The Digital Twin on Smart Manufacturing project has officially entered one of its most important phases – the national pilot testings, bringing together students, teachers, and professionals from five European countries. This stage marks a major milestone in validating the project’s innovative training materials, virtual labs, and digital twin resources before their full-scale release.
Over the coming weeks, more than 300 students, 50 teachers, and 100 employees will participate in pilot sessions hosted both in-person and online. These events give learners a unique opportunity to explore the project’s interactive training modules, test the virtual and physical Digital Twin labs, and provide valuable feedback that will help refine the final version of the programme.
Pilot Events Across Five Countries
The national pilot testings are being carried out by all project partners in their respective regions:
- Italy (APRO Formazione)
Two in-person sessions will take place on 4 and 16 December 2025, complemented by online events on 26 and 27 November. Participants will experience the full training platform and receive guidance directly from the APRO coordination team.- Registration for the live events – here. On 4 December host will be Apro Formazione ALBA (CN) – Strada Castelgherlone 2/A, and on 16 December – Apro Formazione CANELLI (AT), Via dei Prati 16
- Registration for the online event on 26 November (in Italian) – here
- Registration for the online event on 27 November (in English) – here. A special guest to this event will be Raffaella Menconi, Head of Education Programme at Siemens Italia, associate partner of the project.
- Greece (Hellenic Mediterranean University)
An in-person event on 20 November brought together students and educators eager to explore Digital Twin applications in smart manufacturing. - Sweden (Göteborgs Tekniska College)
On 20 November, GTC hosted its national pilot session, focusing on hands-on interaction with the project’s virtual labs. - Spain (Politeknika Txorierri)
The Spanish pilot testing will be held on 21 November, welcoming vocational learners and industry representatives interested in advanced manufacturing technologies. - Bulgaria (University of Ruse “Angel Kanchev”)
Scheduled for December 2025, the Bulgarian pilot event will connect local students and teachers with the Digital Twin platform through live demonstrations and practical exercises.
A Key Step Before the International Skills Competitions
These pilot events serve a dual role: not only do they help fine-tune the project’s training content, but they also prepare participants for the upcoming national and international Skills Competitions, which will take place throughout 2026. The feedback collected during the pilot phase will directly support the development of exercises, assessment criteria, and practical challenges that competitors will face.
Building a European Community Around Digital Twin Technologies
The strong engagement in the pilot phase reflects the growing demand for digital skills in manufacturing. By bringing together educational institutions, training centres, and industry partners, the project is fostering a vibrant European network ready to adopt and implement Digital Twin technologies in real industrial contexts.
As the pilot testings progress, the consortium will continue to share updates, insights, and opportunities for participation.
