The European Powder Metallurgy Association (EPMA) is a partner in the Sector Skills Strategy in Additive Manufacturing Project (SAM), which is tasked with “developing a system to identify and anticipate” the right skills for the additive-manufacturing (AM) industry in Europe.

The EPMA (www.epma.com) says technology is evolving at a much faster pace than the development of “workers’ skills to use it.

Most of the current initiatives and projects that focus on skills shortages are developing skills for existing needs and shortages, meaning that industry is already demanding personnel with those competences.

Looking at the bigger picture, it means that there is no strategic approach to developing skills in AM and that the current methodology to answer to skills needs is based on reaction, instead of prediction and planning.

Adding to this, the time between identification of the skills needs and shortages and the ability to deploy qualification/training modules to address them is not aligned with the industry requirements.

In most cases, it takes about 1-2 years to create the required professional profile/qualification or competence unit/training module and to have it deployed.

The Wohlers Report 2018 on 3-D Printing and Additive Manufacturing says “the overall additive-manufacturing industry grew by 21% in 2017, expanding by more than 1 billion euros”.

Meanwhile, Ernst & Young says the demand for AM and related services is expected to reach 10 billion euros in 2020.

The EPMA says: “As Europe seeks to retain its leading position in industrial competitiveness, there is an urgent need to establish a platform for AM skills at European, national and regional levels. To meet this challenge, the SAM project was started in January this year.

“This initiative will tackle the current European need for developing an effective system to identify and anticipate the right skills for the AM sector.”

The SAM project consortium comprises 16 partners, of which EWF (European Welding Federation) is the co-ordinator.

The 48-month project ends on 31 December 2022.