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One of the most pressing problems facing Vocational Education and Training (VET) and especially in the COVID-19 context relates to apprenticeship and Work-based Learning (WBL) especially abroad. A commonly asked question by VET providers at the moment is if future mobility will be physical, virtual or blended. All partners involved in this proposal areconvinced that we have to find new solutions for the future because there is great uncertainty surrounding travel abroad. We will test virtual training and mobility in the automotive sector which is a big challenge and one of the main innovations of the project. The industry is currently under extreme pressure to innovate especially regarding e-mobility. The sector was chosen as a pilot branch because the automotive manufacturing is an important industry in most of the partner regions, and specially in Baden-Württemberg and Catalonia .The project results could be part of experiential education. There are applications in the industrial sector where technical skills are only taught by making use of virtual reality. In today’s society, it is important for everyone to gain insight into the use of digital technology and the way technologies interact. In labour market-oriented programmes we also focus on the sustainable use of computer programmes, apps and (new) technological applications. In this way, we develop future oriented training programmes for young people. This is still highly specialised, and no national education system as yet has an overall solution. That is why it is essential to tackle this on a Europe wide level. Our Target groups are policy makers, teachers and ultimately pupils in VET but industry and SMEs are essential partners to accomplish a digital shift in teaching VET.Since February 2020 the COVID-19 outbreak has had negative effects on ongoing or planned mobility activities.The European Commission published three recommendations on 1st July 2020, which can also provide a ‘support’ and favourable context to overcome the devastating consequences that the Covid-19 crisis infringed in the education, training and youth sectors:• Council Recommendation on Vocational Education and Training (VET) for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience• Youth Employment support package• European Skills Agenda – Skills for jobsIn addition, late September the •European Education Area and •the new Digital Education Action Plan were adopted.Key terms like “green and digital transition”, “accessibility”, “a modern, attractive and flexible VET” are mentioned in the three documents and are central to our proposal. The next Erasmus programme 2021-2027 proposal includes a clear focus on the green and digital transition and also address social inclusion.Development of innovative digital methods and training tools can contribute to a stable supply of apprenticeships and WBL during critical economic situations like the ongoing pandemic. In addition to this, supporting educators in their professional development enhances their increased digital readiness. It should be noted that new learning environments, tools and pedagogy linked to digitalisation are necessary for increasing the digital redness of VET institutions.Furthermore, it is relevant to mention the two following initiatives the Pact for Skills to be launched in November 2020 and the renewed European Alliance for Apprenticeships together with the above mentioned future Erasmus+ programme 2021-2027.The project will, therefore,- motivate and support the development and use of digital applications for the VET teacher to manage autonomous and social learning processes in vocational education on an individual basis- boost the digital facilitation of learning processes to ensure that learning becomes transparent, manageable, controllable and transferable- build a digital learning platform for this purpose that motivates different types of stakeholders in VET to use innovative technologies to support and challenge the learner on acustomised basis.- integrate supportive innovative technologies and digital applications including gamification and virtual reality,- enable the users to make best use of technology since pedagogy and technology have to go hand in hand.

A fully sustainable future depends on a culture emerging from engaged and informed citizens committed to a green, safe, and economically thriving society which can only be achieved through a deep and reflexive learning process animated in all educational and lifelong learning domains.SMALEI aims to improve the sustainability of adult learning and education (ALE) providers and organisations and increase their capacity to contribute to an ecological transformation of society. Through self-reflection, cooperation, and peer-learning, ALE institutions will take concrete steps towards more environmentally friendly, engaging, and collaborative practices and policies.The key project deliverables are:- Database of resources, promising practices, and experts- Sustainability self-assessment matrix- Guide to using the matrix in a collaborative way- Case studies to showcase the piloting experiences- Policy recommendations and the road map to develop sustainable communities- Digital academyThe consortium is composed of 7 partners representing ALE providers and national/regional associations, a regional public authority, and 2 European networks (EAEA and EARLALL). Partners will act as initial stakeholders in piloting, adopting, and validating the sustainability self-assessment matrix. The project deliverables will be promoted among the project target groups following a sound dissemination plan and an effective exploitation strategy, which will ensure a high project reach and impact.The project increases the capacity of ALE centres, teachers, and staff to become greener, more engaged, and forward-looking which will lead to concrete progresses towards sustainable development on the local, regional, national, and European levels. In the long-term, the project contributes to raising awareness, creating partnerships, empowering individuals and communities for promoting and living a flourishing, environmentally friendly lifestyle and inspires cross-generational climate action.

