From green carpenters to climate-friendly chefs: Vocational education receives millions for green transition

Grant Recipient: AARHUS TECH

AARHUS TECH, Techcollege og Roskilde Tekniske Skole  will establish green partnerships through this project in collaboration with trade committees, companies, Nationalt Center for Erhvervspædagogik, Københavns Professionshøjskole, and providers of specialized green continuing education.

Teachers will gain subject-specific and didactic competencies to develop problem-based teaching programs and deliver instruction that ensures students acquire the skills needed to contribute to the green transition. The project will prepare teachers to work in an exploratory manner and in close collaboration with the industries they educate for.

The main components include specialized green upskilling and the implementation of a Green Learning Factory (a Learning Factory is an innovative competency development program). The goal is for participants to solve concrete challenges in their own practice and develop new teaching programs and activities that can be directly applied in the classroom. Experiences and knowledge will be shared across participating schools to ensure that developed curricula and insights can be spread to other education programs and institutions.

The objective is a comprehensive green upskilling of vocational education with a focus on three key areas:

• Green awareness, fostering a shared conceptual understanding and mindset among teachers that aligns with industry needs.
• Green expertise, equipping teachers with updated knowledge about the green transition in their specific fields, such as new building materials or work processes.
• Green didactics, enhancing teachers' pedagogical competencies and experience in developing and delivering problem-based, real-world teaching programs rooted in green awareness and expertise.

The project includes the establishment of partnerships, teacher upskilling, the development of green teaching programs, conceptualization and knowledge sharing, and project management.

Grant amount: DKK 7,995,652

Grant Recipient: GastroLabCollege, TECHCOLLEGE

The GastroLabCollege project – Greener Culinary Craftsmen aims to realize a vision of educating green pioneers in gastronomy. The project builds on the network GastroLabCollege – Climate Education. The capacity developed in the previous project within subject didactics and sustainability education is intended to be further developed, expanded, and disseminated in collaboration with the food industry. The goal is to make the education even more practice-oriented, real-world, and interdisciplinary, working closely with students and internships.

The project addresses challenges within food systems at multiple levels, as well as consumer attitudes toward food. The goal is to implement teaching programs and workshops focused on sustainability in the training of gastronomy and nutrition assistants. In the involved vocational schools and affiliated businesses, the latest knowledge and experience on climate-friendly food will be integrated into the curriculum.

The project also aims to implement teaching methods that motivate students to reflect on and act sustainably, both in education and in their profession. The concept of practical expertise is central to the project, focusing on integrating investigation, experimentation, aesthetic learning processes, and interdisciplinarity to create a motivating learning experience with sustainable gastronomy as the theme.

The project will concretely deliver:

• 8 to 10 interdisciplinary competency-boosting activities for 14-16 vocational and science teachers
• Development of 8 action-oriented teaching programs in collaboration with UCL, Vocational School Publishers, Praxis, and the House of Natural Sciences
• Development of local partnerships with the food industry, 24-30 Green student ambassadors per year
• Knowledge sharing through the initiative "Tour de Green Culinary Craftsmen"

The project’s activities will be anchored in the established GastroLabs at partner schools across Denmark. 14-16 subject and science teachers from TECHCOLLEGE, Hotel- and Restaurant School (HRS), Kold College, HANSENBERG, ZBC, and AARHUS TECH will participate in the development and implementation of teaching programs.

All developed materials will be made available under GastroLabCollege on the portal: www.smagforlivet.dk.

Grant amount: DKK 7,000,267

Grant recipient: Gråsten Landbrugsskole

The Green Farmer of the Future is an action learning project for teachers from 13 schools offering agricultural education. Through five themed action learning programs, the teachers will develop and test at least 30 green learning programs and activities, based on knowledge and examples from and in collaboration with green knowledge environments and businesses.

The project aims to contribute to giving teachers in agricultural education a green competency boost, and to develop, test, and implement green teaching programs and learning activities. This will support the students in developing both their skills and their desire to participate in and contribute to the green transition of agriculture.

The project works with five overarching themes:

• The future's green production methods with a focus on companion cropping and soil health
• Land use, biodiversity, and nature conservation
• The future's green products, such as biogenic building materials
• Niche products with a focus on the experience economy in agriculture
• The future of animal production

The project seeks support for:

• At least 70 teachers from 13 schools participating in action learning programs and receiving a green professional and pedagogical competency boost
• Development of at least 30 learning programs or activities on green production methods, biodiversity, nature conservation, land use, the future's green products, and the future of animal production, for students in the agricultural education's basic courses, main courses, production manager training, and/or agricultural economics programs
• Development of new teaching materials for each of the five themes
• At least 500 students participating in the testing of programs/activities
• Publication of 5 inspiration catalogs, presented at a minimum of one workshop

Grant amount: DKK 7,100,216

Grant recipient: Hotel- og Restaurantskolen

The applicant seeks to create a mobile workshop for practice-based education in sustainable blue foods, building on previous experiences with developing and designing pedagogical learning environments with a strong connection between theory and practice. The workshop will introduce an entirely new didactic approach to education in sustainability and marine nature. The workshop consists of several mobile transport boxes with fishing equipment, etc., which can be transported to the sea and lakes, accompanied by a workshop manager and a teaching team.

