"Context/background of the projectThe economic crisis that affects all European countries had a strong impact on the already existing ""skills gap"" in the EU labor market. The following challenges and related needs are identified:-ameliorate the cooperation between VET providers and companies to provide a market oriented training offer-provide VET students with enhanced Work Based Learning methods and tools to prevent demotivation due to the lack of practical application of what they learn in a real business environment-Apprenticeships lack in effectivenessObjectivesThe project identified the following objectives to be reached in order to answer to the identified needs:-Improve the cooperation between VET providers and companies and enhance the participation of companies in planning and delivering training so to better match the job market needs-Motivate VET students at risk of dropping out, by providing them with enhanced Work Based Learning methods-Improve the internationalization of the VET training offerParticipating organisationsThe WBL 2.0 project involved: -6 contractual partners including training agencies, companies associations and no profit organisations -57 Companies interested in cooperating with the VET sector -More than 60 trainers and more than 1 200 students -45 Associated partners including VET schools, associations, companies, no profit organisations public bodies, school associations, universities and youth organisations ActivitiesThe project activities were organised as follows:Activity 1:Creation of the Intellectual Output contents: Repository of e-learning video lessons and interviewsThe project partners produced the Repository of e-learning video lessons and interviews, delivered by company managers and professionals according to a Work based learning approach, to provide VET students that want to become web designers and/or social media managers with an innovative ICT based training offer for better understanding the expectations of the market and of the companies.The partners contacted companies’ managers and experts to collect Video interviews and Testimonials.The Video were edited and subtitled and made available on the Project Portal through in-depth description of their contents and didactic potential.Activity 2Creation of a Virtual Platform for Internships hosted within a dedicated section on to the WBL 2.0 portal providing accessibility to:-Profiles of companies interested in host a transnational internship.-Profiles of students that are interested to carry out their placement at international level -Monitoring and assessment toolsActivity 3Creation of Guidelines for the organisation of international internships identifying and mainstreaming innovative successful strategies to ensure that work placements reflect the needs and expectations of the business world and the needs and expectations of the VET students and VET providers.Activity 4Organisation of 5 Multiplier events to disseminate the results reached, methodology implemented and output produced in the WBL 2.0 project.Transversal Activities:All project partners were involved in the carrying out of the transversal activities related to the effective implementation of the project: Coordination, Reporting, Dissemination, Exploitation and Evaluation.Results and impact attainedWBL 2.0 impacted on: - VET TEACHERS providing them with innovative work based learning teaching methods for enriching their classroom lessons with Video based materials facilitating students understanding of what are companies expectations in real life business scenarios and motivate them students to finish their VET training pathsAlso WBL 2.0 results implemented effective alternance between training and work through transnational apprenticeships and established fruitful cooperation with companies for organising international and virtual placements - VET STUDENTS who acquired knowledge, competences and skills in the fields of the latest trends in web designing and implementation and raised their awareness on the importance that companies give in the selection of their human resources.Students also got in contact with European companies of the sector in order to carry out transnational apprenticeships virtual or in person and also experimenting forms of teleworking- COMPANIES managers and trainers, by involving them in the creation of the Video collection of training contents. Companies reinforced their participation to the definition of VET training contents addressed to their future workforce, making sure that VET students get trained to be prepared to match their needs of human resources.Longer-term benefitsThe project outputs have all a strong transferability potential and are expected to have long term benefits on the VET sector through a strong cooperation pattern between companies and Vet providers."

