CERASMUS+ project intends to promote and develop vocational training in ceramic craft industry enhancing work based learning models and realising specific actions for networking, innovation and valorization of heritage. Many European countries have long traditions and culture of crafts. The crafts sector contributes to the countries' uniqueness and appeal to visitors. In addition, it boosts the regional economy as a source of local employment, social and economic stability. In Europe crafts sector boasts of 25.3 million non-primary private enterprises, out of which 99.8% are craft and small and medium-sized enterprises, employing more than 66% of Europe's workforce i.e. around 98 million people. The turnover of craft industry ranges from 25% to 55%. So, in Europe, small enterprises and craft businesses are a prominent source of jobs and a breeding ground for business ideas. Ceramics is one of the most ancient man-made forms of art and handicraft and, over the centuries, the evolution of artistic and handicraft skills has always had a great visibility. Nowadays the ceramic technical knowledge has gradually spread worldwide, maintaining its high artistic and handcraft characteristics of knowledge, with many cultural and craft operators working in a professional, usual, continuous way, but even with many enthusiasts and hobbyists operating for fun and passion. Despite of this strenghts, today the crafts sector, included ceramics one, faces several issues such as the fierce global competition of cheaper products, loss of skills and traditions, difficulties of getting into the market, losing customer appeal of traditional crafts' products, lack of financial resources and economic capacity, as the sector is mostly dominated by micro-enterprises, self-employed or hobby-based establishments. It is therefore necessary to face new challenges for ceramics craft sector, which need updated competences and skills based on the actual needs of productive environment. According to European perspective, WBL can meet the twin goals of improving individuals' employability and increasing economic competitiveness in the ceramics craft sector: Member States and social partners already committed themselves in the Bruges Communiqué, the European agenda for cooperation in vocational education and training (VET), to the objective of including work-based learning in all initial VET courses. Given this context, it is really important on one hand, to protect the EU traditional heritage, on the other hand to strengthen and modernize the ceramic sector value through the introduction of new work-based learning models, of production techniques which keep together tradition and innovation, of methodologies for enhance networking between VET and ceramic craft industry. Three main activities will be realized in order to achieve the project objectives: ASSESSMENT OF CERAMICS SECTOR NEEDS FOR COMPETENCES Preliminary field analysis to let ceramics key actors and stakeholders explore their needs for competences for assuring sector development through networking, protection of immaterial heritage, innovation. The field analysis will be carried out by realizing focus groups with ceramics key actors and stakeholders. CERASMUS+ NETWORKING PLATFORM Design and implementation of on-line virtual environment addressed to ceramics key actors and stakeholders which allow them to discuss the main issue merged form the assessment stage and to open a permanent forum for assuring closer cooperation and links among VET providers, craft businesses, public authorities, cultural institutions, research centres. CERASMUS+ EDUCATION MODEL Participatory planning and testing of specific curricula for initial and continuous VET aimed at letting ceramics professionals gain transversal and professional competences for the improvement of sector “value chain”, of models and means for valorization of urban environment, and for supporting business start-up. To address this specific challenge and allow an effective systematization of results, the proposal will have a wide geographical coverage, including institutions and organizations working in VET, ceramics craft sector and networking from 6 different Member States. The project action will be carried out at European level, in different national contexts characterised by different policies and needs related both to VET and to development of ceramics craft sector, so to design a systemic model jointly based on WBL, heritage, innovation and networking, that could be transferable among Member States and sustainable even after the end of the project. This purposes require to be developed in a European framework and provide a more systematic cooperation across a range of actors and policies at EU and Member State level.
CONTEXT CERASMUS is placed in the context of VET education and training efforts for the European ceramic industry sector, characterised by micro-enterprises and self-employed artisans. The project aimed to support upskilling and reskilling, experimenting work-based learning approach and technological innovation. OBJECTIVES The main objectives of the project have been : a) creating a European networking of ceramics stakeholders, starting from the Partner Countries; b) combining ceramics tradition with innovative design and production techniques, experimenting also additive manufacturing; c) revising and innovating vocational education in the ceramics sector through work based learning and systematising the results in set of curricula. PARTICIPANTS The project has involved 8 Partners from 6 EU Countries. TUCEP, The Coordinator (IT), AEuCC Agrupación Europea de Cooperación Territorial Ciudades de la Cerámica (Es), International Ceramics Studio – ICS (HU), V. Calò High School Institute (IT), Forssa Vocational Institute (FI), Masarykova Strední Skola Letovice (CZ), Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących i Zawodowych (ZSOIZ, Poland) and The Ceramics School Of Manises (ES) Target groups have included: - I-VET students; - Ceramics professionals and craft businesses; - VET trainers; - VET providers willing to improve the quality of their educational offer; e) organizations in the field of culture, art and ceramics heritage; - other parties interested in protect and develop the ceramic craft. ACTIVITIES The project has been articulated in different activities that can be collected in three main phases. As first step Partners have carried out at national level an on-field analysis to explore in a direct and updated approach the needs for competences and outlining the sector development also through networking, protection of immaterial heritage and innovation. The second step has been the design and development of a virtual environment addressing the ceramics key actors and stakeholders. The area has been (and will be) useful to discuss the main issues emerged from the assessment stage and to open a permanent forum and assuring closer cooperation. Finally, Partners have tested, through pilot courses delivered at national level, specific curricula for initial and continuous vocational training, focused on work-based learning approach and aimed at gaining transversal and professional competences for the improvement of the ceramic sector “value chain”. The Cerasmus+ project has developed six specific curricula. For both I-VET and C-VET, the curricula have focused on the areas of innovation, urban environment and start-ups. In total 22 teaching units have been drafted, and for each of these three areas there are study plan explaining which units relate to I-VET learners and which relate to C-VET learners. The Partners have delivered the pilot courses from summer and autumn of 2019, in which all three topic areas were tested, both for I-VET learners and for C_VET learners. The six training curricula have been divided up amongst the Partners and the testing phase has been implemented as follows: - Escuela de Arte y Superior de Cerámica de Manises (EASCM, Spain): Urban environment for C-VET. - Istituto Superiore Secondario (V Calo, Italy): Tradition and Innovation for I-VET. - Forssan ammatti-instituutti (FAI, Finland): Urban environment for I-VET. - MSSL Masarykova střední škola Letovice, příspěvková organizac (Czech Republic): Tradition and Innovation for C-VET. - ZSOIZ (Poland): Business start-up for I-VET. - ICS (Hungary): Tradition and Innovation for C-VET. - TUCEP – involving Liceo Artistico "Magnini " Deruta I - VET RESULTS AND IMPACT The main outputs of the project are: a) an Assessment of training needs in ceramic sector; b) a Training Curricula set for Initial and Continuing VET; c) Guidelines for the ceramic sector development. These products are at disposal to everyone interested in education and training in ceramic industry and are the basis for further initiatives and projects. Moreover, the project has led to: a) the consolidation of a transnational Partnership for VET improvement in the ceramics sector; b) the experimenting of online activities and additive manufacturing approaches in ceramics education and training; c) raising awareness among young workers and students about new opportunities in the ceramic industry. LONGER-TERM BENEFIT It is expected improved opportunities of employment and occupation in the ceramic sector, in the project Partner Countries, in particular for the participants in the pilot training activities. The project will contribute to the education and professional mobility with a wider positive impact in the professional area at European level and with a diffusion of the work-based learning experiences.