Staying ahead of the game – the message of Early Bird : If companies knew how to anticipate change brought about by new technologies and new markets, they could train their skilled workers in advance and retain their competitive advantage. The Early Bird project studies the impact of ICT, company structures and work processes as part of developing an early warning system for vocational training needs. It uses a range of case studies in the machine tools and recycling sectors to gain an insight into how technological change affects work performance and to develop a European handbook for designing real time vocational training. This project started in 2000 and lasted 36 months.