Even in apprenticeship, skilled apprentices and SMEs face skills mismatches. One of the reasons is that the classic model “one apprentice-one company” does not always allow to cover all the activities of an occupation/training profile. In the dual system of the models countries, like Germany and Austria, training centers have developed collaborative networks. Collaborative training means that a company provides vocational training together with one or more other firm(s). Based on an action-research, CoTraiN is aiming at creating a transferable methodology on how to implement collaborative training networks (CTN). The methodology will be available on e-format as a Guide and a Video. German and Austrian partners will train Belgian, Greek and Italian partners, to implement CTN-pilots and make them sustainable. Around 45 apprentices will be trained in the 4 pilots targeted, in around 95 SMEs or micro SMEs. Different stakeholders will participate to define tools requested for the methodology, such as intermediate bodies in the VET and economy fields. Partners will maintain and develop the pilots. CoTraiN put around the table training centers close to SMEs and close to Unions, as the latter can also mobilize their network to go forward in apprenticeships. A webpage will be dedicated to the project and short Video capsules will present it, one from apprentices point of view and the other from SMEs point of view.
The COTRAIN project aimed at implementing a new model of collaboration in the dual training field, a model in which two companies at least (or several) target to teach all the occupation profile activities. It tis called a collaborative training. This kind of collaboration exists in Germany (inab) and in Austria (oïbf), with a potential of development. Thanks to an action-research coordinated by a Belgian partner (Cepag), Italian (Centoform) and Belgian VET centres (CEFA CST and IFAPME) developed such collaborative trainings, leading to the elaboration of a methodology. The 51 collaborative trainings (EQF 3 and 4) developed in Italy and in Belgium by 3 VET centers open up a field of new possibilities. The specific and concrete approach partners choose allowed to overcome differences and sometimes barriers between training center based system and company based system. The pilots have been implemented in several sectors, in accordance with each institutional context. The action-research shows that a collaborative training: * increases the training quality by **enlarging and diversifying the professional experiences of the apprentices, with an impact on technical and soft skills; **better covering the vocational skills; * increases the expertize for very specialized companies; * better adapts the training to the main labor market changes and trends; * enlarges the number and kind of companies wishing to get involved in dual training; * encourages emulation and networking between companies themselves and between companies and VET centres; * increases the awareness of youngsters on how demanding the labour market is, * helps youngsters to confirm their vocational choice, * decreases risks of dropouts, * supports self-confidence and is seen as a double vocational asset on CV… Built as a transferable methodology, a “COTRAIN” guide aims to reflect the partnership experimentation and its learnings: why and how to build collaborative training networks. A didactic video complements the Guide. The findings go beyond the initial expectations: not only more pilots were implemented and in different sectors, but also sectoral rationales show a high potential of transferability. And this particularly for SMEs and single entrepreneurs, but also for firms of bigger size that could build usefull and efficient training collaborations with smaller firms. Last but not least, creating collaborative trainings requires no high investment, just a new way of training collaboration and networking.