This project is an important contribution to the future of the EU integration because our students will be enabled to develop a EU awareness, create a sense of belonging to one united Europe and will arouse enthusiasm for Europe. One effect is that students will open up to the cultures of our project partners. Due to these intercultural experiences, students will gain self-experience and are motivated to apply on the EU job market. Furthermore, a sustainable investment in the EU job market is made because students are able to make first professional experiences within the EU.The idea for this project was developed by our students and it fits perfectly to the perceptions of the involved partners. As all schools are vocational schools, it is particularly important to promote workforce mobility within the European labour market. Especially with regards to the Polish and Spanish youth unemployment numbers higher workforce mobility has become a high priority. However, internationalization is crucial for German students as well. While comparing the regional characteristics, it has appeared that the students have only little experience with international contacts on the one hand and only a low level of transnational mobility on the other hand. Considering that these students will start a professional career (do an apprenticeship, subscribe to university) in the near future it is particularly important to inspire their activity/mobility within the European labour market. Hence personal contacts encourage young people to apply within the EU. This project promotes competences which are indispensable for the personal development and the future career of the students. These skills are adding value to the European labour market, social cohesion and active public spirit because they provide flexibility, adaptability, satisfaction and motivation. Due to the fact that each individual should acquire these skills, the planned project is a contribution to promote these key skills. All partners have committed to achieve these goals according to their guiding principles and their educational strategies.An important condition for this project is that the schools and vocational systems have numerous interfaces, nonetheless, they complement one another perfectly with regards to their educational focus and therefore, affect each other in an innovative way concerning training professions, didactics and methodology. All partners dispose over contacts to business subjects and are experienced in the field of international projects. This is why the initial circumstances for a trilateral cooperation are ideal. The cooperation with experienced partners offers security and personal contacts provide reliability and trust along the whole project.The internationalization of the vocational education is a requirement for all three schools involved. Hence a partnership and an ongoing school exchange with Goierri Eskola has been initiated three years ago. The partnership with the Polish partner is meant to be expanded and the LES will function as a mediator between all participants. Based on the experience of the last student exchange the number of participants taking part in the project will be reduced to 8 for each country. Thus a real camaraderie can develop and all organizational challenges are manageable. However, the number of students and teachers involved in the other project phases will be much higher. Their contribution will be the support of the participants by bringing in their skills in the different fields of business, technology and foreign languages. The mobility phases are accompanied by two teachers from each school. This will ensure a good personal support as well as an effective organization. However, the high number of teachers involved at each school will ensure the implementation of the project results in the curricula.The collaboration during the project and the planned mobility periods for learning reasons allow students to acquire new knowledge and intercultural skills, enhance their language skills, advance their personal development and increase their chances on the European labour market.In order to achieve the above mentioned aims we have planned the following activities:• application training (application documents including CV’s and cover letters; digital application videos)• international contacts with training companies (digital platform for internships and vacation jobs)• try-out-days in professional practice• accommodation with host families to establish sustainable private international contacts• cultural program (promotion of intercultural competences)A long-term benefit of the project can be seen in the above described points. International contacts make an important contribution to the international understanding, the reduction of prejudices and the appreciation of European diversity. Because of the exchange students, teachers a and partners involved develop a "living bridge" across Europe.
Context: The idea of the project was developed against the background of high youth unemployment in Spain and Poland. The main aim of the project was to inspire young people to move in the European labour market. The project also contributed to the sense of European community and the European labour market. All project participants have gained intercultural experience both in their private and professional lives and have enhanced their willingness to learn and to work. This motivates them to move in the European labour market. Aim: • All students have reduced their inhibitions to move in the European labour market through occupational insights during the mobility phases and have opened themselves up to future professional activities within the EU. • Prejudices were reduced on all sides and the intercultural competences were promoted. • Linguistic competences have been developed in different areas and among all participants. • In particular, intensive friendships have developed between the German and Polish participants beyond the two-year project duration, which will continue to be cultivated. • Through the industry internships in Salzgitter, the guests have realized that there are opportunities outside their national borders to develop professionally. • Personal contacts and the generated brochure support interested students in their decision to orient themselves professionally in other European countries. • All project participants have developed personally because of the project participation, for example in the area of conflict management. • Cultural-historical visits in each region have contributed to a better understanding of the partners' cultures. Participating institutions: As vocational schools the three participating institutions from Salzgitter, Rawa Mazowiecka and Ordizia have a lot of similarities (occupational fields, age of students, school size, internationalization strategies). This has been an important requirement for the successful course of the project. The schools complement each other in terms of their training priorities and have the necessary contacts to the economy. In the course of the project other institutions were involved in addition to the participating schools. • LES BBS Salzgitter: City administration of Salzgitter, local press (Braunschweiger Zeitung, Hallo Salzgitter), europe direct, a media center in Salzgitter, local companies (Volkswagen, MAN, Alstom, Salgitter AG, Stoll, Landessparkasse Nord LB), cooperating schools • Goierri eskola: • ZSHUIO ????: Main activities: • September 2016: transnational kick-off meeting for the detailed planning of the teachers' project in Ordizia, Spain • September - December 2016: Preparation and implementation of the first mobility phase in Salzgitter (output: application videos) • January - April 2017: Preparation and implementation of the second mobility phase in Ordizia (output: European application documents, job-interviews, simulated trial days) • May - September 2017: Preparation and implementation of the third mobility phase in Rawa Mazowiecka (output: promotional material for the project and Erasmus +, factory tours) • October 2017 - April 2018: Preparation and implementation of the fourth mobility phase in Salzgitter (output: trial days and final presentation, project brochure) Effect achieved: • industrial companies are willing to admit and train interns from other European countries • level of awareness of Erasmus + has increased in the respective regions • guest families have opened up for international contacts Results achieved: • increased students' motivation in foreign contacts with companies • international friendships • project brochure • application videos, application documents • improved language skills • extension of school partnerships and internationalization strategies • expansion of personal competences and growth of experience of all persons involved Long-term benefit: • new foreign contacts for schools, companies and students • international project experience (in the areas of planning, implementation and evaluation) of teachers • Europeanization of school life by e. g. the implementation of a Europe Day • improvement of contacts with stakeholders