The partnership was created to link the public and private sectors aimed at promoting regional development. The engineering industry has been and still remains a core industry in the regions and therefore it is important to provide the employers with qualified staff. Nevertheless, this is only possible via intensive cooperation of companies and schools, and in particular by increasing of amount of practical training in the companies. The German dual system of vocational education can serve as a model, where students are prepared directly in companies. We achieved the following objectives by realization of the project:- to modernize the vocational education in partner schools via cooperation of the school and practice- to increase the interest in technical professions- to exchange the experience and develop possible proposals to reform of the education- to acquire new skills and knowledge from the country, where the dual system is implemented- to involve the key employers in the vocational education more and persuade them that coordinated education can bring more benefits- to enhance the cooperation between the partnership created by organizations that are responsible for vocational education and training, whit the main aim to connect the education with the requirements of practice- to strengthen the role of partnership between schools, companies and social partners by possible influencing of the network of vocational educationThe target group of the project were teaching staff and students of secondary vocational schools, directories of engineering companies in the regions (especially employees involved in the vocational training) and the representatives of the regional government, industry and professional associations involved in vocational education.The partnership consisted of organizations from three EU countries. On the one hand, it is Germany with its functioning dual system of education, on the other hand, Slovakia and Czech Republic are countries with ambitions to introduce dual system. We cooperated in the project with these partners: Vocational school Tremosnice (Czech republic), 1. Slovak engineering cluster and German partners Jenaer Bildungszentrum, respectively Internationaler Bund Bildungszentrum Jena.The project produced three intellectual outputs - training modules for engineering professions, proposals of regional cooperation networks and a model of career guidance in vocational education.Intellectual output O1 consists from 15 training modules in engineering.Intellectual output O3 includes a model of career guidance in vocational education. The partners prepared a model based on the needs of Slovak and Czech schools and on the experience of the German partner.The most extensive project output is the intellectual output O2, which focused on linking vocational training from the point of view of theory and practice. The results of the output are varied, the most important part was the mapping of cooperation between secondary vocational schools and employers.The project also included 4 transnational project meetings and 14-day mobility for 30 students from Slovak and Czech schools at the German partner.The project partners that the results of the project will also contribute to the modernization of vocational training in the participating regions of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The strategic partnership and international co-operation will work even after the end of the common project. All project outputs will be used in the next process. Within the established regional networks in vocational education, we expect the contribution of employers, especially in the area of recruiting students, organizing excursions or competitions for the interested in technical professions.All outputs have been made available to other schools and employers, school management and 1. SSK management are responsible for managing it. Schools will continue to organize researches between employers and social partners as well as analysis of the applicability of graduates in order to maintain the best connection between theory and practice needs.The sustainability of the project will also be supported by the new law on vocational education, which defines dual education as one of its aims and duties. Schools and employers in Slovakia will be motivated to implement this system. All participating schools will be able to benefit from the experience gained.

The project European partnership in professional education had been prepared by the partnership consisting of 9 organizations and 8 European countries (Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Norway, Spain, Romania). The partnership was created by vocational secondary schools as well as by an interest group of employers, for which the schools prepare their future employees. It was created for the purpose to connect the private and public sector focused on the support of regional development. The aim of the project was to approach the education to the concept of dual education where students are prepared directly for the companies.The target groups of the project were pedagogical staff and students of vocational secondary schools as well as the management of local companies and mainly employees dealing with professional preparation, then the institutions participating in professional education and preparation as well as deputies of local governments, interbranch and professional organizations dealing with professional education.Within the project we prepared 5 types of intellectual outputs:O1 Qualification framework and competenciesThe output consists of characteristic of national qualification frameworks of partner countries and proposal of tools for evaluation the quality in professional education. It also includes profiles of chosen professions with the list of knowledge, skills and competencies.O2 Model of connection of professional education at school and in practiceThe output comprises the proposal of the model of the professional education and preparation centre, the proposals of professional skills competitions, the proposal of education of pedagogical staff while working for their employers and the model of compulsory practice of elementary school pupils for their employers.O3 the units of teaching ECVET with application on mobilityWe created the ECVET units and educational outputs for certain professions as well as the ECVET guide book with an evaluation system and documentation.O4 The reference book with excercises, tests and dictionaries of professional termsWe created the brochures with excercises, tasks and tests for certain professions, complemented by multilingual dictionary of professional terms.O5 The model of work with marginalised communitiesIt is a methodical material for employees working with marginalised communities and pupils/young people with special educational needs.The outputs of the project were formed by international work teams and were examined in participating schools.Through the realization of the project, the partners acquired essential conditions for modernization of education, especially by know how experience and outputs of the project. The outputs were provided for some other schools and organisations in local communities. Workshops and researches will be implemented and the schools will cooperate with local community in implementation of activities. The outputs and impact of the project on education, together with experience of teachers, can be an impulse for the development of similar activities also in other schools in a region as well as in Slovakia. Many partners continue in cooperation in the frame of further project.

The Project “Technical Innovation in theory and practice” prepared a partnership of 6 organizations from 4 European countries. The partnership is made up of secondary vocational schools, an organization in the field of lifelong learning and an employers' interest association, for which schools prepare future employees. It was created to link the public and private sector to support the development of the region. The aim of the project is to approximate the education to the concept of dual education, where pupils are prepared directly for employers. The aim of the project is to modernize vocational education in partner schools through the connection of education and practice and to create outputs in the form of educational outcomes and learning materials that can be subsequently used in mobility, innovations of the VET and lifelong learning. In the project, we plan to analyse the situation of employability in technical professions and find out which conditions affect young people in choosing and starting their first job. The project also aims to improve career guidance in secondary and primary schools.The target group of the project is the teaching staff and students of secondary vocational schools, the management of companies in the region and employees which are responsible for the vocational training, as well as representatives of regional self-government, trade and professional associations.The project focuses on the creation of five intellectual outputs:- O1 Survey of regional employers' needs- O2 Proposal of a common curriculum- O3 Preparation of teaching materials- O4 Career counselling and support for technical education at primary schoolsThe project outputs will be created by international work teams and will be validated during educational activities for pupils and staff.By implementing the project, the partners will acquire the necessary conditions for modernizing education, especially in the form of know-how, experience and project outputs. The outputs will also be available to other schools and organizations in the local community. Surveys, workshops will continue, schools will cooperate with the local community to carry out activities.The outcomes and impact of the project on the education and experience of teachers can be an incentive for the development of similar activities in other schools on a regional and national scale. A report on project outputs will be sent and presented to regional organizations that coordinate education at national level and can serve as a basis for evaluating VET aspects.