CONTEXT VIP@Work will contribute directly to the VET field specific priority ‘Developing VET business partnerships’. STARTING POINT Business support organisations like Chambers of Commerce, incubators, Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) etc. are in touch with (small) businesses on a daily basis. These organisations employ professional business advisors who provide information, guidance and training to companies. They support Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) growth and they are typically influential in local and regional development policy. Unfortunately, internships are entirely missing from their portfolio and service provision. In a recent survey less than 5% of business support organisations provided internship information to their SME clients. NEEDS AND OBJECTIVES VIP@Work seeks to address this situation by building the capacity of business support organisations to develop support structures which will facilitate SMEs to become internship employers. Business support organisations are the ones in contact with these companies on a daily basis and form the ideal bridge to connect to the vocational education sector regarding internships. RESULTS As a result of VIP@Work, business support organisations and other intermediary organizations will: • build (personal) contacts with VET providers and other stakeholders required to develop new internship opportunities for both vocational college students and SMEs; • improve their knowledge relating to the internship “business case”; • be able to quickly incorporate this new knowledge and engage their SME clients; • improve their staff expertise in this increasingly important area of public policy; • operate optimally in between the business and education sector. In addition, and as a result SMEs will be encouraged to take steps towards employing interns. They will be facilitated to: • complete an assessment/self evaluation to understand benefits to their own organization; • understand the concrete steps required to become an internship employer; • gain the skills required to manage the internship process. The concrete OUTPUTS VIP@Work will develop are: IO1 - Regional Internship Partnerships Blueprint Set-up VET-Business Internship Partnerships in every partner's region involving intermediaries, VET providers and SMEs, resulting in a blueprint on ‘how to establish a Regional Internship Partnerships' for other beneficiaries in other EU regions not directly involved. IO2 - INTERN INTERM. package - Internship Intermediary training and practical tools Course and tools for intermediary organisations (INTERMs) for them to optimally inform and engage SMEs regarding internships. They will learn how to become effective Internship Intermediaries and get equiped to do so. IO4 - Internship Desk Set up Handbook, 4 physical and permanent Information Points at (business) support organisations wil be set-up to create awareness and facilitate company-intern matchmaking. We will develop a handbook and step-by-step plan on how to do so for other interested parties keen to set up Internship Desks themselves. IO5 - Online platform and Community The online platform will be the centre and also the main legacy of the project, here is where everything comes together to facilitate e-learning, exchange and peer support. PROFILE OF THE PARTNERSHIP Business support partners: - Inqubator (NL) - NERDA (RO) - Eurocrea (IT) - Momentum (IE) Vocational education partner: - Friesland College (NL) Digital training & network partners: - CCS (EL) - EUEI (DK) METHODOLOGY & INVOLVEMENT OF PARTICIPANTS All 5 Intellectual Outputs will be pilot tested and used in practice, first by the business support partners on board the consortium in the alpha testing phase. In addition, we have secured ties with multiple peers in other countries for early input on shaping the Outputs and later to bèta test the Intellectual Outputs with them. This way, approximately 400 external persons will be actively and directly involved in the project. In addition, we will inform and engage wider stakeholders via our Regional Internship Partnerships, various digital means, and our Multiplier Events. IMPACT AND LONG TERM BENEFITS By equipping business support organisations with both the knowledge and the tools on the topic of internships to engage SMEs they work with on a daily basis and connect them with VET colleges, we expect to contribute to true VET-Business partnerships and facilitate work-based learning and increased internship provision among SMEs. The wide and long-term availability of the two training courses to be developed within VIP@Work (IO2 aimed at intermediaries and IO3 aimed at SMEs) will be maintained by the structures developed during the project lifespan: our Regional Internship Partnerships (IO1), the Internship Desks (IO4) and the online platform and community (IO5) as Open Educational Resources (OER).
