TrainChain - Blockchain Training for Start Ups

TrainChain (Blockchain Training for Start-Ups) was designed to meet the training needs of early-stage companies that employ largely young and inexperienced staff. As the number of start-ups in Eur...

The European Union is recognizing the importance of adopting innovative methods to incorporate new techniques and training tools across its member states, necessitating a shift in how information is disseminated and training is conducted on emerging topics for SMEs. Aligned with the European Commission's objectives to foster digital growth and inclusion within businesses and SMEs, and to integrate blockchain into their processes (https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/blockchainstrategy), the TrainChain project is designed to have a global influence. The initiative focuses on developing a pan-European public services blockchain and emphasizes the use of blockchain for sustainability, cybersecurity, legal certainty, interoperability, and data protection. These focus areas align with the pressing needs of Europe and are deemed essential for all countries. TrainChain through the developed content and tools/platforms aims to address the needs of its target groups in Europe while also making a positive impact on SMEs and the international landscape.

An initial research took place in PR1 to envisage scope of the content to be developed, the delivery approach and practical implementation of the blockchain adoption actions. Based on the above research we created an outline of the thematic areas we decided to develop: Cryptocurrencies and Payment Gateways, NFTs, Smart Contracts and Supply Chain & Logistics After the creation of the primary content, a round of internal evaluation and some external consultation we decided: a) to develop an additional module providing an overview of the Blockchain Technology and b) to develop an easy hands-on tutorial (cookbook) for learners even without any prior programming experience for the development of a smart contract. The finalized text content was then deployed on the interactive learning platform of the project that is designed to engage participants into the learning process and stimulate further participation with a view to sustain the project results. A testing phase for the content and platform provided the input for corrections and improvements for the final edition of the 1st PR. A second research took place in PR2 followed by a template developed for the project to help and direct partners build consistent Trainers Guides for the modules developed in PR1. The previous activities lead to the production of the Trainers Guides accompanied by some additional supportive material. A testing/assessment phase followed the development of the Guides that provided the input for corrections and improvements for the final edition of the 2nd PR. Following the above methodology PR4 starts with an initial research that provided the basis for the design of the Audit Tool which is the second outstanding activity of PR4. It is followed by the full production of the Audit Tool. PR4 concludes with test, review and refine activities (external and internal) leading to the finalized edition of the Audit Tool.

TANGIBLE: A series of modules on Blockchain Technology and its various implementations, to help professionals, young workers, business owners and other stakeholders understand its potential and help its adoption in various sectors of the economy A comprehensive online training platform (TrainChain Academy) that includes motivational workflows to boost learner engagement and performance. A set of Trainers Guides to assist educators, trainers, managers etc to create awareness and curiosity to the targeted audience and help it involve in learning activities and knowledge acquisition around Blockchain Technology An Audit Tool built on Machine Learning algorithms acting as the base of an integral content recommendation engine of the deployed learning platform INTANGIBLE: Raising awareness about similar existing learning opportunities and initiatives across European countries. Advocating for innovative training approaches as the method that helps the adoption of newer technologies with great potential and strong differentiation from current modalities. Advancing ICT-enabled education and e-learning methods in general, especially in the hybrid workplace that was created after the pandemic. Integrating open educational resources (OERs) and open software into the learning process through engaging online activities. Establishing a broad network of stakeholders to facilitate discussions among industry communities.