In a European context fighting against unemployment, apprenticeship is the key. In January 2018, 3,646 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU-28, of whom 2,535 million were in the euro area. In January 2018, the youth unemployment rate was 16.1 % in the EU-28 and 17.7 % in the euro area. The lowest rates were observed in the Czech Republic (5.8 %), Estonia (6.5 %), Germany (6.6 %) and Netherlands (7.4%) while the highest were recorded in Greece (43.7 %), Spain (36.0 %) and Italy (31.5 %). Finland (17.8%) had an average rate of youth unemployment. One of the key characteristics of the VET system that facilitates students’ smooth transition to employment and success on the labour market is the integration of work-based learning in vocational education and training programmes. In this context, the specific objective of iLearn is to improve the planning and development of apprentices training programmes to facilitate the international mobility of apprentices in the frame of the Erasmus+ Programme and to improve the overall quality and attractiveness of VET. The specific objective can be reached thanks to the achievement of the following results: improved training of apprentices according to their needs; improved motivation of apprentices; improved structure of in-company training. The project plans to reach these objectives and results thanks to the set up, testing and release of an usable, comprehensive, user-friendly and innovative digital tool used by apprentices, in-company and school tutors and employers to set up, monitor and evaluate the apprentices’ learning progress and the tasks made by them at school and in the companies. The transnational dimension of the partnership made by vocational centers from Italy, Finland, Netherlands and Spain give an added value for the development of the project because each partner has a strength to give a key contribution for the achievement of the expected results. The partners selected as main target group of the project apprentices aged between 15 and 25 years, in-company tutors, schools tutors and employers. The project is going to involve 48 apprentices, 96 tutors (48 in-company tutors and 48 school tutors) and 48 companies in the activities. The partners develop the project and the intellectual output applying the following methodologies: Competence Development, Work Based Learning, Digital Learning, Participatory Approach, Project Cycle Management and Project Based Approach. The partners are developing the project activities and intellectual output in strict cooperation with apprentices, companies and tutors in order to make it usable and sustainable for the companies. The iLearn tool can be used on the mobile phones and devices of each subject involved. It takes track of the tasks made by the apprentice in the company and at school, linking them with the individual training programme and with the qualification and diploma competences that the apprentice has to acquire (key, transversal and professional). The user-friendly interface of the tool enables each subject involved to verify how the activities made by the apprentice are fulfilling the agreed training programme. The activities uploaded by the apprentices have different colors: one for activities made at school, one for those made in the companies and one for those made in mobility abroad. Tutors, trainers and company owners/supervisors can easily verify the work done by the apprentices in each phase of the learning programme and can continuously learn how to set it better. The tool includes smart assessment functions and instruments that facilitate the evaluation of the achievements done by the apprentices. It includes training video materials for tutors in order to support them to do better this job and to be more informed and trained about their roles and responsibilities. The tool includes also effective communication instruments that explain all that to companies’ owners and managers, work counsellors, apprentices and tutors. A chat facilitates the communication among the users. The iLearn tool enables to improve the mutual knowledge and cooperation between apprentice tutors, schools and companies, to facilitate the knowledge of the apprentice training programme by all actors involved in the process, to activate the apprentice in the documentation of the learning progresses, to improve the training of in-company tutors, to improve the support of apprentices by tutors, and to increase the knowledge of companies about apprenticeship. Long term benefits generated by the project can be summarized as follows: - Supporting measures to make apprenticeships more attractive and accessible to SMEs; - Motivating and supporting companies to assign qualified mentors/experts and tutors; - Supporting continuous professional development of in-company trainers and improving their working conditions; - Developing tools to support apprenticeship training in companies and at school.
The project set up, tested and released an usable, comprehensive, user-friendly and innovative digital tool used by apprentices, in-company and school tutors and employers to set up, monitor and evaluate the apprentices’ learning progress and the tasks made by them at school and in the companies. The transnational dimension of the partnership made by vocational centers from Italy, Finland, Netherlands and Spain gave an added value for the development of the project and for the transferability of the tool to other countries. The tool is available in English, Italian, Finnish, Dutch, Spanish, Bask and can be easily translated in other languages. The target group of the project were apprentices aged between 15 and 25 years, in-company tutors, schools tutors and employers. The project involved 81 apprentices, 121 tutors and 41 companies in the activities. The partners are already testing the tool with participants to long term Erasmus+ mobilities and dual system students. The iLearn tool can be used on the mobile phones and devices of each subject involved. It takes track of the tasks made by the apprentice in the company and at school, linking them with the individual training programme and with the qualification and diploma competences that the apprentice has to acquire (key, transversal and professional). The user-friendly interface of the tool enables each subject involved to verify how the activities made by the apprentice are fulfilling the agreed training programme. The activities uploaded by the apprentices have different colors: one for activities made at school, one for those made in the companies and one for those made in mobility abroad or in other training activities. Tutors, trainers and company owners/supervisors can easily verify the work done by the apprentices in each phase of the learning programme and can continuously learn how to set it better. The tool includes smart assessment functions and instruments that facilitate the evaluation of the achievements done by the apprentices. It includes training materials for tutors in order to support them to do better this job and to be more informed and trained about their roles and responsibilities. The tool includes also effective communication instruments that explain all that to companies’ owners and managers, work counsellors, apprentices and tutors. A chat facilitates the communication among the users. If you are interested to use the www.ilearn-tool.eu do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]