During the last 2 decades switching from labour intensive to innovation-oriented economy has been a key priority of EU. In this scope, a high priority has been put on upskilling of low-skilled adults and adjustment of competencies of human resources to the new market requirements.

In this modern market, the inability of managers to put in place proper innovation environment and ensure optimal use of resources and competencies within their organisation is a common threat to sustainability and growth of SMEs especially in no/low tech industries, as well as to well-being of the employees in SMEs lacking innovation culture and their job security.

To address the issue, common especially in countries with traditionally hierarchical professional culture, the InC partnership is looking to develop and test a solution for developing competencies of SMEs managers in no/low tech sectors (commonly not associated with innovation) to build innovation culture within their companies that will foster proinnovative orientation of their teams and capitalization on individual competencies of their employees within SMEs.

To this end, the main activities will be related with delivering and testing a development program targeted at no/low tech SME managers covering:

1. Awareness building for recognition of the importance for innovation and fostering innovation
culture in SMEs – a program covering a mix of face-to-face and online activities and awareness campaign for sensitization of SMEs managers about relevance of developing pro-innovative environment within their organisations,

2. Tools for increasing understanding of innovation concepts and their applicability in no/low tech sectors for building competitiveness and sustainability of SMEs,

3. Practically oriented computer-mediated competence development program covering development within 5 thematic lines:

i/Designing and leading innovation environment,

ii/ Building theright team – hiring and positioning of HR for successful engagement in innovation,

iii/Fostering innovation through communication,

iv/Lean start-up,

v/Digital solutions for fostering innovative culture, followed by the innovation culture
challenge – a collection of practical challenges for SMEs managers to be implemented in day-to-day professional activities, based on individual task delivery system as learning-by-doing e-guide to implementing innovation culture in SME.

Within the project the main outcome will take a form of integrated development program for building competencies for implementing innovation culture in SMEs among SMEs managers in no/low tech sectors and methodologies and tools for VET, SME support organisations and other relevant stakeholders to support SMEs innovation culture and overcoming barriers to innovation within no/low tech sectors.

For more information follow E&D FB page – https://www.facebook.com/EDKnowledgeConsulting/

and the project – https://www.facebook.com/InC-Project-100656672627682