The objectives of the project „job developer: from job creation to competence development“ was to set impulses in the reduction of the high unemployment in Europe by adapting vocational educational training and career counselling in the EU to the labour markets‘ conditions and requirements in the respective countries.These activities of adaptation are achieved by the education/training of so-called „job developers“, who identify the qualification requirements in cooperation with youths and young adults to create new employment opportunities, and work out a plan for individual professional development. This was achieved with the means of the application of the instruments „employment radar“ and „talent diagnosis“ – resp. the country-specific adaptation of these instruments – developed by SHS/minipreneurs GBM. Young adults were encouraged and enabled by the support and under the tutelage of a skilled/trained „job developer“ to detect employment opportunities, to create jobs on their own as well as to deduce the respective dimensions of requirements by analyzing the local employment opportunities on the one hand, and their interest, knowledge, and skills on the other hand. By comparing the qualification requirements with the present talents as well as the local training opportunities, on the one hand further trainings may be advised and on the other hand gaps in the existing training programmes may be identified.Thus, the project renders it possible to adapt training activities with (local) labour-market trends in an early stage and specific way and to achieve a lasting change effect. This may be effected i. a. by the adaption of curricula in the vocational training and development as well as by career counselling. At the same time, the participants gain first practical learning experience in the field of self-employment especially by the trend and market analysis in the context of the employment radar and by a subsequent expert hearing.The project’s core was to qualify the staff in the acquired partner organizations in Hungary, Spain, Greece, Bulgaria and Lithuania as multipliers and thus to enable them to provide necessary structures for the concept’s adaptation and implementation. With their expertise and as coordinators of the local activities, the partners essentially contribute to the project’s success. In Hungary and Bulgaria, the chamber of commerce, and in Lithuania the Chamber of foreign Trade were won as project partners. In Greece, a research firm as well as a business consultancy and in Spain the European Business Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship were attracted as partners. Besides, in addition to the Institute for Work Science (IAW) at the Ruhr University of Bochum, the SHS/minipreneurs GBM also participated as a German para-partner.They had developed the concept of the employment radar and the talent diagnosis and supervised the initiated qualification, adaptation and implementation of the concept by the European partners as experts.In the first step, one to two persons per partner country were trained in the context of the kick-off-meeting and a five-day multiplier training in the fields of the concept’s transfer and adaptation. On the basis of all project activities, the consortium additionally worked out a series of intellectual outputs that shall be applied beyond the project and will be accessible to third parties and thus contribute to the project’s effectiveness and sustainability. This comprises on the one hand the translated documents concerning the application of the concept and the respective publicity materials, and on the other hand the further development of the employment radar and its potential and resistance analysis that yield to country-specific conditions. In addition, five modules were developed and evaluated, whose completion ensues a qualification as a „job developer“. This qualification as a „job developer“ shall be established as a recognised certification programme in the each EU country. The modules‘ contents comprise basic social skills, i.e. competences which are necessary for leadership and the encouragement of encounter groups, the creation of an employment radar including the implementation of a talent diagnosis, digital competences field of social media for entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial creativity , and cultural mindfulness and Cooperation, especially networking for entrepreneurs.In all, by the training of multipliers, by the qualification as a „job developer“, who did not actually exist in this form before, and by the local implementation as well as the development of intellectual outputs, the project will contribute to means of creating new jobs involving the promotion of educational training and career counselling matching with the current trends on the labour markets.

