Open Access

Karol Puscus

• The VET4CHAINS project, funded under the European Commission's Erasmus+ Programme, is a 36-month initiative aimed at boosting vocational education and training (VET) excellence in Work-Based Learning (WBL) to assist small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the automotive sector of Latin America and Europe in their transition to sustainable value chains. With partners from Germany, Spain, Colombia, and Mexico, VET4CHAINS has developed an array of exploitable and sustainable assets to ensure the professional growth of VET professionals and the competitiveness of SMEs in the automotive industry. This document outlines the strategic plan for ensuring the long-term sustainability and wider exploitation of the project's outcomes. The exploitation path for each of the project's assets is critically evaluated in internal discussions among partners and stakeholders, and the most suitable sustainability path is selected for each. This plan serves as the final guideline for maintaining the project's influence beyond its conclusion, with assets categorized into three primary blocks: project assets internally maintained, project assets open to sustainable external exploitation, and exploitable results of the project. The VET4CHAINS project's assets include a public website, a blended learning program, certification for WBL trainers, digital tools and an ICT framework for VET, an international certification process for WBL practitioners, an ECVET curriculum for sustainable automotive value chains, a community of practice, and a cross-border knowledge exchange program. Additionally, the project offers an Open Learning Hub, an International Collaboration Network, pedagogical innovations and training methodologies, and a Bank of Good Practices—each with a clear plan for exploitation and sustainability. Furthermore, this document illustrates the potential benefits for stakeholders such as universities, research institutes, enterprises in the automotive industry, and policy stakeholders from the EU. These benefits range from access to strategic networks and co- creation opportunities to capacity building and influence over policy development.