Context/background: The motivation for our work based learning project stemmed from an exchange of experience at a conference in Bari, Italy, where - among other topics - the organisation of in-company training in Italy and Germany was discussed. Germany has a long tradition of dual education in VET, and, since the Italian education reform (La buona scuola, 2015), in-company training in Italy has also been largely promoted at various levels. During the discussion it became obvious that internships could vary to a great extent as to their quality, their matching for students and companies, their learning outcomes and the like. So, the idea grew to develop something very handy for companies and interns to check these very crucial aspects before, during and after the internship. Objectives of our project: Our main aim is to develop, revise and evaluate a mentoring concept in the form of a compendium (key questions that focus on essential aspects of carrying out a successful internship) that could be used by students, in-company trainers and teachers likewise thus ensuring a good working practice. We strive to develop a manual that, at best, can be used throughout Europe as a tool to facilitate, promote and ensure work based learning. Number and profile of participants: There will be three VET schools in Germany, Italy and Spain involved. The Joseph-DuMont-Berufskolleg (JDBK) in Cologne will be the lead partner. The school is a college for business and administration with a focus on the sectors wholesale trade, media, law and event management. From two previous European projects that were concerned with learning outcomes in internships (TRIFT, THEME), the JDBK has developed some expertise in this topic.The key persons involved are the two long-term coordinators at the JDBK for all student activities abroad (which involves organising the mandatory 4-week internships for the full-time students as well as promoting short-term internships abroad for students in dual education, regularly organising expert workshops on work placements abroad, taking part in information events organised by the European Agency of Cologne, EUGES,Cologne Government Regional Office ). Description of activities: The framework of the compendium will be created by the three project partners at the first project meeting and then discussed with the experts from different companies interested in work-based training. This concept will then be tested by students, teachers and in-company trainers of the three schools, for which reason we plan to organise mutual student exchanges (mobilities) that should each last about three weeks. A questionnaire will be provided as to the improvement of the manual. During two further meetings of the main project partners, the manual will be revised and again tested in practice during exchange visits (by teachers and in-company trainers) and student mobilities. A final evaluation and resivion of the manual will take place at the last meeting of the project partners, where also a short flyer will be outlined. Methodology to be used in carrying out the project: We will stick to project management tools in organising the project and we will get support by the EUGES. We will use e-mail, a cloud storage provider and video conferences during the project for a permanent exchange and update of results, and in case of questions, the need for trouble-shooting, revision of agenda etc. We will have four major meetings of all partners as well as exchange visits (of teachers and in-company trainers) and student mobilities. We will develop a manual that ideally can be used for organising well-defined internships. We will publish our results on various platforms at a local, regional, national and European level. Description of the results and impact envisaged: For all stakeholders, we expect to raise awareness of the benefit of a good guided practical training. A mentoring concept helps companies, students and teachers to match their needs, expectations, prerequisites and requirements in a better way. Moreover, international exchanges provide new contacts and ideas for companies, schools and students. The European level of the project broadens each countries' experiences and promotes work based learning in general as well as work based learning in a country abroad. Potential longer term benefits: The mentoring concept as envisaged is a recognised tool that standardizes, facilitates and promotes good practice of work based learning in Europe. It is published and accessible on websites of the partners involved as well as on websites of the national agencies and on European databases Erasmus+ project results platform, E-twinning).
The project context: This project was designed at a time when VET systems in Italy and Spain were being adapted to include more elements of "work based learning". Until now, VET learning in these countries meant more or less full-time school education with few internships in companies. In Germany, on the other hand, the Dual Education System with a systematic and nationwide cooperation between vocational schools and companies has a long tradition. In the southern European partner countries as well as in Germany, however, it has so far been an exception to do internships abroad during vocational training and the Erasmus + program is as yet not so well known in the field of vocational training. This was the starting point for three schools and a business partner in Italy, Spain and Germany to share their experiences, learn from each other and find ways to improve and facilitate the supervision of European internships in VET, so that more learners would benefit . The goals: Our main goal was to develop a mentoring concept in the form of a compendium (with manageable documents and key questions that focus on essential aspects of a successful internship) that could at the same time be used by students, in-house trainers and teachers across Europe to facilitate, promote and ensure work-based learning. At the same time, long-term school partnerships were to be established through the cooperation of the schools during the project meetings. At the moment, a KA1 project between Germany and Bari / Italy is currently being considered, since here the students have the greatest agreement with regard to learning requirements and professional goals. The number and profiles of the participants: The Joseph DuMont Vocational College (JDBK) in Cologne as the Lead Partner is a vocational college for business and administration with a focus on wholesale, media, law and event management. The JDBK has developed expertise on this subject from two previous European projects dealing with learning outcomes in WBL internships (TRIFT, THEME). The I.I.S.S. Marco Polo in Bari, Italy is a large vocational school with a focus on business, IT and languages with good contacts to the Goethe-Institut Bari as well as good experience in EU projects. The I.I.S.S. Basile Caramia - f. Gigante in Locorotondo / Alberobello (Italy) is one of the largest and most important schools for the training of cooks and oenologists in the Puglia region. The partner school in Spain, IES Julian Zarco, is a combination of a high school and a vocational school and is the only school of this kind in the city of Mota del Cuervo (La Mancha region, Spain), with a lot of experience in European projects. The company partner "Distretto Produttivo" is a non-profit association of companies in the field of mechanics in thePuglia region and has given important input from a company in the project. Description of the activities carried out: The framework of the compendium was created by the project partners at the first project meeting and then discussed with experts from various companies. In Cologne these were the larger training companies with which the JDBK cooperates. The concept and in particular the documents to be used were developed by the partners before the second meeting, in order to then be tested and evaluated by the trainees, teachers and in-house trainers in the mobilities planned for the project. The manual was revised at the two other meetings and tested again in practice during exchange visits (by teachers and in-house trainers) and during mobility. The manual was finalized at the last meeting of the project partners, where a leaflet and a website was also created. Results achieved: We have developed a mentoring concept that is intended to help companies, students and teachers organize internships abroad and to overcome inhibitions especially with inexperienced partners. In particular, we dealt with the needs, expectations and requirements of all stakeholders involved in order to achieve better matching, particularly between interns and companies. We are certain that the documents we have developed are very easy to use and self-explanatory and our guidelines make an important contribution to a better and more successful internship abroad. We have already published the handbook regionally at a dissemination conference in Bari, which we will also do at regional conferences in Spain and Germany, as well as at national meetings and at international forums (eTwinning).