<< Background >>The circular economy is a socio-economic change, it is a change in the philosophy of functioning. In order to be fuel to the change, it is key to educate residents so that they are more aware that effective segregation or recycling depends on them, and consequently - care for the environment. Within the circular economy there are different areas of focus, all of equal importance and requiring the ability to take responsibility over decisions made, but with difference steps to follow. Looking at it from the biological point of view, the focus can be from bio-based through biodegradable to compostable. From the technological point of view the focus can start at maintenance through recycling and stop at re-using. This project will focus on the second point of view, dwelling into the issue of smart handling of waste. Ministries of Investment, Development or Entrepreneurship, depending on the country of interest, are responsible for the economy and its sustainable development, for SMEs and entrepreneurship innovation, especially technological innovation.The Consortium will work towards introducing solutions for continuous professional development, focusing on the concepts of waste management and smart use of resources. Through the analysis of current practices implemented by SMEs regarding circular economy, a guide will be written to support initial and continuous professional development of VET teachers, trainers and mentors in both school and work-based settings. Understanding the impact of decisions made and solutions already applied, will foster teaching others on the measures that should be taken. Employees of chambers of commerce, regional development agencies, local authoritiesand centres for entrepreneurship development, as well as VET teachers and trainers will take the role of supporting SMEs, entrepreneurs and start uppers to adopt circular assumptions as a priority. The latter will be induced to implement circular economy assumptions as a priority, taking responsibility over own actions, aware that they have an impact over the environment and the future.<< Objectives >>ObjectivesThe aim of the project is to raise awareness on effective waste management among employees of chambers of commerce, regional development agencies, local authorities and centres for entrepreneurship development, but also VET teachers, trainers and mentors. RAW will foster symbiosis and cooperation between municipalities and entrepreneurs disrupting stereotypical behaviours on handling waste. Inevitable is the fact that solutions should be introduced, on the one hand, forcing, on the other, encouraging businesses and entrepreneurs to increasingly implement eco-design in order to facilitate it and create conditions in which recycling will pay off. However, required are more conscious decisions, taking action from the early stage of a product’s life, starting from the design process, considering what will happen next, how the product will be exploited and whether any of its elements can be re-used in the future. Only then the circular economy strategy has a meaningful impact and isn’t targeted at an action that has already completed its life cycle – which is still usually the case in the realization of the issue among the society.The competitiveness aspect is also valid at the regional level. The regional level connected with circular economy solutions can result in either new or more business connections with other entities, increased turnover, faster and more ecological friendly execution of the supply chain, and being always ready even in the case of unexpected events (for example the request to fulfil a big order). More economically active business entities means richer regions, which can be seen in increased business operations<< Implementation >>The methodology to be applied in the RAW project is based on the ‘’Project cycle management” approach. This consists in implementing work in a number of phases so that the overall activities can be planned, organised, coordinated and controlled effectively and efficiently, to produce the required Project Results (PRs) at the right time, cost and quality. The project activities have already started with preparation to writing this proposal. The phases (PH) involved in our RAW implementation methodology are as outlined below:PH1: Planning Phase (already done)-State-of-the-Art-Review on circular economy, waste management and their use in SMEs;-dentification of target group representatives in each partner country to be invited to contribute via focused groups etc.- Identification of associated partners willing to support the project- Planning roles and preparation of drafts of project working papers, etc.PH2: Solution Development Phase-Design of Guide on circular economy strategies in business environment-Design of Circular economy awareness app media packPH3: Solution Implementation and Testing phase-Development of original RAW chapters training -Development of the RAW digital crash course - Testing of the ROW digital crash coursePH4: Solution Exploitation and Promotion phase- Setting up of RAW project website with preferably an '.eu' domain name- Setting up of RAW channels on social media- Design of Project Logo, leaflet & Multimedia Presentation- Design and development of RAW Digital Newsletters-Approaching European online communities like EPALE to explore using this for promoting project information to relevant stakeholders- Organisation of Multiplier Events in all partner countries;<< Results >>RAW will deliver two main results. However, with the division of results into a few activities, in fact the project expects to deliver more than two results. PR1: Guide on circular economy strategies in business environment The tangible result one (PR1) will be a methodological guide and digital crash course. PR1 will take the form of case studies by professionals already demonstrating a sustainable approach in their business activities and straightforward methodology tackling efficient waste management included in a guide on circularity. As whole, it will be the fundamental material for the implementation of the digital crash course. PR2: Circular economy awareness app This app will be a direct response for the needs of the target groups as specified earlier in this proposal. The target groups will also be in line with the overall description in the previous sections.The Circular Economy Awareness App will be composed of three main parts: learning pills, strategy maker and footprint tracker. The first part, learning pills, will be an extract of the entire course developed in the first result as an OER. In the app only the most important aspects will be included, highlighting the key messages and concepts. This part will be linked with seven topics of the OER, inviting users to access the full course online. Apart from the learning pills, each of the seven topics will have a short quiz that will enable users to check their knowledge of the specific aspects of circular economy.In work-based learning opportunities learners spend a large part of their training path at the workplace. It is therefore crucial that it offers learning opportunities enabling learners to develop skills, knowledge and competences effectively matching labor market needs.The innovative character of the RAW can also be seen in its structure and content. Instead of preparing a lengthy and heavy publication, the manual will rather serve as a trigger, “call to action” and eye-opener micro book.