"The project carried out a research and 2 online training courses that strengthen the link between the tourism sector and recreational boating. Northern Tuscany and Eastern Liguria are productive excellences in the nautical sector worldwide, but with limited tourist development in space (coastal areas) and over time (summer season). The 2 sectors have difficulty in creating synergies, despite the strong potential. With the made products, 4 European areas were confronted with 4 different ways of living and integrating the sea element (UK, Spain, Malta).The initial research (output 1), turn with the data collection, information and direct testimony of experts in the sector, provided indications for the construction of the 2 training products; one, aimed at operators in the nautical and tourist sector and one, aimed at new graduates or individuals without specific experience. The comparison of the tourist, nautical and training offers of the 4 countries is at the base of the structuring of the 2 training courses created.The 5 Italian partners, each for their own areas of expertise, have turned research and provided guidance for the 3 foreign partners on the areas of investigation. The information was sent to Serindform who, coordinating the 3 outputs, systematized and shared them to receive contributions from everyone.The first of the 3 multiplier events, held in Viareggio in October 2017, was not limited to making the research and the project known; thanks to the different moments of discussion foreseen during the event it was possible to unite stakeholders with common objective.The research was at the center of discussions that in the course of 2018 allowed the development of 5 training and transnational projects in the nautical and tourism area, funded by the Tuscany Region: Fourseansos, APOMA, AMCO, Blue Skills and S.O.F.T. In the projects there are several partners and different TNT ideas, together with new subjects who have shared the objectives.The construction of products 2 and 3 saw the initial participation in the choice of topics to be developed. In product 2, addressed to sector operators, two partners played a central role: “Navigo”, the main consortium of companies in the nautical sector in Versilia and also at national level, and “Gente di Mare onlus”, active in the sector. In product 3, addressed to new graduates, the two higher institutes, ""Arzelà"" and ""Pertini"" have made the greatest contribution. The foreign partners, based on the indications received in itinere, have enriched the 2 products with the collection of materials and testimonies of sector operators and providing added value with insights and suggestions useful for the construction of training courses. The products allow to develop skills that integrate recreational boating with the resources of the hinterland, creating synergies able to collect the various added values. Businesses and new employees will be able to effectively use the new technologies to promote the services offered, to structure offers that integrate the present services and to attract boaters and tourists to the territory; this is the first step to lengthen the tourist season by encouraging the encounter with the cultural, natural and food and wine heritage of northern Tuscany and eastern Liguria.The online courses provide indications about market trends and examples of success to be imitated. A long-term goal is to be attractive to the great tourist flows of Tuscany and the Cinque Terre, present throughout the year and geographically close to the project areas.Thanks to the action of the partner ""Pertini"" the courses were included in the UIBI platform (ww.uibi.it) the distance learning network based on Moodle, which shalls collect together all the high schools in the provinces of Massa-Carrara, Lucca and Livorno and to which students, teachers and trainers join; the insertion allowed to directly reach the target of the product 3 and a part of the target of the product 2, giving visibility to the research. Following the last 2 multiplier events, several institutes requested information about the products and said they were interested in their use. Next 10 April, at the Ist. Pertini di Lucca, project partner, will take place an event which will be attended by the students of the senior year, teachers, representatives of other Institutes: in this meeting will be promoted the project and the realized outputs, with the aim of promoting the products as standard training in tourism.There have also been close agreements for the dissemination of products with organizations and associations that carry out training, tourism and boating activities.The products produced are a training tool that is always available and accessible; that has the effect of creating an ever-present strategic training offer, not linked to isolated and sporadic initiatives."

* Project main goalWhile entering a post crisis world, and facing the needs of multipurpose professionals, this proposal is aimed at expanding the baseline of skills, knowledge and values for STEM VET learners by establishing well-structured and effective peer learning circles, using a variety of methods. Moreover the project focus on expanding the learning opportunities by introducing cutting edge methods, e.g. peer-to-peer learning, peer tutoring and innovative pedagogy, and thus boosting the quality of the learning experience in VET professional schools and centers. * Specific objectives** Establishing a new and unique methods for digitized peer-assisted learning in distant classes and small COVID-19 secured participatory classes in- and outside- school premises. ** Implementing a new model for learning stimulation, e.g. peer-tutoring or cooperative learning to cover the knowledge gap generated by the hyper accelerated post crisis technological society; ** Enhancing the active and intended usage of new pedagogical methods by the students, e.g. peer-to-peer learning, tutoring, flipped classroom, project based learning, etc. to prolong the daily learning curve of learners; ensure full participation; get instant feedback (incl. on sensitive or uncomfortable subjects) or improving the learning flow; ** Evolving the role of the Alumni clubs and Bright learners in-school societies by assigning a new teaching role to the students, hence improving the knowledge base of the younger generation by covering the gaps between the expected skills, as defined by the descriptor;** Reducing the number of early leaving VET learners via boosting an early warning systems in the partner countries as defined by EQAVET, and implementing indicator #4, i.e. the completion rate in STEM VET targeted programs: the number of persons having successfully completed/abandoned VET programs, according to the type of programs and the individual criteria.