Eco-build Kempen

With an employment growth of 2.7% by 2030, Flemish labour market forecasts identify construction as the sector with the greatest impact of the green transition. Given its important share in the regional economy and the fact that Kempen, with 8.44%, has the highest proportion of people employed in the construction sector, the already existing labour market shortage in the construction and installation sector is eminently a Kempen challenge. Besides quantitative shortages, forecasts also warn of bottlenecks due to a lack of adapted skills. The green transition is therefore increasing the quantity and complexity of skills required in the construction and installation sector, increasing the need for retraining and upskilling of professionals.

With European support and support from VLAIO, Kamp C and Thomas More are therefore investing in future-oriented training infrastructure, demonstration and experience spaces to recruit and strengthen green skills among professionals in the construction and installation sector. Two investment projects here build on the extensive expertise of two knowledge and innovation hubs in the Kempen region - namely the provincial centre for sustainable construction Kamp C and the Expertise Centre Energy of Thomas More. It involves strengthening skills of the central themes in the green building transition:

• Materials transition: circular and bio-based building materials and techniques
• Energy transition: renewable energy techniques for the built environment

The investments are realised within a wider shared learning ecosystem called Eco-build Kempen. With these area-specific investments in shared expertise and shared use of innovative training infrastructure, the partners in the learning ecosystem strengthen the competitiveness of the many (Kempen) SMEs in the construction and installation sector.

Specifically, Kamp C is investing 1,608,023.00 euros in a mobile experience space to recruit and sensitise (future) construction professionals to the green building transition and in state-of-the-art demo and training infrastructure to strengthen skills for the circular materials transition in the built environment. Of this, 40% is funded by Europe and 10% by VLAIO. With these funds, Kamp C and Province of Antwerp are realising:

• A revamped Techno Trailer, a mobile STEM demonstration space for young teenagers.
• Training facilities at Kamp C, focusing on circular and bio-based construction techniques.

In its submission, learning ecosystem Eco-build Kempen could count on letters of support from stakeholders from various societal domains. These include Embuild Flanders, Techlink, Frixis, Constructiv, Volta, RTC Antwerp, Flemish spearhead cluster energy Flux50, the Flemish Department of Education & Training, Flanders Circular and the Flemish Energy & Climate Agency.