"The starting point for the ""Digital Coach"" project are the challenges that the digital transformation poses to individual actors, companies, the economy and society. The project is concerned with the question of how the actors in the education system succeed in promoting the skills required to shape the digital transformation in companies or organizations as well as in the economy. In this context, the maturity model (ADAPTION) developed at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum, classified as tried and tested, is being used in selected training companies in the EU countries. On the basis of a corresponding questionnaire, deficits and strengths can be identified by comparing the actual and target states and the need for skills and skill development can be worked out. At the same time, effective and efficient competence development programmes can be designed and implemented in a targeted manner, and individual future strategies for the respective companies can be worked out in a situation-specific manner. The acquisition of competencies required in connection with the digital transformation also raises the question in the project as to which learning locations are particularly suitable. In addition to the (vocational) schools and the training companies, a new learning location is being added with the ""learning factory"" learning location. The concept of the Learning Factory represents an innovative approach to promoting the teaching and learning that is required in the context of implementing new digital technologies. In this context, it should be noted that the number of learning factories in Germany alone has increased considerably in recent years (from 3 in 2003 to over 30 in 2019). Just like the other learning locations, the ""learning factory"" learning location should meet certain quality standards. However, such quality standards do not currently exist. The EU project aims to work out quality standards for the establishment, implementation and evaluation of learning factories. Another aim of the project is to further develop a modular, competence-oriented curriculum and a training programme based on the analysis and potential tool of the maturity model and the methodological-didactic concept of the ""learning factory"", in order to finally introduce and implement the innovative field of activity of a ""digital coach"". The Digital Coach will act as an internal and external process promoter for the companies, who will have the necessary competences to meet the requirements resulting from the digital transformation of the economy and the companies. The Digital Coach will take on a similar task in relation to the Learning Factory as, for example, trainers in training companies. The corresponding module programme comprises several self-learning modules such as (1) quality and process management as a starting point for digitisation including artificial intelligence, (2) Industry 4.0 including maturity models, (3) new business models and corporate cooperation, (4) corporate strategy for digital transformation and agile project management, (5) acceptance assurance of IT solutions, (6) learning transfer and learning location cooperation between training companies, vocational schools and learning factories, (7) opportunities for participation. The target group of the project is primarily the teachers, i.e. groups of people who are responsible for vocational education and training, in order to be able to benefit from multiplier effects and thus, ideally, to bring about sustainable change. This group of persons includes, for example, trainers of instructors, instructors in companies and in inter-company training centres as well as teachers of vocational schools, but also employees of chambers of industry and commerce or of business development agencies. It is the task of the respective project partners in the EU countries to ensure, among other things, access to (a) the target groups of the project, (b) the training companies that have a learning factory or a similar facility, and (c) the learning factories, among others, in the region. It is decisive for the sustainability and the impact of the project that a total of three learning factories could be won as project partners, who will contribute their expertise in the field of the ""Learning Factory"" and ""Teaching Factory"" concept to the ""Digital Coach"" task area. The consortium consists of the following project partners: The Chambers of Industry and Commerce from Pécs (Hungary), Heraklion (Greece) and Gabrovo (Bulgaria), the learning factories at RIF/ Dortmund and Ruhr-University (Germany), the learning factory at the University of Budapest (Hungary) and the University of Patras (Greece) and a management consulting from Heraklion (Greece). The project is managed by the Institute for Work Science at the Ruhr-University Bochum."

Entrepreneurial thinking and acting is increasingly becoming a highly sought-after competence in the world of work. Not only shall the self-employed and company founders have the appropriate skills, but also on their parts companies rely on entrepreneurial thinking because of the ever-increasing pressure to create innovations. Comprehensive vocational training does therefore not have to disregard the field of entrepreneurship education. One oft he project’s aim is therefore to develop a holistic entrepreneurship education-concept consisting of several identified best practices in order to comprehensively address the areas of the EntreComp framework. Digital change will be taken into account and the potential of digital media and media-supported forms of learning will be taken up in order to promote a tested set of instruments for measuring and promoting entrepreneurial skills among young people. The concept will be implemented on a digital platform that promotes collaborative and reflected learning among young people as well as educational staff and supports project management in the application of the instruments (organisation, monitoring and control). Subsequently, the platform-based application of the holistic entrepreneurship education-concept will be tested in the partner countries.The teaching philosophy behind the project is strength orientation. The application of this principle proves to be advantageous both for the development of competences of young people and for managers. Digital media offer young people the opportunity to organize their own learning. The project’s aims is to address digitization issues, such as industry 4.0 and design thinking, and on this basis to develop autodidactic modules for multipliers. The autodidicatic modules qualify people who work with young people in vocational orientation or training for matters of Entrepreneurship Education and they contain material that can be directly used for the work with young people. By a central digital platform being attainable for the supervisors, the mentors and the young people not only project information in various depth, organizational references and applied learning materials of the holistic entrepreneurship education-concept can be retrieved, but the platform also enables a direct communication, effective feedback processes, a better quality management and above all suitable solutions for people involved. In this context, suitable means that content can be flexibly used in terms of time and space and researched according to the current needs of the individual or group. The organization of the different work phases (self-learning - interactive work phase - cooperation with the learning guide) can also be coordinated and carried out accordingly. The participants can write reports, share their experiences with potential other participants, search the database of learning guides for competent contacts.The partners significantly contribute to the project’s success by their expertise and as coordinators of local activities. In Hungary and Bulgaria, the Chambers of Industry and Commerce were found as partners. In Greece, a renowned IT company and a management consultancy were won as partners, and in Spain an organization for business development and in Italy the Department of Business and Law at Milano Bicocca University. Last but not least, the consortium will be further enhanced by the two associated partners, the Lippe zu Detmold Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber. The project is coordinated by the Institute for Work Science (IAW) at Bochum Ruhr University.In the first step, the representatives of the respective partner country are trained in the transfer and application of the concept within the framework of the kick-off and a teaching/learning activity. In the total of all activities, the consortium will develop a series of intellectual outputs which will be applied beyond the project, which will be accessible to third parties and thus contribute to its impact and sustainability. The outputs are the holistic Entrepreneurship Education Concept and five autodidactic modules for self-study. The latter are to be established in the individual EU countries as a recognized certification program for so-called learning guides and are e.g. offered at the respective chambers and universities. In order to promote the project’s dissemination, impact, and sustainability, the project partners are to organize multiplier events in their countries in addition to the pilot application, where the holistic entrepreneurship education-concept, its application via the associated platform and the self-learning modules are presented and discussed.