CONTEXT VIP@Work contributes directly to the VET field specific priority ‘Developing VET business partnerships aimed at promoting work-based learning in all its forms’. STARTING POINT Business support organisations like Chambers of Commerce, incubators, Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) etc. are in touch with (small) businesses on a daily basis. These organisations employ professional business advisers who provide information, guidance and training to companies. They support Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) growth and they are typically influential in local and regional development policy. Unfortunately, internships are entirely missing from their portfolio and service provision. In a recent survey less than 5% of business support organisations provided internship information to their SME clients. NEEDS AND OBJECTIVES VIP@Work seeks to address this situation by building the capacity of business support organisations to develop support structures which can facilitate SMEs to become internship employers. Business support organisations are the ones in contact with these companies on a daily basis and form the ideal bridge to connect to the vocational education sector regarding internships. RESULTS As a result of VIP@Work, business support organisations and other intermediary organisations are able to: • build (personal) contacts with VET providers and other stakeholders required to develop new internship opportunities for both vocational college students and SMEs; • improve their knowledge relating to the internship “business case”; • quickly incorporate this new knowledge and engage their SME clients; • improve their staff expertise in this increasingly important area of public policy; • operate optimally in between the business and education sector. In addition, and as a result SMEs are encouraged to take steps towards employing interns. They are being facilitated to: • complete an assessment/self evaluation to understand benefits to their own organization; • understand the concrete steps required to become an internship employer; • gain the skills required to manage the internship process. The concrete OUTPUTS VIP@Work will develop are: IO1 - Regional Internship Partnerships Blueprint Set-up VET-Business Internship Partnerships in every partner's region involving intermediaries, VET providers and SMEs, resulting in a blueprint on ‘how to establish a Regional Internship Partnerships' for other beneficiaries in other EU regions not directly involved. IO2 - INTERN INTERM. package - Internship Intermediary training and practical tools Course and tools for intermediary organisations (INTERMs) to optimally inform and engage SMEs regarding internships. They will learn how to become effective Internship Intermediaries and get equipped to do so. It includes a guide, and a tool to support BSOs in mentoring SMEs and a planning workbook. IO3 - Win-wintership course for SMEs Course for SMEs to optimally prepare for hiring an intern. It contains 5 modules: the untapped potential of internships, designing and resourcing an internship, success factors to effective recruitment, training & mentoring key to success and post internship: evaluation & continuation. It also includes a self-assessment to see how ready an SME is for hiring their first intern. IO4 - Internship Desk Set up Handbook In 4 partner regions a physical and permanent Information Points has been set-up to create awareness and facilitate company-intern matchmaking. A handbook and step-by-step plan has been developed on how to set up such a VIP Desk, in which the real-life experience of setting it up has been incorporated. IO5 - Online platform and Community On the online platform all developed materials are freely available. The online community offers the opportunity to open discussions on a forum and ask/share knowledge/experiences worldwide. PROFILE OF THE PARTNERSHIP The partnership consists of three types of partners: business support organisations, VET institutes and digital training & network partners. Business support partners: - Inqubator (NL) - NERDA (RO) - Eurocrea (IT) - Momentum (IE) Vocational education partner: - Friesland College (NL) Digital training & network partners: - CCS (EL) - EUEI (DK) METHODOLOGY & INVOLVEMENT OF PARTICIPANTS All 5 Intellectual Outputs have been pilot tested and used in practice, first by the business support partners on board the consortium in the alpha testing phase. In addition, we have secured ties with multiple peers for early input on shaping the Outputs and later to beta test the Intellectual Outputs with them. This way, approximately 400 external persons have been actively and directly involved in the project. In addition, we have informed and engaged wider stakeholders via our Regional Internship Partnerships, various digital means, and our Multiplier Events. IMPACT AND LONG TERM BENEFITS By equipping business support organisations with both the knowledge and the tools on the topic of internships to engage SMEs they work with on a daily basis and connect them with VET colleges, we have contributed to true VET-Business partnerships and the facilitation work-based learning and increased internship provision among SMEs. The wide and long-term availability of the two training courses (IO2 aimed at intermediaries and IO3 aimed at SMEs) will be maintained by the structures developed during the project lifespan: our Regional Internship Partnerships (IO1), the Internship Desks (IO4) and the online platform and community (IO5) as Open Educational Resources (OER).