The Needs and Gaps analysis of the NetWBL Thematic Working group reported by 7 Erasmus+ National agencies brings it to the point: "A need to foster cooperation between education and businesses is clearly identified: a bridge appears as necessary to establish effective links between schools and companies and, in this direction, a third party (NGOs, associations, local organisations) could mediate helping the different actors “to speak a common language”. Work based learning (still) has a problem. This tricky interface between the VET systems (and policy) and the world of work (and WBL) seems to be an alltime problem. In front of the described background and challenges of WBL and its contribution to modern and competitive VET systems in Europe, the main aim of the strategic partnership project is the improvement of the quality of WBL in VET systems in Europe through a clearly business value and perspective based programme for WBL responsibles in companies. Behind this overall project aim we are setting up the following detailed aims and outputs which will be available and achieved on the completion of the WBL accelerator project: 1) Implementation of an explorative research study to identify in detail the needs and requirements of the target group for the planned training programme. The study will implement core focus groups (also relevant for dissemination and exploitation reasons) with companies and the WBL staff there, VET experts and VET learners to define the knowledge and fields needed to bridge the gap between WBL and VET in future. 2) Development of a modular and fragmentised training programme for WBL responsible staff in companies and businesses about VET pedagogics, European VET standards, European VET methodologies and instruments etc. The training programme will be divided into several (about 20) small learning chunks which makes it possible to reflect the different WBL realities and competence needs in the different European countries. The whole training programme shall have a total duration of about 80 - 100 learning hours. 3) Development of a handbook for WBL staff in companies showing modern WBL planning on the basis of European WBL principles and practical exercises The planned outcomes and results are: IO 1: Explorative research: In all partner countries focus groups will be implemented with representatives of companies, VET system, teachers, trainers and VET learners. IO2: Development of a modular training programme for WBL responsible persons in companies: the partnership will then be elaborating a highly modularised and fragmentised training programme for WBL responsible persons in companies. The content of the training programme will be covering modern VET approaches, especially development and assessment of learning outcomes in WBL, validation of non formal and informal learning, recognition of learning outcomes, communication and motivation, modern learning psychology, competence descriptors and its practical application, tools and methods for planning and assessing the WBL process (e.g. learning agreements, memorandum of understanding) etc. In a transnational learning and teaching activity (LTTA) the training programme will be tested with min. 2 representatives of companies concerned with WBL issues from each partner country which could then also act as trainers, supporters and multipliers for the local implementation of the training programme in each partner country with min. 10 other participants per country. IO 3: Handbook: “Modern WBL in Europe – concepts, methods, practical application”: besides the training programme, the partnership will also elaborate a comprehensive handbook for WBL responsible persons in companies, where the core concepts of VET in Europe and their impact for WBL in companies will be described. The project partnership consists of 7 partners: VET training and research institutions, associations, companies, social partner organisations and higher education institutions with direct access to the world of work AND the VET system from AT, DE, ES, IE, MT and SI. All outputs will be made available in all partner languages for direct download via the project website.
The Needs and Gaps analysis of the NetWBL Thematic Working group reported by 7 Erasmus+ National agencies brings it to the point: "A need to foster cooperation between education and businesses is clearly identified: a bridge appears as necessary to establish effective links between schools and companies and, in this direction, a third party (NGOs, associations, local organisations) could mediate helping the different actors “to speak a common language”. Work based learning (still) has a problem. This tricky interface between the VET systems (and policy) and the world of work (and WBL) seems to be an alltime problem. In front of the described background and challenges of WBL and its contribution to modern and competitive VET systems in Europe, the main aim of the strategic partnership project was the continuous improvement of the quality of WBL in VET systems in Europe through a clearly business value and perspective based programme for WBL responsibles in companies. Below this overall project objective, the project partners envisaged the following main aims and activities: 1) Implementation of an explorative research study to identify in detail the needs and requirements of the target group for the training programme which was developed on that basis. On methodological level for the study focus groups with representatives from companies and WBL staff, VET experts and learners have been implemented in all partner countries. 2) Development of a modular and fragmentised training programme for WBL responsible staff in companies and businesses about VET pedagogics, European VET standards, European VET methodologies and instruments etc. The training programme is divided into 21 small learning chunks (modules) which make it possible to reflect the different WBL realities and competence needs in the different European countries. The whole training programme has a total duration of 81 learning hours (3 ECVET credits) and combines face to face learning with distance and online learning in a blended learning format. 3) Development of a handbook for WBL staff in companies showing modern WBL planning on the basis of European WBL principles and practical exercises The outcomes and results achieved are: IO 1: Explorative research: The results and feedback received from the implementation of the focus groups in all partner countries was channelled into a explorative research report which is available for download from the project website with executive summaries translated into all partner languages. IO2: Modular training programme for WBL responsible persons in companies: the partnership has elaborated a highly modularised and fragmentised training programme for WBL responsible persons in companies. The content of the training programme covers modern VET approaches, especially development and assessment of learning outcomes in WBL, validation of non formal and informal learning, recognition of learning outcomes, communication and motivation, modern learning psychology, competence descriptors and its practical application, tools and methods for planning and assessing the WBL process (e.g. Europass, learning agreements, memorandum of understanding) etc. The training programme was pretested during a transnational learning and teaching activitiy as well as during national pilots with the target group in all partner countries. IO 3: Handbook-Magazine: “WBL Accelerator - The Practical Handbook Magazine About Successful Work-Based-Learning Strategies in EU Companies”: besides the training programme, the partnership developed a comprehensive magazine-style handbook for WBL responsible persons in companies, where the core concepts of VET in Europe and their impact for WBL in companies are described. The project partnership consists of 7 partners: VET training and research institutions, associations, companies, social partner organisations and higher education institutions with direct access to the world of work AND the VET system from AT, DE, ES, IE, MT and SI. All outputs are available in all partner languages for direct download via the project website www.wblaccelerator.eu The main impact of the project can be found in the improvement of co-operation and quality improvement of work-based learning through the training of WBL responsibles in the partner countries which led to a closer co-operation between school-based and work-based VET parts in partner countries. The training programme and especially also the WBL Accelerator magazine has received great interest from the world of work and work-based learning responsibles, partners will continue offering the training programme and/or single modules from the programme in their standard training repertoire to offer the sustainable chance for WBL responsibles to develop their knowledge and competences about modern and European VET concepts and approaches.