Context/background of VET@Work: The current trends in developing VET has proven that the collaboration between VET providers and employers is no longer optional but a necessity. The work life requires new kinds of competencies and even if there are fewer financial resources available for education VET must be able to provide the labour market with students that have the needed new competencies. One way of being able to do this is for VET and work to collaborate and thus respond more swiftly to changes in work life and operating environment and in adapting to individual competence needs. This is why VET in Europe is more and more stressing the importance of collaborations between VET providers and working life. This has resulted in a need to do develop tools and methodologies that helps VET providers and employers as well as other potential stakeholders set up systematic pedagogical collaborations where students’ skills and competencies are developed in various work-based settings. Our main target groups and beneficiaries are the VET providers and employers. Other beneficiaries are VET students and municipalities and the labout market in general. VET@Work will address the following topics: 1. Cooperation between educational institutions and business 2. New innovative educational methods 3. Pedagogy and didactics Objectives: • Share and clarify best practices on exiting collaborations between VET and work • Inspire and share new ways providing education in VET • Develop a tool that will enable implementation of 12 different collaborations between VET and work • of working and exchange ideas and issues that will improve the learning experience. Innovation: VET@Work is a true and transparent collaboration between VET providers and employers representing 6 European countries and a minimum of 6 different vocational sectors (business, hospitality, social and healthcare, agriculture, horticulture and technical). All work will be done together in order to develop an online manual that will provide the users with information on how to set up pedagogical communications and evaluate learning environments. The outcome of the project is an Online Manual for implementing innovative ways of collaborating with the labor market when educating students within VET. The manual will consist of 5 chapters. Chapter 1: General information why collaboration between VET providers and employers is neede. Chapter 2: Descriptions of the 12 selected best practices (includes step-by-step instructions on suggestions for implementation). Chapter 3: Benefits from the VET providers aspect. Chapter 4: Benefits from the Employers aspect. Chapter 5: Employer VET Self Evaluation Tool. A link to the online manual be available through the VET@Work project web page and the official VET@Work Facebook page by the end of the project. Anticipated benefits and long term impacts: • The relationship between VET and work will strengthen as the collaboration improves • The labor market will get workers with the right skills who fit the needs of the labour market • The transition from VET to work becomes smoother • The quality of VET improves The short term benefit is that the project enables employers and VET providers from 6 European countries to share ideas and experiences on how to improve the learning experience of VET students Participants: The project group consists of 8 core partners representing both VET providers and small, medium sized and large employers from Finland, UK, Netherlands, Iceland, Norway and France and 2 associated partner (employer) from UK and France that has a larger role than the other several associated partners participating in the project. The projects life span: VET@work is a 3 year project (36 months) during which 6 transnational meetings (PM) will be held. During first 5 meetings we’ll analyze and write step-by-step instructions on selected best practices. The final 6th meeting is necessary in order to finalize the online manual and make it usable for others. Between the PMs national work meetings between VET providers and employers as well as skype meetings between all partners will be held. Towards the end of the project Multiplier Events will be held in each partner country to which all interested parties are welcome. Throughout the project focus will be given to the usefulness and the impact as well as to the user friendliness of the intellectual output described in the application.
VET@Work is a collaboration between VET providers and employers representing 5 European countries and several vocational sectors, e.g. business, hospitality, social and healthcare, agriculture, horticulture and technical sector. The project partners share a passion to improve and deepen collaboration between VET and the world of work. The project came from recognizing and analyzing current trends showcasing the need of improved collaboration between VET providers and employers. Objectives Our vision was to make links between VET & Work stronger! We recognized that development begins when you have the courage to step outside your comfort zone and open your mind to constructive criticism! Our main aim and objective was to develop methodologies that can be used by all when implementing and/or improving cooperation and collaboration between VET and work. The methodology used was collaborative learning, sharing, analyzing, testing and writing instructions for ways that VET and work can work side by side when educating and preparing VET students for work. Our goal was to inspire each other as well as future beneficiaries to implement a new way of providing VET. This new way being built around collaboration where the VET providers and employers share responsibility of providing the world of work with skilled workers. We wanted to showcase how working together, sharing ideas, skills and knowledge results in an improved learning experience for the VET students. Partners: Axxell (Finland) – project coordinator and a Finland-Swedish VET provider Raasepori Municipality (Finland) – Raasepori was represented by Villa Anemone in the project Broadhoulders (UK) - a company specialized in providing mentor and leadership training to apprentices and companies Het Idee (the Netherlands) – a company that focuses on supporting and empowering youngsters to get a VET degree and finding their place in the society. Welzijen Lelystadt (the Netherlands) – an employer within social care who’s aim is to battle loneliness among different age groups Verkmenntaskolinn a Akureyri (Iceland) – a VET provider Medulla Harsnyrstistofa (Iceland) – a hairdressing company Nantes Terre Atlantique (France) – a VET provider Activities The core partners worked with employers and VET providers throughout the project’s lifespan to collect information and knowledge and to involve them in the piloting of the 12 methodologies described in the VET@work manual. 5 transnational project meetings (1 per partner country) were held. During the meetings focus was on sharing best practices, learn from local VET providers and employers not directly involved in the project and to develop content for the different chapters of the manual. Between the project meetings, virtual work meetings were held to continue the work that commenced at the transnational meetings. Each partner disseminated the project according to a set dissemination plan and collected useful information that was incorporated/used when working on the VET@work manual. Towards the end of the project each partner country organized one or more Multiplier Events to share the outcomes of the project to those interested. Results and impact The main result and output was the VET@work manual (https://vetatwork-project.eu/). The aim of the manual is to help VET providers and employers improve the quality of collaboration, whether it be a new form of or an existing collaboration between VET and an employer. The manual has information about 12 different collaboration methodologies, how to sell the idea of VET@work collaboration, what to avoid when starting a collaboration, how to overcome potential obstacles and what benefits can be expected from VET@work collaboration. The manual also has a simple self-evaluation tool that gives suggestions on what methodologies might be of interest based on their existing skills. Impact The project had a big impact on us involved in the project. It provided us with the opportunity to build a shared vision for greater collaboration. It gave us the confidence to take on new ideas and to share these ideas with others (employers, employees, work mentors, VET providers, teachers, students etc). It allowed us to STOP and REFLECT about the way we work, what we want to achieve and how we can achieve this through VET@work collaboration. It allowed us to improve our communication, cooperation and collaboration skills and showed us how important it is to share and celebrate success. It made us aware that even if VET and work collaboration does require resources it will pay back with interest! Implementing the VET@work manual will help make the gap between VET providers and employers smaller and make communication more flexible as it gives practical examples on how employers and VET providers can work side by side to meet the needs of the student. VET@work encourages and enables the implementation of a holistic approach to provide VET.