The problem Industry 4.0 was a hot topic already in 2018 when this project was at the application phase, and it is even more the case today in 2021. The need for robotics and computerization is growing. While this will reduce the number of jobs in assembly and production, a significant number of jobs particularly in IT and data science will be created. However, children have less and less interest in such engineering or technical careers as they believe these subjects are too difficult for them to succeed and not suitable for women. The target groups Main target: STEM teachers Sub target: their students (secondary level) Others: relevant stakeholders, among which career counsellors, educators, trainers, policy makers, representatives of business sector. The solution The DIRECTION 4.0 (D4.0) project has developed a set of didactic materials that will help STEM teachers to introduce and promote the concept of Industry 4.0 among students through a Compendium. A 4.0 Career Roadmap serves as a professional career roadmap, encouraging students to choose more technical fields of study. The project also facilitates the building of a network of teachers through Space 4.0 - toolbox for teachers which contains all deliverables built during the project and helps teachers to meet and share experiences. Main objectives D4.0 aims at promoting the concept of Industry 4.0 and related technologies among secondary school students and encouraging them to choose technical careers. This is achieved by providing teachers with updated didactic materials, researching the 4.0 skills profile and giving the target groups a better understanding of the concept. The partners The partnership comprises 7 partners from 7 countries: a higher education institution focused on training operational engineers, a secondary school, a higher education institution providing courses on robotics, an expert in new technologies related to Industry 4.0, a consulting bureau dedicated to promotion of cutting-edge technological solutions, a consultancy offering services ranging from business development and public funding acquisition to custom implementation, an IT training provider and e-learning solutions developer. Methodology Thorough research has been done by all partners on selected topics of Industry 4.0 in order to prepare the Compendium which gives a good idea of the state of implementation especially in Europe, the economic and social factors, expected trends and challenges. The topics were: Smart Factories, Augmented and Virtual Reality, Cloud Computing, 3D printing, Robotics, Cyber security. For each topic the subjects required for a career in the area have been added (general science, ICT, mathematics, physics, biology and chemistry). An annex was also developed with the methodology to create a workshop. A job market analysis has been conducted next with a field research to determine the Model Skills Set that would be developed. After a skills verification done with students, the 4.0 Career Roadmap report has been prepared. Meanwhile, all deliverables were uploaded in Space 4.0 - toolbox for teachers with the Compendium transformed as e-courses, the Skills verification tool set and pilot testing done to validate all developed content in the project for it to be finalised. Results The outcomes of D4.0 comprise the: - Compendium 4.0 - 4.0 Career Roadmap Report - Skills Verification Tool - Space 4.0 - toolbox for teachers Long-term benefits With the support of the Space 4.0 - toolbox for teachers, a virtual space developed for sustainability of the e-course and deliverables, teachers will be in position to present their students updated content and tools about Industry 4.0 to ensure young people are better aware of what Industry 4.0 is, what kind of skills are needed to work in the fields described, and encourage them to choose technical and engineering careers to be part of Europe’s workforce to build the future. (Even though the course of the project has been affected by the Covid-19 sanitary crisis, partners ensured the high quality of the project, as planned in the application.)

"The project ""Empowering VET Teachers – Innovative & Enhanced CPD for Newly Qualified VET Teachers Working with Migrant Students"" (acronym e-VET) concerns VET education. In the EU, a high quality of VET has been recognized as one of the elements that support economic growth. At the same time, the rate of youth unemployment across EU is high: in 2019 17.7% for aged 15-19 and 14.0% for aged 15-24, what combined with 4.5 million people immigrating in 2018 to UE put pressure on the EU economies, and potentially could be eased by efficiently provided VET. In most countries participating in CPD it is required from teachers to develop competences needed to work in a multicultural environment. Therefore, the e-VET project focused on increasing the VET teachers' effectiveness by developing their soft skills. Project objectives were to: 1. Provide newly qualified VET teachers with an online diagnostic tool assessing their professional skills and identifying the areas of improvement ensuring further, relevant, based on their individual needs CPD.2. Up-skill newly qualified VET teachers with soft skills methods and tools fostering inter-cultural communication and competences, increasing participation and learning performance of disadvantaged learners, and combating discrimination, racism, bullying.3. Equip newly qualified VET teachers with digital guides on increasing social inclusion within the classroom environment with the use of training scenarios of interactive, project-based learning activities ready for immediate classroom implementation.Outputs of the project are combined in one integrated product – developed in the project e-learning platform https://platform.e-vetproject.eu/ consisted of:- an online diagnostic test assessing soft skills (Diagnostic Tool - DT), that enables teachers working with migrant students or in another multicultural environment to assess their professional skills in 5 key competences: ethics and professionalism, management of the multicultural environment, teamwork, communication, and critical thinking & problem-solving skills. Results of the diagnosis are in form of evaluation that helps to identify the areas which are still to be improved.- MOOC incorporated into e-learning platform that equips teachers with digital guides on increasing social inclusion within the classroom environment by developing their competencies previously assessed with DT. Based on e-learning course text, presentations, videos, as well as online quizzes, and additional materials in 5 modules, teachers can develop in ethics and professionalism, management of the multicultural environment, teamwork, communication, and critical thinking & problem-solving skills. These modules are related to competences examined by DT to assure the homogeneity and complexity of the project results.The e-learning platform https://platform.e-vetproject.eu/ provides both gamification elements (Badges, Quizzes), and reporting features for the users to be able to monitor their progress. This e-learning platform and its content is available in 6 languages: English, Bulgarian, Greek, Italian, Polish, Spanish. The main target group of E-VET project are therefore newly qualified VET teachers working in intercultural classes. During course of the project also other stakeholders like VET students, participants of vocational colleges, board of educations, teacher development centers, adult education centers, schools and trainers were involved and supported the project with their feedback during pilot testing and seminars. 