A hands-on learning experience to support workers in understanding the green transition
The green transition is often presented through complex concepts, technical language and policy frameworks. Terms such as circular economy, sustainability, green skills, carbon footprint or ecological impact are now widely used in European strategies, business plans and training programmes. However, for many workers, especially those with mainly practical experience, these concepts may still feel distant from everyday work.This is one of the central challenges addressed by the Green Transition Toolkit: how can we make sustainability understandable, concrete and useful for workers in traditional sectors such as manufacturing, construction, plumbing and woodworking? The testing phase of the toolkit provided an important opportunity to answer this question. Through simple, practical and workplace-oriented activities, workers were invited to reflect on the green transition starting from what they already know: materials, tools, waste, machines, maintenance, repairs, packaging, energy use and daily work routines.
From abstract concepts to everyday work situations
The toolkit was designed to introduce the main concepts of the green transition in an accessible way. It covers topics such as the European Green Deal, green economy, circular economy, sustainability, sustainable development, natural capital and GreenComp, the European sustainability competence framework. However, the real added value of the toolkit lies in the way these concepts are translated into practical exercises. During the testing phase, workers did not simply listen to theoretical explanations. They were asked to solve concrete tasks, discuss real examples and classify familiar situations. This approach helped them understand that sustainability is not only something decided by institutions, policy makers or large companies. It is also connected to small professional decisions made every day in workplaces. For example, a worker may decide whether to repair or replace a component, whether to separate a material for recycling, whether to reduce defective parts by adjusting a machine, or whether to reuse wood residues instead of throwing them away. These are simple actions, but they are directly connected to circular economy principles.
Learning circular economy through practical examples
One of the testing activities focused on circular economy and its main principles. Instead of presenting circular economy only as a formal definition, the activity used realistic workplace situations.
Workers were asked to reflect on questions such as:
What is the most circular action when replacing an old metal valve?
Is it better to replace an entire tap or repair it by changing a small worn gasket?
What should be done when defective parts are produced because of incorrect machine settings?
How can small pieces of wood left after cutting be reused or recycled?
These examples are deliberately simple. Their purpose is not to oversimplify sustainability, but to make it accessible. A worker who recognises circular economy in a maintenance task, in the management of production scraps or in the choice of certified materials can begin to see the green transition as something relevant to their own job. This is particularly important for workers who may not have received previous formal training on sustainability. The toolkit allows them to start from practical knowledge and gradually connect it to broader environmental, economic and social concepts.
Understanding the three pillars of sustainability
The testing phase also included activities on the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social and economic impact. Here again, the toolkit used practical examples from everyday work. A maintenance worker checking ventilation and air filtration systems can generate a social impact, because cleaner air and safer working conditions improve workers’ health. A worker installing rainwater separation systems can generate an environmental impact, because this activity helps protect rivers, aquifers and local ecosystems. A plumber installing heat pump water heaters and thermostatic valves can generate an economic impact, because efficient installations can create job continuity, reduce energy costs and lower the use of fossil fuels. A carpenter teaching a younger colleague how to use certified panels and reduce waste can generate both a social and professional impact, because knowledge transfer helps workers remain employable and adapt to change.
These examples show that sustainability is not a distant ideal. It is embedded in ordinary tasks. It concerns how work is organised, how materials are used, how colleagues learn from one another, and how companies can become more efficient without radically changing their identity.
Why the testing phase matters
The testing phase is not only a formal step in the development of the toolkit. It is a crucial moment for checking whether the learning materials actually work with the target group.
A good toolkit for the green transition must be clear, understandable and usable by trainers and workers. It must avoid excessive theoretical language. It must respect workers’ experience. It must help participants recognise the value of what they already do, while also opening the way to new habits and competences.
Testing the toolkit with workers allowed the partners to observe how participants reacted to the activities, which examples were immediately understood, which concepts needed further simplification, and how the exercises could be improved.
This feedback will be essential to refine the final version of the toolkit and make it more effective in real training contexts.