The goal is for future food professionals to use and promote sustainable foods from the sea and lakes to create green meals with high culinary value, respect for nature and climate, and an understanding of nutrition and health in future food systems.

As part of the project, teaching materials and programs will be developed and tested for both basic and advanced courses, where students will engage with the workshop multiple times. During the project period, approximately 15 vocational teachers will be trained to use the workshop in their teaching.

The applicant will make it possible for other vocational education and training (VET) and food education institutions to borrow the project's set-up for teaching their students about blue foods. They will share knowledge and materials developed in the project at a seminar near the sea for relevant stakeholders in the educational landscape. As part of the project, instructors from other vocational schools will be offered a competency boost.

Grant amount: DKK 2,633,855

Grant recipient: Herningsholm Erhvervsskole og Gymnasier

Herningsholm Erhvervsskole, in collaboration with three other vocational schools, will, through the development project "The Sustainable Indoor Climate and Energy Consumption in Buildings," implement the green transition in vocational education by developing and conducting problem-based, interdisciplinary teaching programs in the form of masterclasses for the electrician and plumbing/energy education programs.

Since 2019, the four schools have collaborated on joint competence development and teaching development under the Craft Nation partnership. This partnership involves sharing knowledge, competencies, resources, technology, and facilities across campuses and programs. With Craft Nation, existing collaboration models are already in place for the project, including teacher networks within the relevant subject areas. There are also leadership networks at the institutions to ensure a shared leadership focus and support for collaboration. Craft Nation thus provides a well-established platform for inter-school collaboration, strengthening the realization and anchoring of the project.

At an operational level, the project will contribute to greener vocational education by focusing on the development of teachers, businesses, apprentices, and students' professional competencies, as well as strengthening learning opportunities across the schools’ teaching and company training in the areas of indoor climate and energy consumption in buildings. This will be achieved through the training of special "Indoor Climate and Energy Ambassadors" and through the development and implementation of masterclasses for students, apprentices, businesses, teachers, and other stakeholders.

Project activities:

• Pre-project (Spring 2025): Needs analysis / Needs analysis of the professional competencies and learning opportunities for the green transition and topics related to indoor climate and energy consumption.

Main activities (Fall 2025-2028):

• Education/competency development of teachers as "Indoor Climate and Energy Ambassadors"
• Teaching development and implementation of masterclasses for students, apprentices, businesses, teachers, and other stakeholders.

Funding will be sought for competency development, collaboration networks, development of teaching materials, masterclass instruction, equipment and material purchases, and project management.

Grant amount: DKK 7,954,084

Grant recipient: ZBC

ZBC, one of Denmark's largest vocational schools, aims with the project "Greener Apprentice Test at EUD" to motivate and drive young people toward education and work in the green transition. They plan to do this by developing a framework for teaching practices for green journeyman exams targeted at masons and carpenters. Through the development of guidelines for green construction, the project, in collaboration with schools, industry partners, and LUU (Local Education Committees), will develop and integrate sustainable construction practices into new teaching materials for testing across vocational schools.

The project is based on a pilot project that was carried out by NEXT over a 5-year process. Building on the positive experiences from the pilot trials, the project aims to develop a sustainable concept where the entire educational process in the carpentry and masonry fields is structured to allow for green journeyman certification.

Activities in the project:

• Competency development for vocational teachers
• Development of sustainable building guidelines for green construction for carpenters and masons
• Development and testing of a concept for incorporating materials and methods into education
• Development and testing of teaching materials for Basic Course 2 (GF2) and for three main courses in carpentry and masonry, as well as for three different main courses
• Development and testing of teaching materials for journeyman exams in carpentry and masonry

The method used to develop new materials is based on the so-called Q-model for competency development, developed by Aarhus University. It will occur in a cycle of workshops and practice, where the material is developed based on the content of the workshops. The process will be anchored in ZBC's development department.

Grant amount: DKK 7,979,851

Grant recipient: Center for erhvervsrettede uddannelser Lolland Falster – CELF

CELF and Campus Bornholm have teamed up for the project "Green Climate Pioneers - The Future Kitchen through Sustainable Gastronomy," which will train green climate pioneers with professional knowledge of the green transition in professional kitchens. The goal of Green Climate Pioneers is to develop green food education so that apprentices and students acquire the skills needed to work professionally with climate-friendly food, meeting the needs of training companies. Additionally, the project aims to provide all young people in the relevant vocational education programs with inspiration and the tools to argue for climate-friendly diets.

The development of the teaching courses will be supported by consultants from Professionshøjskolen Absalon, with relevant subject knowledge, and DemocracyX, with expertise in democratic dialogue. The aim is to provide professional development for teachers through the creation of a pedagogical toolkit aimed at the green transition, along with subject-specific courses focused on new ingredients and methods.

