EU POCTEFA project: CoopWood

 

POCTEFA 2014-2020 is a European Union cross-border cooperation programme created to promote sustainable development in an area that comprises Andorra and parts of Spain and France. POCTEFA 2014-2020 is the fifth generation of EU financial support aimed at strengthening social and economic integration in the Spain-France-Andorra border area. The programme offers joint funding for cross-border cooperation projects designed and managed by parties from both sides of the Pyrenees. It is managed by Comunitat de Treball dels Pirineus, a consortium of seven member territories: two French regions (Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie), four Spanish autonomous communities (Basque Country, Navarra, Aragon, and Catalonia), and the Principality of Andorra.

Coopwood / Interreg

The CoopWood project seeks to promote cross-border cooperation between vocational training organizations and companies in the wood sector. Its members are the Gipuzkoa Professional Woodworking Association (AROTZGI), the Pyrénées-Atlantiques Chamber of Commerce for Skilled Workers (CMA64), France's Federation of Construction Workers' Training and Development (FCMB), the Basque Centre of Research and Applied Innovation in VET (TKNIKA), TERMCAT, Centre for Terminology, the Ariège Chamber of Commerce for Skilled Workers (CMA09) and the San Juan / Donibane school. Its members are members of the Gremi de Fusta i Moble de Catalunya, the Easo Politeknikoa Polytechnic Institute and the Fibois Association of New Aquitaine

CoopWood objectives:

  • To improve vocational training's content, methods, tools and scope, matching them to the business sector's needs.
  • To improve the qualifications and competencies of students, teachers and staff.
  • To improve students' and employees' mobility.
  • To create equivalence systems for competencies and qualifications.
  • To create a cross-border guide on legislation and other information that can facilitate mobility and collaboration between companies.
  • To implement new marketing models, namely the development of new products.

Regarding improvements to students' and employees' mobility, improving access to the job market on both sides of the border will allow the business sector to realize existing potential and build teams that are as competitive as possible.

The project's total cost is €1,027,600, 65% of which comes in funding from the European Regional Development Fund, through the INTERREG V-A Spain-France-Andorra programme (POCTEFA 2014-2020).

Initiatives being launched by CoopWood's member organizations include:

  • A cross-border study and diagnosis of the wood sector.
  • The pooling of training opportunities, certificates, qualifications and methods.
  • The development of equivalences for competencies and qualifications.
  • The creation of an employment exchange.
  • The creation of specific wood-related training courses.
  • The creation of marketing tools.

All results are be shared online at  http://www.coopwoodplus.eu/

TERMCAT's participation in this project involves the creation of a glossary of wood-related terms in Spanish, French, Basque and Catalan, available at the project website.