up activities, hosted by INCOMA, setting the tone for the event. The first session of the day was overall presentations from all the participating partners, offering a unique opportunity for each to share their main focus as an organization and their vision and commitment towards the INVEST objectives within a concise five-minute window.

The agenda delved into detailed presentations on various Work Packages (WPs), starting with an overview of INVEST and its management plan under WP1. The subsequent sessions covered the framework for green and digital skills for a sustainable lifestyle (WP2), the capacity building program for VET trainers (WP3), and the networking system for VET schools in the Western Balkans (WP4), presented by respective leading partners such as CIOFS-FP, CESIE, and CETEOR.

After the break, the focus shifted to Evaluation, Quality Assurance, & Monitoring (WP5) and Dissemination, Communication, Exploitation, and Sustainability (WP6), with insightful contributions from Albanian Skills & INCOMA and KCC.

The second and third days were dedicated to the INVEST Knowledge Sharing Workshop, aiming to facilitate the exchange of expertise and insights among participants. The workshop commenced with discussions on the relevant EU competence framework and other initiatives, led by INCOMA, CIOFS-FP, and CESIE. A series of presentations on secondary VET training in Albania, Montenegro, and Bosnia & Herzegovina highlighted the diverse educational landscapes and challenges across the regions, fostering a collective understanding and approach towards addressing them.

The workshop concluded with joint working sessions on digital and green skills, emphasizing the project’s dual focus on enhancing digital literacy and promoting environmental sustainability through vocational training. The conclusion session, led by CIOFS-FP and all partners, outlined the next steps and laid the groundwork for collaborative efforts.

The INVEST Kick-Off Meeting represented a collective stride towards integrating green and digital skills into VET systems, contributing to sustainable lifestyles across Spain, Italy and the Western Balkans. Through collaborative efforts, knowledge sharing, and strategic planning, INVEST is poised to lead a transformation in vocational education, preparing a workforce that is not only skilled but also conscientious about the environment and sustainability.