From 27 to 29 May 2026, ASLAM hosted the CirCLER Trainers Mobility in Italy, bringing together trainers, sustainability experts, project managers, cluster representatives, and learners from 12 European partner organisations. The three-day mobility combined workshops, study visits, and collaborative activities aimed at exploring how vocational education and training can support the circular transition of the furniture and woodworking sector.

Organised within the framework of the Erasmus+ project CirCLER, the mobility focused on one of the project’s main objectives: defining the skills and competences of the Circular Economy Transition Manager in alignment with the ESCO framework. Through practical activities and peer exchange, participants discussed emerging sustainability challenges, innovative training approaches, and the future skills needs linked to circular economy principles.

The programme opened at Artwood Academy in Camnago (MB), where participants took part in a series of workshops dedicated to ecodesign, sustainable materials, and pedagogical approaches connected to the CirCLER training modules. Activities combined theoretical discussion with practical application, including collaborative focus groups and hands-on exercises based on real furniture case studies. Participants also visited the laboratories to observe different stages of furniture production and woodworking processes, concluding the day with an assembly workshop.

One of the most appreciated aspects of the mobility was the interactive methodology adopted throughout the activities. Workshops and focus groups incorporated collaborative and game-based dynamics that encouraged participants to address sustainability challenges creatively, exchange experiences from different national contexts, and reflect on concrete solutions for the circular transition of the sector.

The second day featured a study visit to Gruppo Saviola and Composad in Viadana, offering participants direct insight into one of Europe’s most significant industrial examples of circular economy applied to the furniture industry. The visit highlighted how sustainability, recycling, and innovation can be integrated into industrial strategy and production processes. 

The mobility concluded in Milan with final reflections hosted at the FederlegnoArredo headquarters, followed by a visit to the Museum of Italian Design at Triennale Milano. The closing activities provided an opportunity to connect discussions on sustainability and circularity with the broader cultural and design heritage of the Italian furniture sector.

The CirCLER Trainers Mobility once again demonstrated the value of European cooperation in vocational education and training. Beyond the technical content and exchange of practices, the initiative created a positive and collaborative environment that strengthened connections between partners and reinforced the role of VET in supporting a more sustainable and circular future for the sector.