The BSA - Build Skills Alliance COVE is actively strengthening its presence within the European VET landscape. SFC, as the partner responsible for high-level engagement, and Cleantech Bulgaria, the project coordinator, have launched a campaign of strategic meetings with key umbrella organisations in the field of vocational education and training in Europe. The goal: to build alliances, amplify the impact of BSA's results, and open new avenues for collaboration in green skills development for the construction sector.
Meeting with EAfA – Apprenticeship as a gateway to Green Skills
A high-interest dialogue took place with the EAfA - European Alliance for Apprenticeships, the flagship European Commission initiative that brings together governments and key stakeholders to strengthen the quality, supply and overall image of apprenticeships across Europe, while promoting the mobility of apprentices. The Alliance currently unites more than 500 stakeholders across 43 countries and is playing an increasingly central role in advancing green and digital transitions in the labour market.
The meeting opened a productive conversation on the challenges and opportunities of international apprenticeship in the construction sector, with particular focus on the development of green skills. Both parties explored how EAfA's networks and expertise could intersect with BSA's work on BESM Build Enriched Skills Methodology.
The discussion centred on the proposed BSA Masterclass theme "From Classroom to Career: Modern Apprenticeship Models", covering key areas such as the reimagining of vocational training for the digital age, the internationalisation of qualifications, and best practices in trainee mentoring and retention. The outcomes of the meeting are encouraging: both parties expressed a shared interest in consolidating the collaboration, with the prospect of EAfA's participation in the upcoming BSA Masterclass programme. The Bologna edition, to be held in partnership with FORMEDIL on the occasion of the SAIE trade fair, represents a natural platform to bring this dialogue to life.
Meeting with EAPRIL – Research, Practice and Learning Methodology
BSA also met with EAPRIL, the European Association for Practitioner Research on Improving Learning, which brings together those interested in the crossroads between research and practice, and between education and professional learning, with the mission to inspire and advance educational development.
EAPRIL's 2026 conference theme, "Making meaning: The craft of collaborative construction of understanding" , resonates strongly with BSA's approach to learning innovation. The association actively invites its community to explore how meaning is crafted across educational contexts, and how the partnership between practice and research can continue to evolve in ways that benefit learners, professionals, and society at large. This vision aligns closely with BSA's commitment to developing new exploratory interventions and applied learning methodologies.
Within BSA, the partnership has developed the BESM Build Enriched Skills Methodology, an innovative tool that enables training providers to assess and improve their curricula in line with European standards. Building on this methodology, and in close cooperation with industry representatives, BSA has designed 12 training courses to address the skills requirements for green building — all ESCO-referenced and supported through a digital platform that allows VET institutions to validate their training offer.
The meeting explored possible avenues for collaboration, including participation in dissemination events and other joint initiatives of mutual interest, with both organisations recognising the strong alignment between EAPRIL's applied research mission and the evidence-based outcomes being generated within BSA.
These meetings are part of a broader campaign through which the BSA COVE is engaging with the leading voices of European VET to ensure that the Alliance's results are rooted in the wider ecosystem of policy, research, and practice. Further updates on upcoming alliances and activities will be shared through BSA's communication channels.
The BSA - Build Skills Alliance COVE is actively strengthening its presence within the European VET landscape. SFC, as the partner responsible for high-level engagement, and Cleantech Bulgaria, the project coordinator, have launched a campaign of strategic meetings with key umbrella organisations in the field of vocational education and training in Europe. The goal: to build alliances, amplify the impact of BSA's results, and open new avenues for collaboration in green skills development for the construction sector.
Meeting with EAfA – Apprenticeship as a gateway to Green Skills
A high-interest dialogue took place with the EAfA - European Alliance for Apprenticeships, the flagship European Commission initiative that brings together governments and key stakeholders to strengthen the quality, supply and overall image of apprenticeships across Europe, while promoting the mobility of apprentices. The Alliance currently unites more than 500 stakeholders across 43 countries and is playing an increasingly central role in advancing green and digital transitions in the labour market.
The meeting opened a productive conversation on the challenges and opportunities of international apprenticeship in the construction sector, with particular focus on the development of green skills. Both parties explored how EAfA's networks and expertise could intersect with BSA's work on BESM Build Enriched Skills Methodology.
The discussion centred on the proposed BSA Masterclass theme "From Classroom to Career: Modern Apprenticeship Models", covering key areas such as the reimagining of vocational training for the digital age, the internationalisation of qualifications, and best practices in trainee mentoring and retention. The outcomes of the meeting are encouraging: both parties expressed a shared interest in consolidating the collaboration, with the prospect of EAfA's participation in the upcoming BSA Masterclass programme. The Bologna edition, to be held in partnership with FORMEDIL on the occasion of the SAIE trade fair, represents a natural platform to bring this dialogue to life.
Meeting with EAPRIL – Research, Practice and Learning Methodology
BSA also met with EAPRIL, the European Association for Practitioner Research on Improving Learning, which brings together those interested in the crossroads between research and practice, and between education and professional learning, with the mission to inspire and advance educational development.
EAPRIL's 2026 conference theme, "Making meaning: The craft of collaborative construction of understanding" , resonates strongly with BSA's approach to learning innovation. The association actively invites its community to explore how meaning is crafted across educational contexts, and how the partnership between practice and research can continue to evolve in ways that benefit learners, professionals, and society at large. This vision aligns closely with BSA's commitment to developing new exploratory interventions and applied learning methodologies.
Within BSA, the partnership has developed the BESM Build Enriched Skills Methodology, an innovative tool that enables training providers to assess and improve their curricula in line with European standards. Building on this methodology, and in close cooperation with industry representatives, BSA has designed 12 training courses to address the skills requirements for green building — all ESCO-referenced and supported through a digital platform that allows VET institutions to validate their training offer.
The meeting explored possible avenues for collaboration, including participation in dissemination events and other joint initiatives of mutual interest, with both organisations recognising the strong alignment between EAPRIL's applied research mission and the evidence-based outcomes being generated within BSA.
These meetings are part of a broader campaign through which the BSA COVE is engaging with the leading voices of European VET to ensure that the Alliance's results are rooted in the wider ecosystem of policy, research, and practice. Further updates on upcoming alliances and activities will be shared through BSA's communication channels.