Network partners, such as Fødevarealliancen Region Sjælland, Bornholms LandboUngdom og Guldborgsund Kommune, support the project with knowledge and access to their networks, providing opportunities for excursions and potential speakers.

Grant amount: DKK 3,299,961

Grant recipient: EUC Sjælland

The project, "Green Vocational Teachers for Construction", aims to upgrade the skills of vocational teachers from EUC Sjælland and AMU Fyn through an educational program. The goal is to develop new green lines and teaching courses within the subjects of masonry and construction.

The vocational teachers will receive further education, primarily from Teknologisk Institut. Videnscenter for Håndværk og Bæredygtighed will facilitate the development of the green lines and teaching courses, partly based on the experiences gained from the Grøn Smed project. Additionally, inspiration tours and workshops focused on sustainability in construction, facilitated by Catapult Projects, are planned. Furthermore, the project will involve input from and visits to other relevant actors.

The project's objective is to qualify the vocational teachers to develop and teach new green educational materials, which will support students at the involved vocational schools in acquiring competencies in the green transition.

It is planned that the final lines and courses will be shared through a closing conference and made available to other vocational schools via the knowledge center's platform and through a special dissemination effort.

Grant amount: DKK 2.478.500

Grant recipient: EUC Sjælland

With this project, the green profile of the carpentry education at EUC Sjælland and the Center for Erhvervsrettede Uddannelser Lolland Falster (CELF) is strengthened by examining how sustainability can be integrated across all subjects. The goal is to create a green mindset among future carpenters. The project includes analysis work, collaboration with the business community, and development of teaching materials based on the latest research.

The project is a maturity fund project for vocational schools that wish to mature project ideas and collaborations regarding greener vocational education with the aim of later applying for the main fund of Villum Foundation.

Grant amount: DKK 282,434

Grant recipient: Nordvestsjællands Erhvervs- og Gymnasieuddannelser

The project will explore how to create a partnership around climate vocational schools and establish a climate competence center in Region Zealand. The project tests different approaches and methods to create a partnership between vocational schools, the business sector, labor market partners, municipalities, and regions.

In the project, CELF (Center for Vocational Education Lolland Falster), ZBC (Zealand Business College), EUC Sjælland, Nordvestsjællands Erhvervs- og Gymnasieuddannelser, as well as Køge Municipality, Vordingborg Municipality, Næstved Municipality, and other educational institutions in Region Zealand collaborate.

The project is a maturation fund project for vocational schools that wish to mature project ideas and collaborations around greener VET, with the aim of later applying for the main fund from Villum Foundation.

Grant amount: DKK 297,000

Grant recipient: Hotel- og Restaurantskolen

At Hotel- og Restaurantskolen, the goal is to develop the ideas around a grain workshop that can serve as a learning space where theory and practice are closely connected. An associated workshop master will gather the latest available knowledge in the field and develop programs where students learn about grain in inspiring and engaging ways.

A better understanding of the applications and nutritional potential of grain is expected to lead to the use of grain varieties that are produced with less environmental impact and resource consumption, thus strengthening the green transition.

The project is a development pool project for vocational schools that wish to mature project ideas and collaborations around greener vocational education and training (EUD) with the goal of later applying for Villum Foundation's main fund.

Grant amount: DKK 267,350

Grant recipient: Viden Djurs

Viden Djurs will investigate what is needed to future-proof vocational training programs in relation to the green transition. The goal is, among other things, to identify key development needs, competency requirements, and potential collaborators for greener vocational education through desk research, school visits, and workshops.

The project is a development pool project for vocational schools that wish to mature project ideas and collaborations around greener vocational education and training (EUD) with the goal of later applying for Villum Foundation's main fund.

Grant amount: DKK 254,052

Grant recipient: TECHCOLLEGE

At TECHCOLLEGE in Aalborg, a cross-disciplinary and shared green basic course is being developed for agricultural, animal keeper, and landscape gardener education. The project involves developing the framework and content for the basic course, as well as exploring whether the school can revitalize workshops so that the operations align more clearly with themes such as biodiversity, recycling, plant-based food production, and new technology.

The project is a seed funding project for vocational schools that aim to refine project ideas and collaborations around greener VET (vocational education and training) with the goal of later applying for the main funding from Villum Foundation.

Grant amount: DKK 299,850

Grant Recipient: TECHCOLLEGE

TECHCOLLEGE in Aalborg aims to develop the driver and truck driving education programs in a greener and more sustainable direction by gathering knowledge about the latest trends and developments in the transport industry related to green transition.

The project will involve external experts and stakeholders who can provide teachers and students with insights into new trends and technologies within green transition and sustainability.

The project is a seed funding initiative for vocational schools that wish to mature project ideas and collaborations around greener vocational education and training (EUD), with the intention of applying for Villum Foundation’s main grant in the future.

Grant amount: DKK 300,000