The Wood for Youth project has reached an important milestone with the successful completion of its first pilot programme. A total of 148 young people from Estonia, Latvia and Finland registered for the training, demonstrating strong interest in woodhouse industry among the 16–25 age group. Although attracting participants at the beginning was not easy – with the construction sector facing a downturn and many youngsters hesitant to open themselves to new opportunities – the outcome is all the more positive: 93 students completed the e-learning modules, and 62 went on to finish the practical training
The programme aims to introduce young people sustainable timber construction industry, combining flexible online learning with practical workplace experience. As a cross-border initiative in the Central Baltic region, it not only inspires new career paths for youngsters and strengthens the future workforce of the construction sector, but also fosters knowledge exchange and cooperation between countries.
Young learners have praised the programme for its accessible and engaging learning materials. Several highlighted that the training was not too complicated and therefore suitable even for those with no prior knowledge of the construction industry. They appreciated the self-testing options and noted that short video lessons helped them stay focused. One participant, who had never encountered the construction sector before, said that after completing the course he now feels confident in timber building construction and wants to connect his future with the profession in woodhouse sector.
“We are proud to receive such strong and positive feedback from the trainees and to see such high interest in the programme. It is true that keeping students fully engaged until the very end is not always easy, but the pilot results give us confidence that we are building something truly valuable for the future of sustainable construction. Our goal now is to ensure this programme reaches as many young people as possible, equipping them with skills that boost their career opportunities,” commented Annika Kadaja, Head Coordinator of the Wood for Youth programme.
Beyond digital learning and internships, some additional activities were included in the program to raise the attractiveness of studies and motivate youngsters to complete the program. For example, Estonian students had observatory traineeship, where country’s most remarkable wooden buildings under construction were visited – including Estonia’s tallest and largest timber structures – and take part in guided discussions with industry experts. One group of Estonian trainees also had observatory internship in Finland, where they explored the latest wood construction technologies, architectural solutions, and sustainable living concepts at local housing fair. These experiences added valuable real-world context, broadened students’ perspectives, and deepened their motivation to pursue careers in the sector.
The success of the first pilot demonstrates that combining flexible e-learning with hands-on practice and inspiring experiences creates a powerful learning pathway. With such positive feedback from learners and higher-than-expected participation numbers, the project team is now committed to scaling the programme so that it can reach even more young people and help strengthen their competitiveness in the labour market.
