Cleantech Bulgaria is a business network focused on clean technologies, innovation and sustainable development. It connects businesses supporting the formation of strategic partnerships in various fields, incl. science and education.
Cleantech Bulgaria places strong emphasis on skills development. The organisation supports upskilling and reskilling through accelerator programmes, VET, and specialised initiatives for students, researchers, SMEs and startups. Its programmes are often linked to European networks.
A particular example is the BuildSkills Academy – a Centre of Vocational Excellence bringing together 17 partners from 10 European countries, coordinate by Cleantech Bulgaria. The initiative aims to support the twin transition in the construction sector by establishing a pan-European framework for skills development, certification, and quality assurance.
The Academy has developed the BuildEnrichedSkills Methodology (BESM), which enables VET providers to assess existing training programmes, identify skills gaps, and enhance course content in line with EQAVET principles and evolving industry needs. Complementing this, a dedicated Digital Platform has been created to support self-assessment, skills-gap analysis, and tailored recommendations for course enrichment.
The Academy has also designed a portfolio of 12 training courses, supported by comprehensive curricula and learning materials validated through a dedicated certification scheme. These courses equip learners not only with occupation-specific technical skills but also with essential green and digital competences required by the labour market.
Learners are certified through individual certification schemes aligned with ISO/IEC 17024 standards. Together, these schemes contribute to the development of a European Certification Framework for transitional skills and competences, addressing both skills and certification gaps across the construction ecosystem.