EWF Announces 3rd Edition of Professionals of the Future

The European Federation for Welding, Joining and Cutting (EWF) will bring together industry professionals, educators and policymakers in Lisbon on 20 October 2026 for the third edition of its Professionals of the Future (POTF) event.

Taking place at the Hotel Eurostars in Parque das Nações, this year’s event will focus on one of the biggest challenges facing manufacturing: how artificial intelligence can be introduced into industry while keeping people and skills at the centre of the transformation.

Under the theme “Artificial Intelligence: Tools, Skills and Industrial Transformation,” the programme will examine how AI, digital technologies and remanufacturing are changing the way people work and the skills they need.

Putting people at the centre of industrial change

European manufacturing is navigating two major transitions at the same time: digitalisation and the move towards more sustainable production. As technologies such as AI, automation and extended-reality tools become increasingly integrated into industrial processes, the role of the workforce is changing with them.

For EWF, the challenge is not simply to introduce new technologies, but to ensure that workers have the knowledge and qualifications required to use them effectively.

The event will therefore look at three key areas: updating international qualification systems to reflect digital and circular-economy skills, developing common standards for AI-related competences, and addressing the growing gap between the speed of technological development and the ability of existing training systems to adapt.

Three discussions on the future of manufacturing

The programme will combine presentations with interactive discussions involving representatives from education, industry and public policy.

The first roundtable, “Digital Tools for Training,” will explore how AI-based learning, virtual and augmented reality and other digital resources can be incorporated into vocational and professional education. Participants will also discuss the development of training materials that can be used consistently across countries and sectors.

The second session, “Remanufacturing & Industrial Transformation,” will focus on the industrial implications of AI and the growing importance of remanufacturing within a more circular economy. The discussion will include practical examples and demonstrations of technologies and processes.

The final roundtable, “Human Centricity & Professional Growth,” will address the people side of industrial transformation. Topics will include attracting and retaining skilled workers, identifying emerging competences and using harmonised qualifications to support career development and professional mobility across Europe.

AI, remanufacturing and the future workforce

The afternoon programme will continue the discussion with a session titled “People at the Centre of Industrial Transformation: Remanufacturing and Artificial Intelligence.”

The session will examine how education and industry can work together to prepare professionals for workplaces increasingly shaped by AI and circular production models.

Rather than treating technology and workforce development as separate issues, the event will explore the practical skills, partnerships and technologies needed to ensure that workers remain an integral part of industrial innovation.

Several European-funded projects will contribute expertise and examples to the discussions, including VR-VET, INSPIRE, R3-MYDAS, BUTTERFLIES and AIRISE, bringing together experience from Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ initiatives.

A European perspective on skills

With participants expected from both the education and manufacturing sectors across Europe, POTF 2026 will provide a platform for discussing how training systems can keep pace with rapidly changing industrial technologies.

The organisers see harmonised qualifications and international training standards as an important part of this process, particularly as companies increasingly operate across borders and workers need skills that are recognised in different European markets.

The broader objective is to help create a manufacturing workforce that is not only technologically capable, but also adaptable, mobile and prepared for continued industrial change.

Registration: Mandatory

About EWF

Founded in 1992, the European Welding Federation (EWF) coordinates international education, qualification and certification systems for the manufacturing sector.

The organisation currently brings together 28 European member countries, alongside two observer members outside Europe. Its work focuses on harmonising professional qualifications and certification, supporting innovation and helping industry respond to technological and structural change.

For more info click here to see their website.

Professionals of The Future III Press Release EN