On 8 and 9 September 2026, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vratsa participated in the second in-person partner meeting of the UpSkillOne – "One-Stop Career Guidance and Training for Micro-SME Workers in Regional Europe" project. The meeting took place in Grenoble, France, at Grenoble Ecole de Management.
The two-day meeting focused on the progress of the project, the results of the research carried out so far, and the preparation of the next project activities. The partners presented their work, discussed the common findings from interviews with business representatives, and defined specific tasks for the coming months.
An important part of the meeting was dedicated to CCI Vratsa’s work on researching the needs and motivation of employees in micro and small enterprises. Together with Grenoble Ecole de Management, the Chamber is responsible for this part of the project, which aims to explore how people make decisions related to training and professional development, what motivates them to acquire new skills, and what the main barriers they face are.
During the meeting, CCI Vratsa presented the next steps in the research process and the preparation of the upcoming analysis. The partners also discussed forthcoming meetings with business representatives and other stakeholders, which will provide additional information and give local participants the opportunity to contribute directly to the development of the project solutions.
The partners also discussed the development of practical career guidance tools designed to help employees better understand opportunities for developing their skills and identify suitable training opportunities. Progress on the development of the project’s online platform was also presented. The platform will bring these opportunities together in one place.
The programme also included a visit to GEM Labs, where the partners had the opportunity to explore a modern learning environment and learn more about how innovative approaches are used in education and skills development.
On the second day of the meeting, attention was given to the upcoming information and communication activities, as well as to the preparation of training and mentoring activities for representatives of micro and small enterprises. The partners also discussed how the forthcoming regional meetings and training sessions could be used both to test and further develop the approaches being created within the project.
For the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vratsa, participation in the meeting was an important opportunity to present the work carried out so far and to contribute to planning the next stage of the project. Two working meetings are forthcoming in Vratsa, involving representatives of local businesses and other stakeholders. Their participation will be important for gaining a better understanding of the real needs of employees and enterprises in the region.
Through UpSkillOne, partners from Bulgaria, France, Finland, Italy and Spain are working together to create more practical and accessible opportunities for training, professional development and career guidance, tailored to the real needs of people and businesses across different European regions.