Industry 4.0 is completely transforming the manufacturing sector in EU imposing its principle of digitalization of industrial processes. As a result, the new cyber-physical production systems have a high impact on the labour force, especially on technicians and engineers. They require new hybrid “humans-machines” teams, where technicians and engineers should analyze big data, simulate production lines, coordinate robots, diagnose/repair complex automated systems. However, data show that industry employees are not ready to face the above new realities since they lack the “right” knowledge/skills demanded by the new industrial environment, i.e. appear underskilled, thus limiting their employability prospects and access to quality jobs. The Skills and Jobs Survey highlights that 43% of adult employees have recently experienced changes in technology they use at work and 47% have seen changes in their working methods. About 1 in 5 considers it very likely that several of their skills will become outdated in the next years.Taking into account the above needs, their relevance at European level and emergency at regional level, as well as the high demand of flexible continuous TVET on behalf of companies within the partner regions, a consortium of 4 universities, 4 Chambers of Commerce and Industry and a VET provider from BG, GR, PL and RS was established so as to develop an Active Learning Community for Upskilling Technicians and Engineers in the sector of Machine Building and Mechatronics.INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS1.Elaboration of an on-line questionnaire and conducting a survey on the skills deficit of technical and engineering staff in the sector of Machine Building and Mechatronics 2.A Partnership Report based on the findings of the skills deficit survey 3.An Active Learning Community Platform and its mobile application as an Open educational resources database:•Course curriculum, course materials in the form of PP presentations, additional internet resources, industry-related problems to be used by both VET teachers and learners•Problem-based platform – industry-relevant problems to be used by VET teachers and learners as assignments for practicing in the Learning Factory•Tutor and peer-to-peer support in the form of a discussion forum•Assessment area for assessing the gained knowledge•Questionnaires to measure impact on target groups4.Curriculum for upskilling technicians and engineers in the sector of Machine Building and Mechatronics. 5.14 course materials (PP presentations, industry-related problems, additional internet resources and teacher’s guidelines for each course) as open educational resources for technical and engineering staff employed in the sector of Machine Building and Mechatronics, based on blended and active learning.6.A Partnership Report based on the findings after the pilot testing 7.Webinar on Active Learning for VET purposes so as to boost VET teachers’ competenceMETHODOLOGY- Follow the PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) guide, in particular the management loop “initiate and plan, execute, control and close”- Quality planned, incl monitoring and evaluation- Pilot testing for validating IOs- Sharing experience and responsibilities within partnership- Joint development of IOs based on teamworkIMPACTTechnicians and engineers•Upskilled STEM, in particular in particular technology and engineering skills •Improved generic skills such as analytical/critical thinking, problem-solving, communication•Easier access to TVET learning platforms (Internet-based and mobile) that best match their learning styles•Easier access to educational resources to be used for upskilling•Ability to quickly and adequately respond to Industry 4.0 fast technological changes in the respective industrial sector •Opportunity for securing their positions within the company and future career development •Opportunity for building a “culture of learnability” in the long runVET trainers•Improved teaching competence by mastering active learning techniques and strategically using ICT •Ability to better motivate learners•Easier access to TVET resourcesCompanies in the sector •Better awareness of the specific TVET needs of their engineer•Upskilled technicians and engineers ready to respond to the fast technological changes in the sector•Opportunity to adequately meet the demands of Industry 4.0 in the long run•Potential of higher economic growth in the long runVET providers, including universities and Chambers•Better awareness of the specific TVET needs of the engineering and technical staff employed in the sector •Access to TVET learning platforms that best match learning styles of end-users•Access to educational resources to be used for upskilling•Opportunity to train their VET teachers on active learning tools•Opportunity to provide TVET to companies that matches the demands of Industry 4.0 and the specific learning needs of their employees.