The project aims to enhance SMEs’ competitiveness and innovation processes management and to improve the regional innovation environment, increasing the efficiency and the effectiveness of investments in research, development and innovation. The project partners will operate in the regions under the EEN BRIDGeconomies consortium: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia and Sicilia. The overall objective of the project is helping SMEs to adopt, implement and deploy an innovation management system. The project has two main specific objectives, structured in 2 Work Packages: WP1) to support innovation management capacities of SMEs beneficiaries from H2020 SME Instrument; WP2) to enhance SMEs, with significant innovation activities and high potential for internationalisation, who lack knowledge, skills and abilities to manage innovation activities and helping them to unlock their potential by better managing the innovation processes. To reach such specific objectives, during the period covered by the action, the project partnership intends to deliver seven days service packages to a number of 94 SMEs, benefiting from SME Instrument grants and services for enhancing their innovation management capacities. Project partners intend to implement these actions since SMEs play a crucial role in reaching the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy and notably the Innovation Union. SMEs are key drivers of innovation serving as an important conduit for knowledge spill-overs. Tapping the full innovation potential of SMEs requires efficient support mechanisms. The focus needs to be oriented to impact on SMEs, looking at their internationalisation, their knowledge and R&D capabilities, competitiveness and growth.

"CONTEXT BACKGROUND: STEPS (Smooth Transition to Professional Skills and Employability from School & VET project emerges from the confluence of the need to promote employability and professional skills of young people, a fact that both the European figures prove it, but also the daily work of COCIN in this area, and on the other, needs identified by San Juan Bautista school and VET teachers and students regarding Employability Guidance from School and VET.A Networking event organised by COCIN on February 25, 2014 within WELCOME & CO transfer of innovation project (2OI2-L-ES1-LEO05-49461), where educational institutions were main target group/attendees allowed first contact with that shown needs. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP was formed by Cámara de Comercio, Industria y Navegación de Cantabria (ES), project coordinator. Unione Regionale delle Camere di Commercio,I.A.A. Veneto (IT). We already work together in the European Program EYE (www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu) as well as in WELCOME & CO. Cornwall College (UK) and BERLINK (DE), also partners in WELCOME&CO contribute with the educational and business approach respectively. As new partners: Colegio San Juan Baustista (ES) and ZIB–Zentrum für Integration und Bildung GmbH (DE) as educational institutions and BEN EUROPE-Institute Qualification & Project Management UG brings its business approach.Consejería de Educación de Cantabria will be a ""silent partner"" that will provide its local VET support.STEPS' MAIN GOAL: To promote a European vision of business and career and employability information and guidance in order to prepare students from school and VET for a smooth transition into the labour market. SPECIFIC AIMS: To find out main challenges faced by teachers, students and businesses for a smooth transition into work in a European context; To promote a better understanding of the labour market in the European Union, by making teachers and students actively participate in the project in the partners’ regions; To inform teachers and students about career guidance resources and tools already available in the European context; To make students and teachers aware of the importance of ITC and linguistic skills, specially English.ACTIVITIES & INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS: Apart from the preparation and managerial activities, to achieve these objectives, the project transferred IT tools, methodology, managerial know-how and materials developed to reach the following INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS:O1: Database system design: VET learners, teachers and companies in each partner region; O2: Online Platform for Training & Employment Information & Guidance in School & VET; O3: Info Point Set-up & Implementation: Information and Guidance on Employment and Training resources in Europe in School & VET; O4: Compilation of good practices in Career and Employment guidance in School & VET; O5: Training material: Career and Employability Information and Guidance materials to become part of the career guidance subject (FOL)O6: Competition of Proposals made by students, coordinated by teachers:'My career pathway: Young people in the European labour market'O7: Compilation of Entrepreneurship tools and resources from School & VET in each partner's region; O8: Pilot action 'The makings for entrepreneurship'; Beside, other activities have been carried out: Blended mobilities, External evaluation (interim & final ones), blog made for students, coordinated by teachers, business talks, etc.METHOGOLOGY used to reach activities and results is divided into three different phases: Preparation/planning; Implementation and follow-up of activities; Closure & sustainability. The cooperative methodology shared by the strategic partnership is one of the contributions of the project.IMPACT: It provides a more complete picture of the needs in School and VET Employability Information & Guidance in European regions. It contributes to the creation of a joint action including the most interesting strengths and resources of each region for helping students to their smooth transition into work, by making them aware of the opportunities that Europe can offer them and contributing to their linguistic and ICT skills improvement. It contributes to cooperation and network between educational institutions by promoting the impact on beneficiaries with different legislative, educational environments and socio- economic backgrounds.LONG TERM BENEFITS: Future cooperation between the participating partners and related school and VET providers/ stakeholders in their countries at local, regional and/or national level brings STEPS project a great European added value, as well as the tranfer of specific results of the project to other contexts and target groups."