Prior: Lean is a method developed to eliminate waste; Lean manufacturing is aimed at optimizing efficiency. Reason for the project:In Europe a gap exists between skills in the labor market and needs of graphic media SMEs. It is not about technical knowledge but about efficiency of production. For employees in SMEs little knowledge is available or the knowledge is not enough attuned to the practical needs of employees in SMEs, as demands that companies are facing are new. Production must be increasingly effective and fit the needs of the customer. Developments are moving fast and it is difficult to remain connected to the changes. This makes it difficult to maintain a competitive position in the communications market, which also threatens the employment of workers. Aims, objectives, impact: Something must be done at the level of learning, for both new labor market entrants and employees/management in companies: Denmark has developed the Lean graphic media concept. Strength of this method: It’s not academic but very practical, well fit to the level of SMEs and their employees as 95% of companies in Europe have fewer than 19 persons employed. This Lean concept will be transferred to Europe and translated into a course in Lean Manufacturing graphic media. Result: people get educated more effectively and will be more employable in the company. For the employee personally, employability will improve. They’ll produce more effectively and become more competitive.Gained knowledge must be deployed to the market. Companies are good at relationships, but less at marketing. To sell the additional capacity and better connect to changing needs of clients, they should invest on marketing:In the project the ‘Lean Marketing’ training will be developed. Graphic media is now part of the communication industry, so the quantity of suppliers has increased, hence a Lean Marketing training especially for graphic media SMEs. Train the Trainer will be developed to transfer the Lean knowledge. After development, courses will be offered to other (PT) VETs ensuring knowledge is spread in EU.The consortium consists of VET-institutes, university, employers organization, 2 consultancy agencies, who bring together pedagogical, graphic industry, Lean manufacturing & marketing knowledge, to develop and implement courses on Lean, to promote and disseminate action for awareness on Lean improvement, to SMEs on job skills improvement and spread results over EU VET-institutes and SMEs.