Today!

We are preparing to share experiences with foreign partners

The European Education Foundation invites woodworkers and furniture makers to a meeting on “Smart Specialization Skills”. The purpose of the meeting is to start planning a study visit to the Center for Vocational Education of Virus County in Estonia and the Dutch School for the training of specialists in woodworking, furniture production and interior design

The meeting will take place today at 12 o’clock Kyiv time. Will be hosted in the Zoom application with simultaneous translation into English and Ukrainian.

You will still have time to register by the link. After registration, you will receive a confirmation from ZOOM with an individual link to the meeting. If you have additional questions, please contact Maria Pirogova ( m.pirogova@nobletmedia.com ).

 

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 And in short, what skills of start-up specialization will be discussed.

Skills required for the development of the woodworking and furniture manufacturing sector

Innovations in the production processes of the furniture industry are usually focused either on increasing the competitiveness of products and reducing production costs or on deeper specialization in terms of product quality and variability. Lack of necessary skills is a major obstacle to the introduction of new innovative technologies by small and medium-sized furniture and woodworking enterprises.

Innovations required by competitiveness and cost reduction include, inter alia, business process automation, deep integration with business partners, the use of computer-aided design and/or manufacturing (CAD-CAM technologies) and the introduction of new materials that are stronger, cheaper or more environmentally friendly than those traditionally used. The use of the Internet and the development of e-commerce are also important means of expanding sales to new markets.

The foresight exercise implemented in Rivne identified three areas that are important for the development of start-up specialization in the field of woodworking and furniture production and overcoming the shortage of necessary professional staff.

These are:

1) development of digital skills,

2) improvement of knowledge and skills in the field of design and use of composite materials,

3) formation of “green” skills and knowledge on the functioning of the circular economy. 

Digital skills

Digitalization is the basis of smart specialization in the field of woodworking and furniture production, in particular in the Rivne region.

Our vocational (technical) education institutions still train workers with mostly analogue skills, although the design, production and logistics capabilities in the industry are becoming increasingly digital. Therefore, updating the training system, which should include the development of intermediate and advanced skills in additive manufacturing, is a priority for the development of smart specialization. Additive production is a production process that supports all aspects of the product development cycle – from prototype to production of final parts. Especially used in the manufacture of custom products.     

The future of the wood and furniture industry is seen even more digitally due to qualitative changes in the ordering and planning of materials, as interaction with suppliers, warehouses throughout the production chain will take place on digital, independent platforms that have access to central databases and technologies robotics. Another area that does not require significant investment in infrastructure is digital marketing.

To meet the demands of employers for primary and secondary skills in the field of additive production, it is necessary to address the issue of chronic underfunding of the needs of specialized educational institutions that provide training in professions needed in woodworking and furniture production in the field of information technology.  

Design and wood composites

The priority of the people of Rivne is to support the manufacturers of wood-oriented furniture in their transition from traditional ways of designing interior elements and wooden furniture to the use of more modern tools. The lever of competitive advantage to achieve this is the use of innovative design in terms of both materials and end products. This requires a strong knowledge base of design technologies (manual, technical and digital), materials, production processes and other value-added opportunities.

An important element of furniture design focused on the use of wood is the possibility of using other materials and composites in the design. 

As consumer preferences change at an unprecedented rate, eco-design is becoming a field of significant innovation and encourages wood furniture manufacturers to create more environmentally friendly products. To reduce the environmental impact of furniture production, special attention is paid to more resource-efficient ways of using and reusing wood, as well as waste management and waste reduction.

Traditional wood-based furniture design and manufacturing technologies focus on the use of hand and power tools, while advanced wood-based furniture design and manufacturing technologies require a number of woodworking machine skills, CNC (subtractive production) technology, large-scale woodworking and laser equipment.

Therefore, mid-level skills in sustainable design and the circular economy should be part of all design education programs, which is important for finding adequate responses to the challenges of technological, social and market change. The advanced course in furniture design also includes knowledge of combining creativity with production technology and the ability to work with an industrial partner.

Green skills and the circular economy

The woodworking and furniture industries are increasingly under attack from a variety of climatic and environmental issues. Consumers are becoming more environmentally aware, and the demand for environmentally responsible products is growing. New methods and non-standard thinking are needed to modernize the woodworking and furniture industry, to make it more environmentally responsible and sustainable. For industries that rely on natural resources, wood as the main material, a linear model, when available resources are used to produce goods that are then consumed and discarded at the end of the operational period, ceases to be used.   

On-time circular economy. This is a model of production and consumption, which involves maximizing the value of products and materials over time, closing their technical and biological cycles, planning waste and pollution, as well as providing nature and natural resources for the regeneration period. The transition to a circular model is a new challenge for the woodworking and furniture industries, as it must adapt current design and production processes, as well as provide current and future professionals with the necessary skills for such a transition.  

Waste prevention, waste management and innovative business models, such as resource recovery, ie the production of raw materials from waste, can benefit greatly from digital solutions. A basic understanding of furniture design using reclaimed wood should be part of all educational programs in furniture production. Such training should consist of manual work with reclaimed wood to restore its original condition. The use of recycled wood resources has already led most companies in the circular furniture sector to focus on custom manufacturing and individual projects.