EIT RawMaterials to lead the new European Raw Materials Academy
03.06.2025EIT RawMaterials, the knowledge and innovation community covering the whole raw materials value chain, will lead the newly launched European Raw Materials Academy (ERMAcademy). This flagship initiative will accelerate the development of a skilled workforce across the raw materials sector, reinforcing the EU’s industrial competitiveness, resilience, and its green and digital transitions.
Bernd Schäfer, CEO EIT RawMaterials and Manuela Geleng, Directorate-General Employment, Social Affairs
© EIT RawMaterials
“Our sovereignty depends on the raw materials that we can extract, process, and recycle ourselves but it also depends on our own expertise and excellence in that field. The European Raw Materials Academy is a unique initiative so Europe can benefit from the most qualified workforce in raw materials. Those talents and skills will be indispensable to successfully complete our digital and green transitions. With the Critical Raw Materials Act, Europe wants to reconnect with its history as a scientific, industrial and environmental pioneer in mining and material processing” said Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President, DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission.
“In March, Europe acted to secure and diversify access to critical raw materials. The Commission approved 47 projects, located across thirteen countries - to boost domestic capacities in the EU of materials such as lithium, cobalt and graphite. However, to realise this – we need people and workers with the right skills. The European Raw Materials Academy is a great example of what the Union of Skills means in action: it will help at least 100 000 workers across Europe with the skills they need to master the green and digital transitions. The academy will connect education, innovation, and industry to empower Europe's workforce and address immediate labour market needs. By putting people front and centre, we strengthen Europe's social resilience and keep it competitive.” said Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission.
“The Race to 2030 demands more than ambition – it demands execution. With the launch of the European Raw Materials Academy, we are not just preparing Europe for the future – we are building it. From mining engineers to circularity strategists, this Academy empowers the talent our industries need to secure global competitiveness. At EIT RawMaterials, we are proud to lead this bold step from ambition to achievement,” said Bernd Schäfer, CEO, Managing Director, EIT RawMaterials. Further adding, “The ERMAcademy completes the triangle of Europe’s raw materials resilience – alongside industrial investment and innovation, we are now investing in the people who will make it happen. With over 100 000 learners, we are building not just skills, but sovereignty. EIT RawMaterials is proud to serve as the launchpad for a new generation of talent driving Europe’s green and industrial transitions.”
"The EIT RawMaterials Academy is a great example of how we can prepare people for the jobs of tomorrow by connecting education with real industry needs. If we want Europe to lead in innovation and sustainability, we must invest in the talent that will drive that change." – Kyriacos Kokkinos, Member of Governing Board, European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
The ERMAcademy will establish a pan-European learning ecosystem to upskill and reskill over 100 000 professionals within three years. The curriculum spans the full raw materials value chain, including mining, recycling, advanced materials, and the circular economy through a comprehensive portfolio of certified, multilingual, and modular courses. The ERMAcademy will deliver analytics on available and forecasted skills, practical learning content and talent matchmaking to support real-time industry needs. Key features include a labour market-oriented skills intelligence platform, diverse learning content including VET, Train-the-Trainer programmes certifying instructors EU-wide, and micro-credentials based on globally recognised industrial accreditation standards. Focusing on technical, digital, green, and transversal skills, the ERMAcademy will help ensure the raw materials sector has the human capital required to meet Europe’s industrial ambitions. It directly supports flagship EU initiatives including the Clean Industrial Deal and the Union of Skills, and key policy priorities including the Critical Raw Materials Act and Net-Zero Industry Act.
The ERMAcademy was formally launched at the EIT RawMaterials Summit 2025 in Brussels on 14 May 2025 by Manuela Geleng, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission and Bernd Schäfer, CEO, Managing Director, EIT RawMaterials.