** Work packages distribution: WP1: Project management and cross partner communications, Timing: 1-24 months; Leader: LP, 4.0F, Bg. WP2: State of art analysis (based on the pre-proposal developed context analysis). Elaboration of country specific case studies on the implications of peer-assisted learning methodologies in vocational education and training - opportunities and challenges. Timing: 2-5 months; Leader: LP, 4.0F, Bg.WP3: iPEER methodology, curriculum, inventory, and competence evaluation model. Timing: 2-20 months; Leaders: LP, P5, P6IO1: Elaborating a new EQAVET related pedagogical methodology for cooperative learning and cross-age peer tutoring. Timing: 3-5 months; Leader: LP, 4.0F, Bg. IO2: Elaborating a pilot peer-assisted learning curriculum for covering existing knowledge gaps in pilot professions and VET subjects, e.g. automation (systems automation, process automation, and robotics); public healthcare VET specializations (paramedics), and computer science, e.g. applied computer science and script development. Introduction of jigsaw methods, scaffolding, learning circles and gamification. Timing: 8-19 months; Leader: LP, 4.0F, Bg. IO3: Elaborating of extensive inventory with peer assisted and state of the art digital pedagogical tools, as well as tools for tutoring and empathic learning. Timing: 5-14 months; Leader: P6, BICERO, Sl. IO4: Elaborating an EQAVET related competence model and automated evaluation system, with appropriate lessons, planners and grade book. Timing: 11-17 months; Leader: P5, ACEEU, DE. WP4: Short-term mobility of peer-trainers / teachers for mastering new skills and competences, based on the iPEER model. Timing: Month 14; Leader: P4, AMC, Pt.WP5: Piloting the iPEER model for post-crisis education in the partner countries, with focus on covering the knowledge and skills baselines of the pilot VET sectors. Timing: 15-16 months; Leader: LP, 4.0F, Bg. WP6: Quality assurance and compliance of the iPEER deliverables. Elaborating a concept for accreditation model. Timing: 18 months; Leader: P5, ACEEU, DE. WP7: Exploitation and dissemination of the iPEER model. Securing the inclusion in different state-led administrative models. Timing: 18-24 months; Leader: P2, VSI, Lt. WP8: Sustainability assurance. Securing state administrative procedures amendments, and opening space for peer-learning and peer-tutoring. Follow-up projects development. Timing: 22-24 months; Leader: P1, PGME, Bg.

Context/background of the project:The economic situation affects all European countries, especially the group of young people that sees a growing skills gap in the EU labour market. Experiences abroad such as apprenticeships, traineeships and dual schemes are a very useful opportunity to ameliorate this situation and to offer youngsters soft (entrepreneurship initiative, critical thinking, problem solving, learning to learn) and hard skills needed for a future jobs, as well as to have their first contact with the labour market. So WBL experiences in all forms (apprenticeships, traineeships, dual schemes and jobshadowings) empower VET students with a wide range of skills which opens doors to personal fulfillment and development, social inclusion, active citizenship and employment. Objectives:The QQVET project had its bases on this situation explained above, having the objective of improving the cooperation between different stakeholders (VET institutions, teachers, companies and students) in order to provide a market oriented training offer and business driving learning paths to VET students, teachers and trainers to turn the skills mismatch into work opportunities.More in details the objectives of the QQVET project were: - to improve the cooperation between VET providers and companies so as to provide a market oriented training offer and business driven learning paths to the VET students, teachers and trainers - to identify the real impact of WBL experiences on the skills and employability of VET students and teachers in order to motivate enterprises, VET students, teachers and trainers and VET providers to participate in this experiences. - to offer quality work based learning opportunities to VET teachers at local, regional, national and transnational level and trainers for their continuous professional development - to improve the attractiveness of the VET training offer and of Work based learning in order to match the needs of the companies and the expectations of the trainees - to motivate policy makers and social partners in all member states to promote WBL in all it formsNumber and type/profile of participants: different types of stakeholders were involved directly and/or indirectly in the activities organized by the project:- more than 300 students- more than 180 teachers- more than 120 companies - more than 30 VET directors- 50 organizations part of the transnational network: VET schools, associations, companies, no profit organizations public bodies, school associations, among others.Around 600 of the participants have been identified as participants with lower opportunities such as the students participating in the preparation of the IO1 - The Impact study. Some of them are students with educational difficulties or belong to vulnerable social groups. Also part of the attendees of the multiplier events organized in each partner country and dissemination events were coming from vulnerable social groups Description of undertaken activities:1. Creation of IO1: Impact study on WBL experiences (apprenticeship, traineeship, dual scheme, job shadowings) at local, regional, national or transnational level.The project partners produced an impact study that shows the strengths and weakness of WBL experiences and that covers the expectations of all target groups from the 6 European countries.2. Creation of IO2: A documentary series that shows the different target groups of the project and meet the expectations and needs of VET trainers and students and represent real scenarios.3. Creation of the project website: in the first months of the project a website has been created and continuously updated and improved during the entire period of the project. The website contains all the material produced during the project, freely available to be downloaded.4. Creation of a transnational network of VET providers, companies, social partners and public bodies 5. Creation of a recommendation pack for VET students, teachers, trainers, VET providers, enterprises and public bodies - a practical document for stakeholders and beneficiaries 6. Transversal Activities: all partners were involved in carrying out activities related to the effective implementation of the project: coordination, reporting, dissemination, sustainability, evaluationResults and impact attained:The project impacted in different ways on all the stakeholders to whom the project addressed through activities organized during the project, as well as thanks to the high potential of transferability of the project's outputs, helping in this way to improve the implementation of effective quality VET mobility activities to make them acquire more quality and effective experiences to better prepare VET students to enter into the job market.Long-term benefits: the results of the project are expected to have a long term benefits on the VET sector through a strong cooperation between companies, VET providers, teachers and students.

