There is strong evidence that work-based learning helps to equip young people with the skills that can improve their employability and ease the transition from school to work. The European Commission has called upon governments, social partners and education and training providers to promote apprenticeships and other forms of work-based learning (High-performance apprenticeships & WBL, EC). There is an increasing and urgent need in Europe to boost and support the participation of SMEs in apprenticeship. Nevertheless, many companies, particularly SMEs, do not see a net benefit in introducing apprenticeships due to associated direct and indirect costs. Although apprenticeships can be a burden to employers, there are also benefits, of which the employers are often unaware. Training young people through WBL represents an important tool to react in a flexible, efficient and concrete way to the needs of the company. In-company trainers responsible for training/mentoring learners benefit by developing their skills and competences as trainers but also by developing new knowledge, since learners bring new perspectives and challenges as they learn. Compared to large companies, many SMEs have a less advanced training culture and limited training budgets. Very frequently, in-company trainers have not been properly trained, not on specific teaching techniques for WBL, not on how to prepare, organize and manage the participation of the company in an apprenticeship programme, creating some times stress, insecurity and a feeling of burden in the SME´s staff. It is also important to train in-company trainers on how to strike the right balance between the company-specific skill needs of the employer and the general employability of the apprentice. There are many possibilities to alleviate such problems either by training alliances or by external training centres. VET schools, training providers and intermediary bodies may play a key role in helping SMEs, and experience shows a proactive training provider is a key to success. The aim of APP & TEACH project is to facilitate the participation of SMEs in apprenticeship by equipping in-company VET trainers with the necessary skills and innovative ICT-based tools to support both the management and the training activities involved in apprenticeship programs. To do so, an alliance of VET experts and providers, companies and intermediary bodies from 8 countries (8 countries (Austria, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain and United Kingdom) will work together to lead the project and co-create and test the following innovative methods and freely accessible OER: - A European ECVET Curriculum (IO1) and a set of Training Modules (IO2) on Management of Apprenticeships for SMEs. - An innovative Mobile Instructional Learning APPs (IO3) designed to train teachers and educators from VET schools, training providers and intermediary bodies to use and design multi-level Mobile Learning APPs. - A Multilingual e-learning platform (IO4), with innovative e-Learning courses and OER on Management of Apprenticeships for SMEs. - A Guide for validation, certification & accreditation (IO5) of Management of Apprenticeships for SMEs in Europe. Teachers and educators from VET schools, training providers and intermediary bodies and in-company trainers are the main target users of the project products and in-company trainers are also the final beneficiaries. During the life time of APP & TEACH project, the partnership will directly involve 110 teachers, trainers, and educators from VET schools, training providers and intermediary bodies (32 partners staff / 48 experts involved / 30 target users in pilots), 150 in-company trainers (in pilots) and 550 stakeholders. A wider audience, of a minimum of 1000 recipients, will be reached at local, regional, national and European level through the planned dissemination activities. The project will apply European frameworks and instruments, like EQF, ECVET, EQAVET, Europass and EPALE, to promote and boost transparency and recognition of competences and qualifications, transnational mobility and the transferability of the project outputs to other VET experts and providers, companies and intermediary bodies at local, regional, national and European level, with the active support and cooperation of a network of key associated partners and relevant stakeholders involved in the project. APP & TEACH will have a direct impact on in-company trainers facilitating the participation of SMEs in apprenticeship and on the ICT-based teaching skills of teachers and educators from VET schools, training providers and intermediary bodies and also of in-company trainers. The long term impact envisaged is a strengthening of the VET system and the apprenticeship programmes in Europe
As identified in the initial project proposal, the App and Teach Project sought to facilitate the participation of SMEs in apprenticeship by equipping in-company VET trainers with the necessary skills and innovative ICT-based tools to support both the management and the training activities involved in apprenticeship programs. The project achieved this primary goal by providing cutting-edge digital resources and training for the promotion of digital skills and innovative ICT-based tools that support a variety of learning approaches which can be offered to apprentices during progression through the different levels of apprenticeship programs and work-based VET. The developed project outputs have been subject to testing, feedback & re-development a number of times over the course of the project to align them as closely as possible to the needs of the target audience & VET sector & the main outputs (primarily the mobile app, online platform & associated training material) are currently freely available on all major mobile formats & in public repositories such as the iOS store & Google play store. Feedback from pilot participants indicated an extremely positive opinion towards the use of the app and mobile platform for learning. The project has exceeded expectations in a number of key areas. In particular, the project has developed a large number of resources, beyond the initial targeted expectations identified in the project proposal. In particular, the project has developed a number of online platforms (3 in total, a project website, an “app generator” platform and the e-learning platform) in order to diversify and promote the individual elements of the project - the developed project app, a “app generator platform” supporting the development of apps for users and the "official" online project platform housing all developed project resources. The project has developed a large and varied amount of training material as part of the app development process and has made this material across multiple formats and media, ranging from the online training courses to printable resources, to mobile learning apps and online resources to support all of the above. The project has developed an innovative mobile app, which not only serves as an engaging tool addressed to teachers and educators from VET schools, training providers and intermediary bodies to design and co-create tailor made Mobile Apps to be used by in-company VET trainers- but has also, as part of this development, created a range of innovative mobile apps, developed by in-company VET trainers and others involved in the management of apprentices with the necessary skills and innovative ICT-based tools to support both the management and the training activities involved in apprenticeship programs. In-company VET trainers can build on apprentice’s learning by accessing a range of these existing mobile apps, developed by and for those involved in the training and management of apprentices, but can also create their own bespoke VET online training resources through the online learning platform and/ or project app (and app generator platform) in order to deepen apprentice’s learning in addition to face to face activities and supports. In this way, the project has provided project stakeholders with the tools required to take concrete and practical steps within their own country, in order to create genuine impact. The project results have been validated with a large audience - primarily the key target audience of in-company VET trainers and professionals working with apprentices, but involving apprentices themselves - who are the ultimate beneficiaries of the project outputs. In addition to this, organisations and institutions charged with supporting the management of apprentices and VET education alongside policy makers, education representatives, public representatives, etc have also provided feedback on the project. Feedback on the project outputs has been mostly positive and ongoing activities look to embed the resources in the area for VET organisations and schools across Europe. The project was widely disseminated to a large range of participants across multiple channels locally, nationally, across Europe and internationally - through face-to-face meetings, conferences, festivals and events, through piloting activities and trainings and through a wide range of online means. The developed project outputs are freely available and have been developed and provided so that they remain freely available indefinitely on open online portals such as the Google Play store and Apple iOS store, maximising access and visibility not only to the target audience, but to the general public as well.