COVID-19 is a tsunami that is revolutionizing everything, with unprecedented and enormous impact on businesses and training. The VET system will need to upgrade and re-adjust its content and provision to the “post-pandemic new normal” socio-economic conditions.
The post pandemic business environment will require SMEs to adjust to new business models, new revenue streams, new concepts of profitability, etc. In sum, the VET system will need to be able to accompany SMEs with a new concept and model of “post-pandemic entrepreneurship and business” to ensure the resilience of SMEs after the lock down, hence the name for our project ESMERALD: Enhancing SMEs’ Resilience After Lock Down.
Leaving aside the human pain and social cost, the pandemic will have a considerable impact on the economy, employment and business. The EU Commission estimates there will be NO REBOUND in 2021: this is to say that this is only the beginning of the crisis investing micro and small businesses the greatest.
Target groups & needs
Post-pandemic EU economy will be uncertain and volatile: neither the entrepreneurship support nor the VET systems will be ready to cope with the challenge and provide suitable and operational guidance, tools and training in response to the crisis.
SMEs will need innovative and relevant training that will take into account the renovated risks and will empower them to face the new challenges as well as to reap the benefits stemming from new opportunities. SMEs will need new skills, competences and operational tools to better operate (or simply operate) in a new business environment.
ESMERALD will produce concrete and tangible results during and after the lifetime of the project:
RESULTS DURING PROJECT:
A. The ESMERALD OER Platform to be made freely and fully open and available in multiple language versions. IO1 will render available without any access restrictions the training,
tools, knowledge and policy inputs to all the parties interested, i.e. SMEs, VET providers, stakeholders and policy makers for entrepreneurship:
- mapping of real impact of COVID on the economy and SMEs (IO2)
- training courses and content (IO3)
- business tools for SMEs on how to remain/become competitive in the post-pandemic business environment (IO3)
- ESMERALD Manifesto (IO4)
B. The ESMERALD training content, handouts and courses to be used by SMEs across the EU to be more resilient and effective in the ever-changing post-pandemic business
environment.
C. The set of ESMERALD operational tools for SMEs to develop and implement innovative and resilient business models to remain competitive and survive in the post-pandemic
economy.
RESULTS AFTER THE PROJECT
D. ESEMRALD OER Platform will be kept live and fully and openly available after the end of the Erasmus+ project, minimum for additional 2 years. This is a key result after the end of the project, as it makes ESMERALD visible, relevant and accessible in multi-language versions to all SMEs, entrepreneurship support systems and VET providers across the EU.
E. A great results is the enhanced resilience of SMEs to better understand the business dynamics of the post-pandemic economy, identify new/alternative revenue streams, manage business/financial/operational risks. ESMERALD will provide skills, competences, tools and knowledge to SMEs and their staff on how to better compete and operate in the new business setting of post-COVID19.
F. increased operational capacity of SMEs to become more flexible, efficient and productive. The ESMERALD training equips SMEs and their staff to practically operate in a very fluid and fragile setting.
G. Tested and punctual training courses for SMEs but also for prospective entrepreneurs on how to face the new challenges of redefined business
