The quality of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in technical fields at European level means a competitiveness leverage in the international context. European VET schools have a good performance and a strong tradition - however, the key competences have to be maintained and developed. The speed-up of technological development is a challenge for the young VET students, while the development of the textile industry needs well prepared specialists in multidisciplinary fields. VET students within technical education acquire basic disciplines, such as mathematics, physics, technical drawing, mechanics etc., but the horizon of the end applications and usefulness of such basic disciplines is often not touchable; In correlation with these facts, the Skills4Smartex project is centered on improving knowledge, skills and employability of VET students in the STEM related fields, by providing the adequate training instruments to understand multidisciplinary working, with the following specific objectives: Obj1: Performing of a Guide for smart practices meant for supporting innovation in textile enterprises. Obj2: Performing a course in smart textiles, meant for multidisciplinary thinking. Obj3: Performing a dedicated e-learning instrument, meant for channeling the interest of VET students for "serious games" and LMS with real educational potential. Obj4: Improving the skills of VET students by means of practical work in constructing a smart textile prototype. The consortium of the project tackling these objectives, reflects a very well-balanced distribution of activities and responsibilities. There are two research institutes (INCDTP = coordinator, TZU), three universities (UGent, Uni Maribor, TU Iasi) and one training / technology transfer center (TecMinho), from 5 countries with great importance for the textile industry in Europe: Belgium, Czech Republic, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia. This innovation strategic partnership VET project has the following main activities: (O1) Elaboration of the Guide for smart practices, tackling the needs of textile enterprises based on a survey activity and performing transfer of practices from source sites to target sites. (O2) Elaboration of the Course in smart textiles on two dimensions, tackling both STEM disciplines contributing to a SMART textile product, as well as the constituting elements of a SMART textile prototype, for an optimal showcasing of end-applications to VET students. (O3) Dedicated e-learning instrument and platform with the following main functionalities: filter-based access on the course’s modules (= 28 modules) and simple attractive interface, built-in questionnaires (Questionnaire activity), 420 multiple choice tests on the course, IO quality assessment questionnaires. The E-learning instrument and platform (O3) will support the (E1-E6) Multiplier events - workshops and the (C1-C6) Blended mobility courses: (E1-E6) Workshop (multiplier event) for the dissemination of the project's objectives, multiplying the three Intellectual Outputs of the project and performing smart practices transfer. Target group: young professionals from the industry. (C1-C6) Blended mobility courses: organized for training of young trainees on the courses modules, on working with the prototype, training with e-learning and a visit to a textile enterprise. Target group: VET students in secondary education and students in basic stage of higher education. (C7-C9) Joint staff events: the project partners will build a smart textile prototype and its training methodology as well as communication and sustainability provisions. The methodology intended to be applied in the project envisages the guidance of the project accordingly to several plans: 1. The Work plan 2. The Quality management plan 3. The Dissemination plan 4. The Sustainability plan Main Results: - 60 questioned textile enterprises. - 120 young professionals counseled within Multiplier events, 24 transferred practices. - 100 VET students prepared within blended courses. - 240 VET students trained on the e-learning instrument. - construction of a smart textile prototypes for skills training. Impact: The two-dimensional concept of the Course and its related e-learning instrument with filter to access the modules, as well as working with the smart textile prototype brings added-value in the training of VET students. The project partners support as well the textile enterprises by means of smart transfer of practices and new training methods. Hence, main impact indicators on the enlarged target group are: - acquiring improved training methods; - better knowledge of innovation mechanisms in textile enterprises; - choosing a career in STEM research and industry; The main sustainable output of Skills4Smartex, the e-learning instrument and platform, will be hosted on the INCDTP server even after project’s end and will further support the textile world-of-work in improving innovation and training.
Context: The quality of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in technical fields at European level means a competitiveness leverage in the international context. European VET schools have a good performance and a strong tradition - however, the key competences have to be maintained and developed. The speed-up of technological development is a challenge for the young VET students, while the development of the textile industry needs well prepared specialists in multidisciplinary fields. In correlation with these facts, the Skills4Smartex project was centered on improving knowledge, skills and employability of VET students in the STEM related fields, by providing adequate training instruments to understand multidisciplinary working. Objectives: Obj1: Performing of a Guide for smart practices meant for supporting innovation in textile enterprises. Obj2: Performing a course in smart textiles, meant for multidisciplinary thinking. Obj3: Performing a dedicated e-learning instrument, meant for channeling the interest of VET students for "serious games". Obj4: Improving the skills of VET students by means of practical work in constructing a smart textile prototype. Type and profile of participants: The partnership reflected a very well-balanced distribution of activities and responsibilities: two research institutes (INCDTP = coordinator, TZU), three universities (Ghent University, University of Maribor, Technical University Iasi) and one training / technology transfer center (TecMinho, interface of the University of Minho), from 5 countries with great importance for the textile industry in Europe: Belgium, Czech Republic, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia. Main activities and results: (O1) A Guide for smart practices with the current and envisaged situation in technical and smart textiles, based on a survey activity with 63 textile enterprises, multiplied within multiplier events for 200 young professionals in textiles. (O2) A Course in smart textiles with 56 modules on three criteria: from theory to practice and vice-versus, on 7 chapters of manufacturing technology for smart textiles and on four basic STEM disciplines. Please consult the modules with open access at the URL: http://skills4smartex.eu/instrument.php. (O3) A Dedicated e-learning instrument and an e-learning platform with the following main functionalities: - for the instrument: PHP filter-based access on the 56 modules and a simple attractive interface; - for the platform: 6 Moodle e-learning courses in national languages of the project (CZ, DU, EN, PT, RO, SI), with the modules in Book format, 420 multiple choice tests in Quiz format and 28 embedded PPT presentations. Creation of 200 new Moodle user accounts for e-learning courses, URL: http://www.advan2tex.eu/portal/. (E1-E6) Organization of 14 multiplier events with 200 participants and 89 feed-back questionnaires stating option of transfer for best practices, on partnership level, for multiplying the three IOs. The events were organized either virtually or face-to-face due to pandemic restrictions. (C1-C6) Organization of 11 courses with 262 VET students in virtual, blended or classroom format, with support of smart textile prototypes and the e-learning platform. (C7-C8) Organization of two Joint staff events: creation of smart textile prototypes on three levels of complexity for educational purposes and a methodology for VET students. Achievement of an unitary concept of the 56 modules. The following dissemination results were achieved at partnership level: - Leaflets/ e-mails to inform about 300 stakeholders; - 6 Promotional posters / roll-ups in each partner’s language and English; - 37 papers published in scientific revues or conference proceedings; - 34 Posters presented at events (exhibition, trade fairs, invention fairs etc.); - 16 standard PowerPoint presentation template for the project; - 12 announcements via social media posts; - 8 posts on partner’s website with up-to-date information; Impact attained Impact was ensured for the 262 VET students by the attractive concept of the Course and its related e-learning instrument with filter to access the 56 modules, as well as the Moodle e-learning platform with courses in 6 languages and the work with the smart textile prototypes. The project partners supported as well the textile enterprises’ 200 young professionals by means of new instruments and training methods. The 89 feed-back questionnaires showed the preferences of best practices in smart and technical textiles to be transferred. The enlarged target group was impacted by the 107 dissemination activities. Longer-term benefits The main sustainable output of Skills4Smartex, the e-learning instrument and platform, will be hosted on the INCDTP server even after project’s end and will further support the textile world-of-work in improving innovation and training.