We accept that “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” (Nelson Madela) and thus our vision has always been to provide our learners of all ages with the key competences and skills in order to equip them to explore their potential and capabilities in reaching out to succeed in life.Our contribution to achieving the targets set in Europe 2020 Strategy has introduced us to the world of collaboration, building of knowledge and skills alliances, mobility of policies and good practices that will enrich the quality and competitiveness of the services provided.We have opened up new routes for raising the effectiveness of our education and training programmes in order to equip learners with employability and entrepreneurship skills for the changing labour market for growth and development.The economic crisis has placed education, training and research in the spotlight for offering solutions to the challenges faced by the EU Member States. We are committed to make the potentially “lost generation” into a “generation of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth”.The main aim of our partnership is to offer non-formal opportunities for young people to acquire employability, entrepreneurship and digital skills to support their transition from school to the world of work thus achieving a better skills match and career orientation. The project’s main aim is to facilitate students’ induction into the world of work by connecting the theoretical knowledge they acquire at school with the world of work. The main objectives of the project are:- Investment in technical and vocational education, training and apprenticeship programmes by introducing free and easy access to interactive simulation job related tasks.- Synergies between the consortium teachers-students-companies with a view to bridging the gap that students have in their experience.- Involvement of students in an interactive training session of apprenticeship, simulating various jobs situations in the form of animation problem-solving game.- Practical activities with students and development of various competences: workplace skills, problem-solving, teamwork, foreign languages, IT and social media skills, communication and cultural skills, etc.The project intellectual outputs, results and target group are the following:IO1 – Job profiles and best practices promotion- 5 research reports on overview of the young people employment situation at national level (RO, CY, DE, IT, ES)- 50 job profiles from 5 countries (RO, CY, DE, IT, ES)- 25 best practices previous projects or activities implemented on job career orientation- 38 students involved in testing the resources and provide feedback- 26 teachers involved in testing the resources and provide feedbackIO2 - Toolkit package for teachers and school counselors- 1interactive test for competences evaluation - 1 toolkit for teachers - 26 teachers involved in evaluation and feedback- 52 students involved in piloting the competences interactive testIO3 - Online Apprenticeship Simulator- 6 interactive online apprenticeship simulators, including various scenarios and tasks from different job profiles- 110 students involved in testing the simulators- 30 teachers involved in working with students in testing the online work places simulationsIO4 - Motivational practices and videos from companies dealing as promoters of young skilled workers- Network of 25 companies from different working fields- 1 company tutor’s guide in career guidance and workplace preparation and motivation for their future employees- 12 promotional/motivational videos from companies on career guidance for students and young peopleMultiplier events: 6 events, 298 secondary education – teachers and students; labour market – employers and companies; and stakeholders – local public decision makers and education/training organisations.The ‘We Welcome Work’ project raises stakeholders’ awareness about new routes meant to raise the effectiveness and quality of education and training programmes in Europe. The project’s outputs equip learners with important skills for the changing labour market by resorting to a creative technique: simulations. Simulations appeal to students as they have the power to recreate complex realities and allow students to examine them in a safe and challenging environment. Simulations are also motivating for students. Students become engrossed in simulations because simulations focus on real issues, raise real questions and facilitate students’ transition from school to the world of work.Project Website: http://wewelcomework.eu