The partnership consists of 6 secondary vocational schools (Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, Turkey and a coordinator from Slovakia) and two special institutions playing an active and important role in the field of vocational training and education (The State Institute of Vocational Education in Slovakia and 21 knowledge from Portugal). They all are connected with a common project objective to enhance the quality of VET including foreign languages via producing a CLIL in VET portfolio and an international curriculum for a specific subject called "Virtual Training Company". All participating institutions miss relevant support to launch foreign language in VET as well as common educational contents for training companies. CLIL (Contents and Language Integrated Learning) in this project is understood as a tool for professional development of foreign languages having a power to link theoretical education with practical education while strengthening the position of training companies in the process of VET. International partnership offers a possbility to make such curriculum on an international platform responding needs of the open European labour and trade markets. Partnership composition is a guarantee to achieve the objectives with the top quality outcomes. It secures participation of a big number of students and teachers who will produce lots of materials. These can be tested during the project activities in international environment. ŠIOV that is responsible for VET curricula in the country of coordinator supports schools with expert know-how, 21 knowledge offers training and further education for teachers in VET. During the project time most of its activities are open to a big number of teachers who can get involved with any groups of students in VET. Whilst 2 transnational project meetings are focused on monitorig, evaluating and planning the project activities, learning and teaching/training activities are aimed at collecting and testing materials, interactive workshops. Participants will attend CLIL lessons, test materials, evaluate results, share experience with other teachers. Students will organize virtual skype and real business meetings to develop cooperation with training companies abroad, invite special guests and experts to discuss with them, attend CLIL lessons. All these activities lead to creating two outcomes- CLIL portfolio and curriculum for the subject of training companies. Another main activity is an international "CLIL in VET" conference that will be held in Portugal with the aim to reveal and disseminate final products of the project. The expected impact is foreseen on all target groups. Considering students we expect improving foreign language skills and competences in professional context, higher motivation to study, professional and soft skills development, whilst teachers will acquire professional language competences, knowledge about different school systems and business rules. They are expected to welcome and use the portfolio, curriculum and implement these into their VET activities. As a result of good dissemination we believe in a higher number of schools implementing the subject of training companies and using CLIL approach in VET. All project outcomes will be accessable on the internet (and social media) freely.
The partnership consisted of 6 secondary vocational schools (Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, Turkey and a coordinator from Slovakia) and two special institutions playing an active and important role in the field of vocational training and education permanently (The State Institute of Vocational Education in Slovakia and 21 knowledge from Portugal). They both were helpful to achieve a common project objective to enhance the quality of VET including foreign languages via producing a CLIL in VET portfolio and an international curriculum for a specific subject called "Virtual Training Company". All participating institutions entered the project as institutions missing relevant support to launch foreign language in VET as well as common educational contents for training companies. The CLIL approach (Contents and Language Integrated Learning) in this project was understood as a tool for professional development of foreign languages having a power to link theoretical education with practical education while strengthening the position of training companies in the process of VET. The partnership succeeded to create an international curriculum considering different possibilities of participating countries, needs of the open European labour and trade markets. Project activites were open to all teachers in VET and to students who decided to be educated within a training company subject. There participated a big number of students and teachers who produced a lot of materials and tested them in the process. Testing was realized during planned learning/teaching/training activities in international environment and during unexpected remote learning that created some environment suitable to develop international cooperation of training companies in virtual space. The State institution of vocational education as a leading institution was a guarantee to achieve the objectives with the top quality project outcomes. There were held 2 transnational project meetings focused on monitorig, evaluating and planning the project activities, Learning and teaching/training activities were aimed at creating, collecting and testing materials, whilst two of them were blended activities for students and the 3rd one was focused on teachers and the CLIL approach. During interactive workshops participants attended CLIL lessons, tested materials, evaluated results, shared experience with other teachers. Students organized virtual skype and real business meetings to develop cooperation with training companies abroad, invited special guests and experts to discuss with them, attended CLIL lessons, worked on different tasks. We even succeeded to organize an international trade fair for training companies. Our participants disseminated project ideas and results in it as well as in the multiplier event in Portugal. This was held with strict epidemic measures, but it completed the goal to inform participants about training companies implementation hand in hand with the CLIL approach. The project was evaluated by the partners as having positive impact on all of them. Students acquired new Business English skills, they improved their entretreneurial and social skills, gained experience to make international business. They were highly motivated to study by interesting activities and showed better study results. Participating teachers enhanced their foreign language skills, learned a lot of facts about different school systems, international business rules and ethics, acquired valuable experience in creating a curriculum on international portfolio. The project has had an extra added value for partners from Turkey and Portugal where the concept of training companies was totally unknown before the project. Creating international curriculum the partnership created environment suitable to implement the training company subject with the CLIL approach, flexible enough to be used in any country. The fact, that it was made by all the partners is a guarantee of its flexibility and wide usage. From the long-lasting time horizon it will be possible to update and add its contents regarding needs of the market and trends in international business. All project outcomes are accessable on the internet (and social media) freely.