The European Union (EU) prioritizes empowering small businesses and enhancing employability by promoting entrepreneurship. However, despite policy goals and ambitions, SMEs still face significant barriers to reaching their full potential due to skill shortages. There is an urgent need to train new entrants and retrain individuals already working in the sector. It is evident that the EU's vocational education and training (VET) system struggles to provide the necessary skills for SMEs, particularly in micro and family-run businesses. The current provision is often inadequate and impractical, with courses being considered too theoretical by employers and a lack of focus on emerging areas such as SME empowerment and entrepreneurship.

 

At Green Synergy, we also prioritize the environment. We firmly believe that there is no planet B, and it is our duty to fight climate change. Therefore, we will equip our target groups with the tools and knowledge required to incorporate environmental consciousness into their daily business practices. Our courses aim to empower SMEs and entrepreneurs to think and act in a sustainable manner. By creating a virtual community, we foster a sense of green synergy among participants.

 

Green Synergy aims to bridge the gap in innovative and sustainable training for SMEs and entrepreneurs. Our goal is to design courses that not only facilitate business growth but also empower participants to adopt a sustainable mindset. Environmental protection will be integrated into every step of the training process. Each of our partners has been carefully selected to provide high-quality training tailored to the needs of the target groups and to promote greener thinking.

 

Through our training programs, we will provide the knowledge and skills required by SMEs and entrepreneurs. Additionally, our virtual community will facilitate communication, sharing of case studies, examples, and networking opportunities to create green synergies. The Open Education Resources (OER) platform will enable users to communicate, build synergies, and learn from one another, enhancing resource efficiency. Throughout the project's duration, we will produce case studies and best practices to help all users adapt to the rapidly changing business environment while also prioritizing environmental protection and the fight against climate change.

 

With our consortium comprising chambers, VET providers, trainers, and digital solutions providers, we have the capacity to deliver on our objectives. The results of our project will be widely disseminated in seven countries and made available in eight languages, ensuring that users can benefit from the courses and virtual communities.