EXCEED TALK | AI Disruption in Advanced Manufacturing: Regional Research and Evidences from VET Practices

AI Is Transforming Manufacturing. Is VET Keeping Up?

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a distant prospect for the manufacturing sector — it is already reshaping production floors, logistics systems, and the very nature of technical work across Europe. The question that now demands urgent attention is not whether AI will change advanced manufacturing, but whether our vocational education and training systems are evolving fast enough to prepare the workforce for this transformation.

This is the central challenge that the EXCEED project is bringing to the forefront of the European VET debate.

About the Webinar

The EXCEED project, in cooperation with Clust-ER Innovate and the University of Oulu, is organising the next edition of the EXCEED TALK series — an open, expert-led conversation dedicated to innovation in advanced manufacturing and vocational education.

This session will focus on the latest regional research and field evidence on how Generative AI and digital tools are being integrated — or struggling to be integrated — into VET practices across Europe.

The webinar will bring together regional research findings, real-world data and practitioner insights to offer a comprehensive and grounded picture of where the sector stands today, and where it is heading.

Speakers

Gisele da Silva Perbellini Research and Innovation Specialist, Clust-ER Innovate Drawing on research conducted within the Emilia-Romagna innovation ecosystem, Gisele will present regional evidence on AI adoption in advanced manufacturing contexts and its implications for skills development and VET curriculum design.

Ari Vuokila University of Oulu Ari will contribute an international and research-based perspective on how Generative AI is influencing student skill development in technical and vocational pathways, with particular reference to findings emerging from Northern Europe.

Who Should Attend

This webinar is designed for anyone operating at the intersection of education, training and industry:

• VET teachers and trainers working in technical and manufacturing fields
• School managers and VET centre coordinators
• Industry professionals and HR managers in advanced manufacturing
• Researchers and policy advisors working on digital and green transitions in education

Contribute to the EXCEED Observatory

Beyond the webinar itself, EXCEED is actively building a European evidence base on AI in VET through the EXCEED Observatory — a longitudinal research initiative tracking the adoption and impact of Generative AI across partner countries and institutions.

Your direct experience is essential to this work.

If you are a teacher or trainer, we invite you to complete the questionnaire on the impact of Generative AI on student skill development in Advanced Manufacturing. Your professional perspective will directly inform research recommendations and policy guidance at European level. https://forms.office.com/e/mJLY03d1TH

If you are a student or trainee, we invite you to share your experience of using AI tools in technical and vocational training. Understanding how the next generation of technicians and engineers is already engaging with AI is critical to shaping responsive and future-proof curricula. https://forms.office.com/e/DeumfJ1Dyx

Every contribution — regardless of how advanced or limited AI adoption may be in your context — helps build an authentic and representative European picture.

Event Details