BACKGROUND & CHALLENGES The construction sector is consistently reporting skills shortages and a relatively low attractiveness towards young people, despite its increased use of apprenticeships as a training path. In fact, the dropout rate of apprenticeships is relatively higher than that of other sectors. One of the key challenges identified and associated with these issues is that apprenticeship mentors in the construction sector often lack themselves modern digital skills required to match the sector’s and young workers’ expectations and requirements. Construction apprenticeship mentors appear reluctant to introduce new digital methods during their teaching practices, and sometimes also find that their role as trainers is not specified well enough to allow for such approaches. It is thus essential to develop professional development opportunities of high quality, and to train workplace mentors on how to introduce new digital methods and innovative content during their teaching practices, in order to make training effective, address misalignments between VET offerings, skills demand & learners’ realities. OBJECTIVES CONDAP aims to: - Upskill in-company mentors in construction apprenticeships with digital, sector-specific professional skills and competences and upgrade their training through the development of OERs, - Enrich their teaching ability through the development of innovative pedagogical approaches, - Form a strategic partnership to continuously support the professional development of mentors in construction apprenticeships. THE CONDAP PARTNERSHIP The partnership comprises 5 partners with high capacity, qualifications and complementary skills from the world of WBL, VET and the construction sector, to align mentors’ training with specific labour market needs and apprenticeship particularities. INSTRUCTUS is a leader in the development of apprenticeship programmes. VSRC is a specialised VET provider in the construction sector, experienced in initiatives improving skills of the building workforce. UPV carries specialised R&D related to digital opportunities in the construction industry and has expertise in OERs. EXELIA has extensive experience in R&D and delivery of innovative ICT-based methodologies. EBC represents occupational interests at EU level and has experience in projects targeting apprenticeships. ACTIVITIES & METHODOLOGY - Analysis of training requirements of workplace mentors in construction apprenticeships to develop learning outcomes for their professional development and their upskilling with digital skills and innovative teaching practices. - Development of VET learning units for workplace mentors, focusing on sustainability & digitalisation of construction, and innovative pedagogical orientations for teaching digital construction methods. - Creation of pedagogical materials to be offered as Open Education Resources. - Development, testing, and delivery of learning materials and the Vocational Open Online Course (VOOC) infrastructures on the digital skills & competences of in-company mentors involved in construction apprenticeships. -Development of a systematic approach to support the enhancement of the digital skills of mentors in construction apprenticeships, and the integration of CONDAP learning outcomes into VET. - Sharing and validation of outputs with multiplier events, inviting target groups to uptake CONDAP results and to act as further disseminators. RESULTS & IMPACT - CONDAP validated learning outcomes for training of workplace mentors in digital construction (to reach 200 mentors). - CONDAP learning units & teaching methodology for in-company mentors in construction apprenticeships (to reach 200 mentors). - Pedagogical resources supporting in-company mentors digital skills, offered as OERs and the CONDAP VOOC on digital construction methods (to reach 200 mentors, 200 VET providers). - 2 pilot sessions to validate CONDAP learning outcomes and additional pilot testing organised remotely (to reach 200 mentors, VET providers & employers). - A road-map for the systematic integration of CONDAP learning outcomes into VET (80 stakeholders reached). - A MoC to support the enhancement of the digital skills of mentors in construction apprenticeships and to establish a relevant EU strategic partnership (40 stakeholders reached). - 2 demonstration workshops & 3 information days to promote project results and validate educational resources (400 participants). POST-PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY - Use of CONDAP learning materials, OERs and VOOC, and the methodology for teaching digital construction methods by and increased number of in-company mentors involved in construction apprenticeships - Uptake of project materials and OERs from relevant VET providers and construction companies across the EU - Expansion of the EU strategic partnership supporting digital skills of mentors in construction apprenticeships and increase of the initiatives targeting quality of in-company mentors VET
BACKGROUND & CHALLENGES The construction sector has been reporting lack of skills while at the same time the young generations did not appear very much attracted to it, despite the increased use of apprenticeships as a training path. One of the key challenges that was also identified and associated with these challenges, during CONDAP project, is that apprenticeship mentors in the construction sector frequently lack themselves modern digital skills required to match the sector’s and young workers’ expectations and requirements. Consequently, construction apprenticeship mentors have been reluctant to introduce new digital methods during their teaching practices. It has thus been essential to develop professional development opportunities of high quality, and to train workplace mentors on how to introduce new digital methods and innovative content during their teaching practices, to make training effective, address misalignments between VET offerings, skills demand & learners’ realities. OBJECTIVES CONDAP achievements: -Upskilled in-company mentors in construction apprenticeships with digital, sector-specific professional skills and competences and upgraded their training through the development of OERs - Enriched their teaching ability through the development of innovative pedagogical approaches - Formed a strategic partnership to continuously support the professional development of mentors in construction apprenticeships THE CONDAP PARTNERSHIP The partnership comprised of five organisations from five EU counties with high capacity, qualifications, and complementary skills from the world of WBL, VET and the construction sector, to align mentors’ training with specific labour market needs and apprenticeship particularities. INSTRUCTUS contributed as a leader in the development of apprenticeship programmes. VSRC is a specialised VET provider in the construction sector. UPV carries specialised R&D related to digital opportunities in the construction industry and has expertise in OERs. EBC is the European umbrella professional organisation representing 18 national associations of construction crafts and SMEs EXELIA brought extensive experience in R&D and delivery of innovative ICT-based methodologies. ACTIVITIES & METHODOLOGY The CONDAP partnership successfully analyzed the training requirements of workplace mentors in construction apprenticeships, developing learning outcomes for their professional development and their upskilling with digital skills and innovative teaching practices. Developed VET learning units for workplace mentors, focusing on sustainability & digitalization of construction, and innovative pedagogical orientations for teaching digital construction methods. Created pedagogical materials being offered as Open Education Resources. Developed, tested, and delivered learning materials and Vocational Open Online Course infrastructures on the digital skills & competences of in-company mentors involved in construction apprenticeships. Developed a systematic approach to support the enhancement of the digital skills of mentors in construction apprenticeships, and the integration of CONDAP learning outcomes into VET and finally shared and validated the outputs with multiplier events, inviting target groups to uptake CONDAP results and to act as further disseminators. RESULTS & IMPACT -The CONDAP consortium validated learning outcomes for training of workplace mentors in digital construction and created learning units & teaching methodology for in-company mentors in construction apprenticeships reaching almost 200 mentors -Developed pedagogical resources to support in-company mentors’ digital skills, offered as OERs and the CONDAP VOOC on digital construction methods addressed to more than 400 mentors and VET providers. Delivered 2 pilot sessions to validate CONDAP learning outcomes and additional pilot testing organized remotely reaching close to 200 mentors, VET providers & employers -Developed a roadmap for the systematic integration of CONDAP learning outcomes into VET and a MoC to support the enhancement of the digital skills of mentors in construction apprenticeships and to establish a relevant EU strategic partnership with 32 relevant stakeholders signing the MoC from all across Europe. -Organized 3 information days to promote project results and validate educational resources gathering 219 participants POST-PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY The partners managed to promote the use of CONDAP learning materials, OERs and VOOC, and the methodology for teaching digital construction methods by an increased number of in-company mentors involved in construction apprenticeships Discussed the uptake of project materials and OERs from relevant VET providers and construction companies across the EU and finally managed to expand the EU strategic partnership supporting digital skills of mentors in construction apprenticeships and increased the initiatives targeting quality of in-company mentors VET