This project is focussed on the area of vocational preparation. The economy often criticizes that schools and the education system overlook the main key skills for the working life and therefore education misses the target of a best possible preparation for vocational training and profession. Right here, this project starts with a truly future-oriented step-by-step plan of vocational preparation. It is essential to prepare a target oriented and effective career entry already in the lower grades . The key qualifications, skills, and competences should extend and complete the given curriculum in a clearly structured way. At the end of school, students should not only possess a high level of linguistic skills, have a broad general knowledge and specific skills, but be ideally prepared especially for professional life. The skills acquired in school should be seamlessly expanded and deepened in vocational training and profession. For our participating schools it is especially significant how we will be able to accommodate the high number of children who seek refuge in our countries from war and displacement. Above all this integration is a challenge in the upcoming years. Only if the integration of this population into school and professional life succeeds, a two-class society can be avoided. For the third time, Herzogenaurach has transition classes, in which students from different countries with different prerequisites have the first contact with the German language and the European culture.
The project "education @ economy @ handinhand" focused on vocational preparation. The vocational preparation of the individual partner institutions was evaluated, taking into account the respective school systems of the individual countries. Best practice examples of the individual countries were presented and partly tested in practice with the students. Since successful vocational preparation also includes networking with external partners, such as professionals, career counsellors or other regional partners, the presentation and involvement of these partners was another focus. Especially this networking with partners from the economy, which are included in the career preparation timetable, as well as appropriate teaching modules, ensure an ideal preparation of our students for professional life and facilitate the transition from school to work for all parties. Again and again children with a migration background were brought into the discussion focus. Especially as the participating Austrian and German teachers work in German language classes or as integration teachers. In the individual phases of the project, the various school systems were presented and discussed, students and companies interviewed for vocational preparation, meetings with company representatives, representatives of the job centre and other regional partners, such as the HerzoCoaches carried out, so that at the end of the project each country its career orientation has again become more in the focus and evaluated. Best-practice examples such as digital storytelling, school experiential education to promote social skills or alternative forms of internship presentation were evaluated and presented in brief reed events to colleagues at the schools. The project shows its strength above all in its long-term impact. The new, stronger networking between schools and industry is introducing new ideas and changes, which also affect other levels of school life.