140 participants were engaged in the testing of the Diagnostic Tool, 40 in the platform testing and 207 in the testing of the MOOC. In traditional and online seminars 229 people from different countries were involved. The participation of teachers of different ages and experiences, as well as from different culture allowed to create a product understandable as a language, to balance the difficulty of the questions and the fairness of the assessment. Although the outputs were prepared for newly qualified VET teachers working in intercultural classes, the platform may be useful to other groups like teachers and trainers of any sector.The project has a European dimension. Offering a full cycle of initial assessment, training modules and three levels of assessment it allows the opportunity to increase teachers’ motivation to work with new knowledge and skills, to improve the effectiveness of teaching using what they have learned and to overcome previously insurmountable obstacles. The acquired knowledge will facilitate their work in a multicultural environment, preventing school dropouts and the social inclusion of migrant students, improving specific ICT skills for working with e-learning platforms and transferring them into schools, especially in pandemics and distance learning. Project results can be also used by teachers on different levels of education. Its online formula allows accessing all interested stakeholders."

CONTEXTThe 1Point project aims to transform a standard quality assurance method and information security process used in the industry into a creative and innovative training methodology for the VET sector. Our focus is the training of future maintenance professionals in order to improve IT skills, foster employability and develop innovative thinking. The training course will be designed in accordance with high quality VET standards in order to meet the labour market needs.The next generation of industry workers should be tech savvy, but VET programs and teaching methodologies have not caught up yet. 1Point will promote a work-based learning approach and the acquisition of concrete knowledge and skills. Therefore, training with the 1Point methodology will support participants to carry out and reflect on tasks that are directly connected to their future workplace (vocational context). The methodology will include the use of modern ICT technologies, accessible from different mobile devices (e.g. tablets, laptops) and will include gamification aspects (badges, missions). In this way, the 1Point lesson model creates benefits for VET providers, trainers, learners and the industry.MAIN OBJECTIVES1Point will identify current needs and key competences for maintenance professionals. Further, it will develop training content and contribute to a curriculum. Additionally, it will develop the 1Point methodology, a virtual Learning Motivation Environment, a skills and achievements framework and trainer guidelines.NUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTSThe partnership comprises 6 partners from 5 countries: 2 VET providers, a consultancy, an ICT-SME specialised in maintenance, a European non-profit association on digital learning and a national research institute for VET. The project is targeted to VET trainers and VET students of the maintenance area, but will also pay particular attention to low-skilled maintenance professionals and trainees through continuing VET. It intends to form digitally skilled maintenance workers that are close to the market and aware of their future operational environment. Additionally, it wants to enrich the continuing training of the educational staff, by enabling them to create, use or modify attractive digital learning content. Finally, professionals and trainees requiring upskilling will able to improve their digital skills and, thus, will become more “employable”, competitive and innovative.ACTIVITIES1Point project will develop, transform, test, evaluate, improve and disseminate an innovative training framework comprising a new methodology along with an online training course. Based on these results, 1Point will provide a learning motivation environment, a skills and achievements framework, trainer guidelines as well as a validation and recognition plan.METHODOLOGYThe methodology proposed by the 1Point project is used under the Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) approach in industries operating at World Class Manufacturing level. It has not been applied yet in the field of VET, nor anywhere else in formal educational settings. Our project proposes an innovative training concept that will allow the transfer and implementation of the 1Point methodology within formal and informal educational settings of the VET sector (VET centres and industry), enabling not only trainers to organise concrete knowledge information in concentrated and digital modular pieces, but also trainees and professionals to gain and claim ownership of the knowledge they acquire. The content-development and course preparation will be based on the results of an analysis of current learning needs and digital skills-gap and a comparative analysis of current maintenance-training offers. The training methodology will be developed through adaptive transformation of the 1Point methodology for the field of VET with focus on the specialities of the maintenance topic. The Learning Motivation Environment will be a responsive web application, accessible from different mobile devices (e.g. tablets, laptops) and will include gamification aspects (badges, missions).RESULTS AND IMPACT1Point will develop a new methodology (1Point) for the VET sector that will systematically prepare maintenance professionals. It will define the ECVET Curriculum of the Maintenance Expert and will design and develop a virtual Learning Motivation Environment fostering the use of ICT applications. Further, it will develop a skills and achievements framework and a set of trainer guidelines. Finally, it will develop one validated VET programme for maintenance professionals boosting key digital competences.POTENTIAL LONGER-TERM BENEFITS1Point will promote the organisation of knowledge in ways more suitable for the labour market and the competence-development of VET trainers. It wants to match the demand for training with supply and give better access to lifelong training for certain groups, and so support a competitive and innovative society.

CONTEXTThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread educational disruption, with school closures in 186 countries affecting 1.2 billion students. Almost overnight, remote learning emerged as the new educational norm, making a blend of digital and in-person learning solutions a necessity. Teachers needed solutions to ensure that students’ time a way from the classroom didn’t mean time away from learning. Virtual classrooms have replaced physical classrooms and teachers embraced technology to continue their work. However, it is not straightforward or even possible sometimes to make up for activities which until now have significant educational value when carried out physically, such as collaborative problem solving. Problem-based learning enables students to embrace complexity, find relevance and joy in their learning, and enhance their capacity to make creative contributions to real-world problems. There is a need to educate the teachers on how to administer remote PBL experiences through digital learning channels so as to ensure students continue to harness the benefits of collaborative problem solving as they used to prior to the advent of COVID-19.OBJECTIVEThe project aims to help HEIs with pedagogical faculties in supporting the use of digital learning spaces by European educators as a means to help them continue to deliver through virtual classrooms Problem Based Learning activities that were until now offered only through physical collaboration in classrooms. By helping HE institutions with pedagogical departments to extend their academic curricula with practical approaches towards remote PBL in combination with Game Based Learning, EPITOME aims to improve the current situation with respect to the teachers ability to deliver remotely, through virtual classrooms, the same quality of education they delivered in physical classrooms until now. PARTICIPANTSA software company with significant experience in the design and development of ICT-enabled solutions, a university with a pedagogical faculty focused on the integration of digital technologies to the teaching process, a parent's association of a primary school which invests in STEM, an EU wide network supporting digital learning in all forms of E&T, a technical consultancy working with HEIs for designing digital solutions and a instructional design company with Minecraft experience.ACTIVITIES- Elaboration of methods for delivering PBL experiences through Minecraft- Preparation of PBL specifications for transcribing PBL experiences to scenarios in digital learning environments- Design of PBL challenges- Development of a handbook for practitioners to implement PBL experiences in Minecraft- Creation of a custom Minecraft World- Implementation of a resource pack and mods to support the execution of the challenges- Packaging of all items under a Minecraft collection, the EPITOME Collection to be made available through the Minecraft Marketplace- Generating awareness about the outputs among the academic and school communities through multiplier events - Supporting the uptake of the EPITOME Handbook by the academic and school communities and the growth of a vivid community of adopters through the creation, population and management of the EPITOME Foundry virtual space- Promoting the use of the EPITOME Minecraft Collection available through the marketplaceMETHODOLOGYAn iterative methodology: three versions of the results are produced, one in each iteration. After each iteration the results are tested/validated and based on the conclusions the next iteration is planned.RESULTSMethods for delivering remote PBL experiences in Minecraft, specifications for creating PBL experiences in Minecraft, PBL challenges, custom world, resource pack and mod to support the challenges, handbook to support the use of Minecraft for remote PBL, instructional material, a dedicated virtual space to support use of project results by a community of adopters.TARGET GROUPIn the life of the project: HEIs, mainly those with Pedagogical faculties, professionals working with children (mainly 8 - 13 years). Apart from these direct target groups, the beneficiaries comprise also indirect target groups such as schools, children's/parents associations and organisations, policy makers and educational stakeholders deciding about subjects covered by school curricula, parents, content developers, etc. After the life of the project and subject to the delivery of concrete results, more target groups become relevant, such as companies active in educational technology, universities with pedagogical/engineering departments, educational bodies, STEAM CentresBENEFITSContribute towards building digital education readiness among the school community by enhancing the academic curricula of HEIs with pedagogical faculties so as to support the teachers of tomorrow for using efficiently digital learning spaces such as Minecraft for delivering remote Problem Based Learning Experience.

<< Objectives >>The project targets to provide e-learning opportunities for youth to enhance or cultivate from scratch their professional, entrepreneurial and digital skills in the field of Cultural and Creative Industries by using creative and innovative technologies. The scope is to target youth with limited access to educational opportunities and unemployed (NEETs). The project aims to transform education in CCI with OER digital resources rendering it accessible to all youth communities.<< Implementation >>Youth Interests Verification/ EU report Youth Entrepreneurship Manual with training content and tips and tricks on CCI sectorPersonalised Skills Wheel for the custom training and knowledge validation of Youth (OER)A guide for youth workers/ educators/ mentors in the CCI sector3 Physical meetings for the consortium to work together in key dates of the project implementation Internal and External Piloting of the deliverables Promotional Events<< Results >>Tangible: The training methodology in CCI The Entrepreneurship Manual for youth in CCI The Personalised skills Wheel for the e-learning in CCIThe Guide for youth educators/ mentors in CCI/ workers Intangible: Raise the knowledge and skills of youth for employability and entrepreneurship. Enhancement of ICT-enabled education and e-learning strategies in the CCI sector.Qualitative training to underrepresented groups towards more inclusive and accessible educational opportunities.