Offering quality guidance services to all citizens at any point in their lives is an important challenge for regions. All regions participating in the ERASMUS+ strategic partnership BRIDGE have established guidance systems that support the access of citizens to training and further education. However, these guidance services didn't reach all target groups to the same extent. Above all, only a small number of low-skilled people used lifelong guidance in BRIDGE regions and the participation of low-skilled adults in up-skilling training activities was significantly low. In order to raise the percentage of lower-skilled target groups in guidance and up-skilling activities new innovative concepts were needed. The BRIDGE project was designed to find such new ways of reaching lower skilled persons. As specific objectives of the BRIDGE project partners aimed at1. analysing the access to and quality of guidance services for low-skilled adults in Baden-Württemberg/Germany, Bretagne/France and Jämtland/Sweden from different perspectives and with different methods and activities and to adapt, test and transfer best practice tools and processes in the field of guidance from one region to the others,2. describing ways of addressing low-skilled adults e.g. through guidance in cooperation with companies,3. analysing and increasing the quality of guidance services by learning from the partners' experiences and from the results of two surveys, by transfering tools and strategies and by training professionals in using these tools and strategies,4. developing self-evaluation tools that help to evaluate the access to and quality of guidance for low-skilled people. Long term goals of the project were ...1. to strengthen guidance networks, co-operations between organisations and measures to support low-skilled target groups through European mutual learning,2. to innovate the access of low-skilled adults to lifelong guidance in participating regions and beyond,3. to improve the quality of guidance with a view to the needs of low-skilled adults by supporting professionals in guidance services and,4. consequently, to increase the participation of low-skilled adults in up-skilling activities.Seven organisations from four European countries participated in the BRIDGE project as full partners. In addition, four silent partners contributed to the project. The following institutions were full partners of the BRIDGE consortium:Volkshochschulverband Baden-Württemberg e.V. (Co-ordinator) as the biggest provider of adult education in the south-west of Germany and the co-ordinator of the regional guidance network Landesnetzwerk Weiterbildungsberatung Baden-Württemberg (LN WBB).Ministerium für Kultus, Jugend und Sport Baden-Württemberg which founded and finances the LN WBB.FONGECIF Bretagne whose mission is to inform, advise and support employees in their professional transition and development, e.g. in phases of reconversion, graduation and professionalisation.Région Bretagne that has in place a regional network of several hundred information centers which can offer basic information about training opportunities and orientation to more specialized guidance services. Lärcentrum Östersunds kommun, responsible for all matters regarding adult learning for citizens in the area including education and career guidance.IUC Z-Group which is a cooperation between manufacturing companies in the county of Jämtland, provides and verifies training and education to member companies. EARLALL, the European Association of Regional & Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning. During seven project meetings, the BRIDGE project partners investigated best practice measures and tools of guidance in the participating regions, described and analysed the measures and worked out success factors. Around 20 activities were followed up in detail. Powerpoint presentations on the different activities and reports were produced.The reports formed part of a study and handbook which collects information, good examples and suggestions on successful educational and career guidance. The study addresses several thousand professionals working in the field of guidance in the participating regions and beyond. It offers an overview on existing measures to reach low-skilled adults in the BRIDGE regions and puts the findings of the BRIDGE project into a broader context. The study and handbook also includes results of two surveys among counselors and low-skilled people, it defines key-performance factors for counseling as well as self-assessment-tools for institutions that are active in the field of guidance. The BRIDGE regions have successfully implemented several of the best practices in their guidance structures, used project results in policy processes and provided financing for new guidance strategies. In one European and three regional multiplier events results of the project were spread to other regions.

The Excellent Advanced Manufacturing 4.0 - EXAM 4.0 project aims at setting up five European regional Skills Ecosystems, bringing together VET/HVET centres, companies, policy makers and the individuals to identify future skills needs in the Advanced Manufacturing (AM onwards) sector.The EXAM 4.0 HUB is a network of 11 VET/HVET centres, 3 Companies and 16 stakeholders representing: Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Croatia, Belgium and Sweden and contributing to identify AM skills needs. The partners will build the EXAM 4.0 HUB as a Platform of Excellence to:Introduce new technological, social and environmental trends in education and industry. Design approaches and methods to anticipate skills needs in the AM sector. Support regional development and Smart Specialization Strategies by providing skills required to implement them. Develop innovative learning methodologies and implement joint initiatives and projects. Enhance the continuing professional development of teachers and trainers. Provide business incubators for VET learners to develop their entrepreneurial skills and projects.In addition, the EXAMS 4.0 HUB propose a VET/HVET centre 4.0 Model. We will design an AM Workshop 4.0 Model in terms of its infrastructure, ICT applications, tools, skills needed and working processes. Our proposal is to pilot it to verify the relationship among the elements of the design.Other outputs: An informal network of stakeholders. Protocols for transferring new knowledge to SMES. Recommendations for policy makers. Intensive dissemination and exploitation campaign.EXAM 4.0 HUB aims at becoming a reference in skills governance in Europe. The project will go on beyond the EU funding. The Platform will be running and updated, incorporating new partners and initiatives. Participating institutions, Policy makers, academic authorities, VET/HVET centres, teachers and students, AM companies, associations of employers and other stakeholders will benefit from EXAM 4.0 outputs.