European Car painting – Education and motivation Vocational education faces many of the same challenges all over Europe. Companies need highly skilled workers and innovative techniques to compete on the global market and at the same time many young people has difficulties finding a job, even with a vocational degree. Vocational schools faces challenges with motivating students for vocational education, often seen as low-status compared to other forms of education. Schools try to prevent and fight the high rate of early-school-leaving and drop-outs, and motivate students in vocational trades. Students come from various social backgrounds and some with poor social and intellectual skills. Vocational education educates young people for jobs in industry, and it is important that schools and educational organizations work closely together with private companies to ensure that graduates has the right competencies. This project addresses educational issues in the car painting industry. Car painting is a small trade in the industry and the organizations are depended on international relations for cooperation. The goal is to create a close European network for exchanging ideas and experiences between all partners involved in educating car painters. The participants represents small and large vocational schools, educational organizations, unions and trade organizations and private companies. The network will compare and discuss needs and expectations to students and trained car painters and exchange ideas and best-practice. The project will address these themes related to educating car painters: The transition from primary school to vocational education. Student guidance counseling. How to match expectations from students and vocational schools. How to improve the image of vocational education (car painting). How to attract motivated students and students with higher qualifications. Motivation. How to prevent the high number of drop-outs in the first year of vocational education. How to motivate students and help them complete the basic training. How is the education of car painters organized and structured in the participating European countries and how is the challenges with early-school-leaving and motivation of students met? How can we promote and benefit from international mobility of students and teachers? What are the needs in the companies and organization for practical skills and general competences to create and secure job opportunities for car painters?
This project addressed some of the educational issues in the car painting industry. In some European countries it is a problem to get qualified and skilled workers and in other countries it is difficult for students in car painting and other vocational education to find an apprenticeship in a company. It is necessary to recruit more skilled students to the industri and to motivate them to complete the education. Car painting is a small trade in the industry and the organizations are depended on international relations for cooperation. The participants in the project came from six European countries and represented small and large vocational schools, educational organizations, unions and trade organisations and private companies. The purpose was to create a close international network of education- and trade experts to exchange experiences and good ideas and test if other methods and experiences can change anything in the partner organisations and -countries. During the project there has been transnational meetings in each partner country. In each meeting the network has been presented to the education system of the host country and specifically the education of car painters. There is a great variety in how the vocational education and training of car painters are structured and managed, but there are also similarities that can be used to create change and cooperation. In each meeting the participants have visited and meet with education managers, teachers and guidance counselor from vocational schools, managers and trainers from small to large companies and students in carpainting. Between meetings the participant made inquiries, gathered information and tested ideas in there own organisations and countries. The first theme of the project was recruitment and how to attract more motivated students to the trade. The participants examined a number of factors that might influence the students choices of education. Examples might be: - Marketing and guidance in primary schools - General knowledge of the trade of car painting - After market training and career options - The image of car painting The second theme of the project was motivation during education. Car painting education in Europe faces, as many other vocational educations, problems with early school leaving and drop-outs, especially during the first year of vocational education. In every partner countries there have for a number of years been inquiries and projects concerning how to prevent early school leaving and keep the students motivated in their choice of education. The purpose of this project was to exchange experiences, to learn from and test methods and ideas that work. Some of the ideas and methods that were discussed and tested in the project were: - A paint simulator as a teaching tool - Cooperation between vocational schools and private companies - Focus on the students technical, general and social competences - Career options and further education In this project the partners have achieved to create a close network between the participants and including other contributors in the education and car painting trade. There is exchange of experiences across the network and more projects and cooperation on the way. The participants have during the project expanded the network to include organisations and experts from their own local, national and international network. By including a wide selection of participants in the project, the network is shown to be sustainable in the future.