AHOD360

Objectives

• Develop and implement innovative practices in VET learning of traditional sectors, in particular one of the oldest job positions in Europe: shipwright.
• Rejuvenating the shipwright workforce attracting young learners training them with practical clues which are usually learned in workshops.
• Increase the number of students in VET woodworking and boat carpentry, this objective relates to the previous one and with the achievement of transferring professionals from related sectors.
• Enhance European connections and facilitate cooperation between professionals and learners of different maritime areas, with the objective to spread knowledge and increasing common projects and possibility for learners to move around Europe.
• Preserve practical knowledge and know-how of European shipwrights and for that it will be recorded and digitalise interventions of current shipwrights of different maritime areas in their work environment.
• Facilitate access to information irrespective of the learner’s location or financial resources

Activities

• Workshop with stakeholders in Belgium, Spain and Germany in order to explain the selection of shipyards, identification of information units, recording techniques, development of multimedia learning & assessment materials
• Mapping and contact existing shipwrights
• Architecture and specifications of the SHIPWRIGHT SECTOR COLLABORATIVE PORTAL 2.0
• Selection of resources in each maritime area and the selection of subjects and thematic areas.
• 1000 voice notes in 5 languages (English, Spanish, German, Italian and French), in total 5000 voice notes.
• Online seminar about 360° Panorama recordings.
• Production of the immersive videos with shipyard employees
• Testing the materials with stakeholders and integrating feedback

 Results

• Shipwright collaborative portal with the possibility of sharing content, create topics, ask and answer questions and contact with professionals and learners of other places.
• European audiovisual shipwright multilingual terminology database inside a platform with more than 1000 terms with descriptions, images, voice notes and translation in 5 languages (EN,SP,GE,IT,FR).
• Creation of an immersive learning environment with 5 – 360° virtual tours of shipyards from different maritime areas including POV videos of current shipwright explaining different concepts.

Traditional boatbuilding craftsmanship is being forgotten or taken over by other materials and techniques. At the same time it carries cultural memory, sustainable thinking, and a deep understanding of wood as a living material.

Preserving and revitalizing these skills is crucial for the traditional cultural heritage of European marine areas, and it is also highly relevant for applied research, education and innovation in wood-based construction. For the InnovaWood network, which connects universities, RTOs and training institutions across Europe, wooden boatbuilding illustrates how traditional knowledge can inform new design, digital learning, and sustainable practices.

Two Erasmus+ projects All Hands on Deck AHOD and AHOD360 have captured traditional shipwright know-how from workshops and shipyards across Europe and translated them into modern learning resources. These include structured courses, multilingual terminology databases, and 360° virtual environment.

InnovaWood contributed to this work, ensuring that the results now feed into the New European Bauhaus Academy (NEBA) focus on sustainable, circular and regenerative craft and construction. The results open a very practical opportunity: helping people who already work with wood – carpenters, furniture makers, joiners, students of design and restoration, discover how their skills transfer into boatbuilding.

Many of InnovaWood members train wood engineers, furniture makers, experts in bio-based construction.  Boatbuilding offers them a new application  field and support cross-sector learning. It can lead to work in marine restoration, cultural tourism, small craft manufacturing, and heritage projects. These are areas where skilled woodworkers are in high demand.

Key results now available for use

All materials are free to use and suitable for teaching, workshops, and lifelong learning:

Online Course “Introduction to Shipbuilding”
15 modules and 400+ hours of structured training for learners with woodworking backgrounds.
www.allhandsondeck.eu

European Audiovisual Terminology Database
Over 1,000 shipbuilding terms in five languages, enhanced with images and pronunciation audio.
https://dictionary.ahod360.infoproject.eu

360° Virtual Shipyard Tours
Immersive digital visits to shipyards in Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, and Germany.
https://ahod360.ili.eu

Collaborative Shipwright Portal
A community platform mapping 300+ shipyards, schools, and workshops across Europe.
https://ahod360.infoproject.eu/community

Repository of Shipwright Knowledge
A growing collection of 400+ historical documents and photos covering materials, boat types, and construction techniques from six maritime regions of Europe.
https://repository.allhandsondeck.eu/jspui/community-list

Interviews with Shipbuilders
Twelve professional shipwrights from Spain, Italy, and Poland share their stories, methods, and advice offering rare insights into one of Europe’s most unique crafts.
AHOD YouTube Channel

The AHOD360 online course is freely available through the NEB Academy open repository, adding to its training offer on bio-based, circular and regenerative practices.

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