Background The EQAMOB project addresses the crucial issue of strengthening the quality of in-company learning mobility, notably for apprentices. Building on their experience in learning mobility and on the results of the EuroApprenticeship network, EQAMOB project identified two main issues to support the integration of "in company" leaning mobility in the regular training curricula: first, improve quality assurance of learning mobility, second encouraging companies to participate to high quality learning mobility schemes. Companies are to be considered as full VET providers and they need to be recognised and supported as such. Objectives The EQAMOB aims at designing, implementing and disseminating a quality assurance framework for learning mobility of apprentices, including a label to assess and give visibility to the involvement of companies in learning mobility (incl. a marketing strategy). Target groups are: • organisations involved in apprenticeships and work-based learning schemes, at all levels, in the six European partner countries; • members of EuroApprenticeship and other networks • national or regional authorities responsible for the implementation of apprenticeship and WBL in IVET; • representatives of companies and social partners ; • intermediate organisation as economic chambers and non-profit organisations involved in the management of in-company learning mobility; • VET providers. They will benefit from the clear and transparent description of quality assurance guidelines, including the labeling approach, which they can use to improve their own offers. Apprentices and other IVET students will benefit from the improvements which should take place (quality assured mobility pathways, increased attractiveness, recognition of learning mobility outcomes). Hosting and sending companies will benefit from the label that will allow them to be acknowledging as full part of quality “European apprenticeship”. Outcomes Cluster 1: Quality assurance in learning mobility for apprentices – Leader: IDAN, IFA • IO1 - Concept paper “Quality assurance framework for learning mobility in apprenticeships” • IO2 - Guidelines and tools for introducing and implementing quality assurance Cluster 2: Marketing and communication towards companies – Leaders: VOKA, Compagnons du Devoir • IO3 – Marketing strategy & guidelines Cluster3: Label designing and implementation of EAS label – UNISER • IO4 – Label toolbox (Compendium about labelling processes and label items) Regional Council Auvergne and GENCAT will produce IO5 Videos (testimonies about labelling process) IO5. Implementation The project undergoes 4 different phases (PREPARATION, IMPLEMENTATION (production), DIFFUSION (test) and FOLLOW-UP (sustainability) during 36 month. The project will be organised around three content-oriented clusters referring to small working groups with one or two leading partners who will be responsible for the management, the coordination and the production of related intellectual outputs. APCMA will be in charge of the project monitoring & evaluation and two transversal clusters: Dissemination and sustainability. APCMA will ensure the implementation of the label toolbox on the EuroApprenticeship platform and work on a business plan for sustainable further use of the label items by the EuroApprenticeship members. At least 4 Partner meetings (in M1-FR, M2-AT, M3-IT, M4-S) will validate outcomes and prepare the steps of the project. Dissemination National and one European Multiplier Events (E1-7) will take place mostly for consultation / testing/ dissemination purpose and one final event (E8) for valorising the accredited organisations. Regional Council Auvergne and Regional government of Catalonia will produce specific IO5 (videos) dedicated to dissemination. Impact • Improvement of quality of in-company learning mobility pathways; • Quantitative development of learning mobility as a part of IVET curricula and of the number of quality assured mobility pathways; • Sustainability of European partnerships and consortia, whose members will be able to refer to a clear concept of “in-company learning mobility” as well as to a shared quality assurance framework; • Better acknowledgement of the involvement of companies in work based learning and mobility schemes ; • Larger dissemination of European tools, as EQARF and ECVET, and use at “ground” level ; • Increase of the involvement of companies in the designing, implementation and evaluation of learning mobility. Sustainability The EQAMOB community of practice integrated in the EuroApprenticeship network will play a major role to maintain the results of the project. All partners will support the continuation of activities in the EuroApprenticeship network. Moreover, the partners will determine a business model to ensure the resources which could allow the sustainability of the quality assurance framework and the sustainability of the label.
Background / objectives The EQAMOB project aimed at designing, implementing and disseminating a coherent quality assurance framework and related tools for” in-company learning mobility “of apprentices. Building on their experience in learning mobility and on the results of the existing EuroApprenticeship “label”, EQAMOB project partners identified two main issues to support and facilitate the development of "in company leaning mobility”: first, analyse the possibility and propose a common quality assurance process, second facilitate and encouraging companies to participate to high quality learning mobility schemes. Target groups: • Organisations involved in apprenticeships and work-based learning schemes, at all levels, in the six European partner countries; • Members of EuroApprenticeship and other networks Outcomes Members of the Euro Apprenticeship network benefit from quality assurance guidelines and tools, which they can use to improve the quality of their mobility projects. Entering into the “awarding process” as “awarding bodies” will give them access to an awarding toolbox and to communication and marketing tools. These tools facilitate the cooperation with companies, help them to mobilise and motivate companies to take an active part in the mobility organisation and quality assurance. Hosting and sending companies benefit from the label and communication tools directly addressed to them: they are acknowledged as providers of high quality “European apprenticeship”. Apprentices and other IVET trainees will indirectly benefit from the improvements in quality of the mobility pathways, increased attractiveness, and better recognition of learning mobility outcomes. Organisation of the project The project was organised around three content-oriented clusters: Cluster 1: Quality assurance in learning mobility for apprentices Leaders: IDAN, IFA • IO1 - Concept paper “Quality assurance framework for learning mobility in apprenticeships” • IO2 - Guidelines and tools for introducing and implementing quality assurance Cluster 2: Marketing and communication towards companies Leaders: VOKA, AOCDTF • IO3 – Marketing strategy & tools & communication tools Cluster3: Awarding system & label Leader: UNISER • IO4 – Awarding toolkit (Compendium about labelling processes and label items) Regional Council Auvergne and GENCAT were in charge of the logo development and produced tutorial videos IO5. The project did undergo for all clusters 4 different phases (PREPARATION, IMPLEMENTATION (production), DIFFUSION (test) and FOLLOW-UP (sustainability) during 36 month. APCMA was in charge of the project and budget monitoring & evaluation and the coordination of two transversal clusters: Dissemination and sustainability. APCMA published all the outcomes of the project on the Euro Apprenticeship website and coordinate the label process after the end of the project. Dissemination & test Eight national and one European multiplier event were organised. Multiplier events served for dissemination but also for collecting feedback about the tools from potential users. In addition test awards were organised with companies. All partners also communicated about the project at various occasions during the project life time and afterwards. Impact & Sustainability The main impact was the beginning of the creation of a community of practice about quality assurance within the Euro Apprenticeship network and the extended certification of companies: the EAS label were delivered to more companies with a better local, regional or national visibility. As an indirect impact, measurable only in the future, we are confident that the awareness of mobility organisers and companies about the quality assurance will also lead to improvements of the “in-company learning mobility” pathways. This will lead to a better involvement of companies in the designing, implementation and evaluation of learning mobility, which should lead to a better matching process and foster competence development. Members of Euro Apprenticeship will be able to refer to a clear concept of “in-company learning mobility” as well as to a shared quality assurance framework and integrate the label into national quality and awarding processes: the best training companies are awarded, integrate the label into existing label processes used by companies, integrate in future ERASMUS + projects).