AEROFUSE - An alliance for the Future of the AEROnautics and Upstream segment Skills Evolution

The aerospace sector is a key driver of European innovation, intersecting multiple priorities in green, digital/deeptech, and resilience needs. However, the industry faces significant challenges, including a transformative period driven by digitalization and sustainability imperatives, a notable skills gap, demographic challenges, and geopolitical tensions. These factors underscore the need for effective skills intelligence and forecasting, knowledge transfer programs, and initiatives to attract, train, and retain talent. AEROFUSE aims to address these challenges within the European aerospace and defence (AS&D) ecosystem of collaboration between academia, industry, and governance, and focusing on technological and occupational areas not yet covered in previous or ongoing Blueprints: aircraft production, satellite manufacturing, and infrastructures/airports. A reactive, mid and long-term strategy is proposed and implemented, building on the legacy and experience from other projects to identify present and future skill needs, devise innovative tools to assess current and emergent skill gaps, and develop innovative Higher Education Institution(HEI) and Vocational Education and Training (VET) curricula aligned with emerging occupational profiles for up/reskilling, ensuring industry-relevant skills and connection with the market, as well as recognition and transferability across Europe. The consortium, comprising 26 partners from 12 countries and representing academia, VET providers, industry clusters and SMEs, NGOs, and governance, is well-prepared to achieve these ambitions. Through a strong network, AEROFUSE will facilitate a long-term action plan for continuing key outputs and activities, fine-tuned for national and regional specificities. By addressing skills mismatches and promoting lifelong learning, AEROFUSE will enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of European AS&D, contributing to economic growth, social fairness, and environmental sustainability.