The DiSTT project prepares students and employees for the labour market of the 21st century. With knowledge of 3D printing and digital manufacturing, it can be easier for them to succeed

The new DiSTT project, which has just started, targets educational programmes in FabLabs in five European countries. FabLabs are open workshops focused on the development and production of products with the help of computer-controlled manufacturing machines such as 3D printers, laser cutters or CNC milling machines. The project will offer six training and upskilling programmes to high school and university students, but also to employees or freelance creators with the aim of increasing their employment on the labour market. The project in its pilot version targets interested parties in the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Italy and Croatia.

„Enthusiasm for the cause is typical for the community of makers, i.e. digital do-it-yourselfers of the 21st century. With it, together with other partners, we enter the DiSTT project, in which we want to expand and deepen the knowledge of various groups of residents in the field of skills in digital prototyping. FabLabs offer an exceptional background for everyone who is fascinated by creativity and technology and sees the future in it. It doesn’t necessarily have to be just creatives, tech geeks or those who have an idea for a business and are looking for a development background. For companies of all sizes, FabLabs are a place of concentration of human resources with enormous innovation potential,“ explained the main researcher of the DiSTT project David Škaroupka from the Brno University of Technology (Czech Republic). The first university FabLab in the Czech Republic was created under the name strojLAB at this university.

By supporting educational programmes in open workshops, the project managers want to strengthen the innovation ecosystem and the labour market in Central Europe. „The labour market is changing rapidly with the advent of new technologies and thus brings new challenges. One of them is the need to improve skills and qualifications in the field of digital production technologies. FabLabs with their technologies, openness, adaptability and know-how in this area are the ideal tool to face this challenge not only in Central Europe,“ explained Jan Dvořáček from FabLab Brno, who is the main author of the concept of the DiSTT project.
In addition to the two Brno FabLabs, partner organizations from Austria, Germany, Italy and Croatia are involved in the project.

DiSTT project = 6 FabLabs in Europe
 
– strojLAB, Brno University of Technology (CZ)
– FabLab Brno (CZ)
– HappyLab (AT)
– brigk (DE)
– NOI Techpark (IT)
– FabLab Zagreb (HR)

The international team of makers wants to jointly create, test and then offer training programmes to individuals, entrepreneurs and companies, with the help of which anyone can become a digital creator. Each of the FabLabs targets a different age or socio-economic group. However, the main intention is common – to help the labour market respond to the digital transformation that is taking place especially in industrial fields.

„brigk aims at small and medium sized enterprises to implement digital fabrication into every days workflows. We want to enable employees to enter new fields of action and maybe discover fields of personal interest as a resource for work life. With that, companies in the region of Ingolstadt and its neighbors shall be able to stay in business, competitive and go for something new. The program is a perfect addition to our goals. Digitalization will have a new entry way to companies through it. The point of view from regions from all over Central Europe will help to get to new, creative solutions,“ described brigk Makerspace manager Max Hofedank. 

What does the DiSTT project acronym stand for?
Digital Skills Transformation Toolkit for a Resilient Labour Market//you may fill in your national translation

Makers from all over the world will come to the Czech Republic in just one year
The FAB2025.CZ international conference will be a significant opportunity to address those interested in training programmes of the DiSTT project. It will be held in the Czech Republic for the first time in history, specifically in Prague and Brno. Czech open workshops and makers will have the opportunity to show visitors from abroad what they can do, and at the same time share current experiences with the global community of makers. Learning programmes of the DiSTT project affects individuals and companies and can stand at the beginning of their journey of digital transformation of the industry.

The DiSTT project is co-financed by the European Union within the Interreg Central Europe programme.