CONTEXT/BACKGROUND Environmental pollution; microplastics, heavy metals and pesticides in drinking water; “water” as basic human right; European environmental standards, EU Water Framework Directive and many young people's strong interest in environmental and climate protection form the basis of the decision on this project. Today, these issues affect both our personal and professional lives. Especially in vocational training, environmental protection and resource-friendly production are crucial concerns related to production processes and therefore secure a company's existence. Rhineland-Palatinate has important waterways such as the Rhine (295 km in Rhineland-Palatinate), the Moselle (233 km), the Lahn (58 km), the Nahe (61 km) and the Ahr (68 km). All of these waters are major water suppliers for Rhineland-Palatinate. Our European partner/neighbor Poland has numerous water ways and coastal areas, too; several of them are shared and co-used by both countries and get environmentally burdened. Therefore, it makes sense to chose Poland as exemplary partner. No matter whether businesses and companies operate on a global, a European or a German level: they are particularly looking for qualified employees who are able to grasp the full complexity of issues and who are skilled in problem solving. GOALS/AIMS Deliberate handling of the resource “water” Knowledge of differences in the curricular training of professions related to chemistry and the environment as well as in the scholastic education of the participants in this project. Utilization of these insights for own personal development. Looking at national environmental criteria / Why are there different environmental criteria among the member states of the EU? Workplace Europe: professional and educational development opportunities in other European countries outside Germany Strengthening of intercultural awareness Skills development of English technical language in the field of chemistry Strengthening of the participants' personal competences Improved access to the professional world Problem-oriented application of modern analytic measuring methods PARTICIPANTS Supervisors are familiar with the subject chemistry. IT colleagues support the performance of the project. Neuwied: 2nd year of training (Fachstufe 1) and 3rd year of training (Fachstufe 2) to become a chemical laboratory technician (classes BSCL18, BSCL17) and students of our vocational high school (grades 11 and 12), chemistry course. Ages 17 to 25. External training companies for chemical technology professions: Fa. Lohmann GmbH & Co.KG, Fa. Lohmann & Rauscher GmbH & Co. KG, Fa. Zschimmer & Schwarz Chemie GmbH, Fa. Finzelberg GmbH & Co. KG. Police: students from the chemistry courses or from classes with chemistry majors participate. Ages 16 to 18. External companies of Zespol Szkol im. Ignacego Lukasiewicza: Zakłady Chemiczne „Police“ SA (in German: Chemiewerke „Police“ AG). Supported by the University of Stettin; chemistry department. ACTIVITIES AND METHODOLOGY In order to achieve the goals mentioned above, the procedures before, during and after the meetings will be the following: Preparation: Creation of a uniform working basis; preparation of the participating students/apprentices and teachers in a training session which explains the subject of the project. During each meeting: Intensive discussion of relevant problems by means of texts, documentations, expert knowledge and excursions (mandatory!). Elaboration of results in, for example, presentations, comments, videos or recommendations for action. Discovering the partner region through lectures/presentations of the hosts; excursions to extracurricular learning places. Accompanying the project: Publication of the current work on the project via eTwinning. Creation of videos (e.g. with the help of the app iMovie) about the gained knowledge and about contexts that are relevant concerning teaching. Follow-up: Written and visual reconditioning of personal impressions and experiences. Reconditioning of technical content for presentation and knowledge sharing, especially with class mates. RESULTS AND BENEFITS The material used and the work results/elaborations of the students and apprentices are going to be summarized into a broad teaching unit on eTwinning. This material shall contribute to the advancement of teaching in the respective types of school. The videos created serve as motivational intensification of the subject. The participating partner schools should continue working on their findings concerning right qualifications of future specialists as well as their adequate schooling.
Updated project schedule. Our environment - our future - our responsibility; Focusing on water, the source of life The execution of the project “Environment in our responsibility: Focus on water” could not take place as originally planned with the beginning on 01.09.2019. The following reasons caused a change in the project approach: - 13.03.2020: School closure because of Covid lockdown in Rhineland-Palatinate. - No or insufficient media equipment and internet access for online events. - Unclear situation regarding the software used for online exchange (data protection regulations of the involved states, video recordings not permitted). - Health related concerns of the apprentices to continue participating in an active exchange - Company visits and involving extern project support had not been possible as planned. - Own shortage of apprentices and teaching staff due to health reasons during the project phase. - Access to water sample points had to be reorganized and arranged (limited number of people in public areas, certain outdoor areas had been closed off). - Due to authorized project extension, participating vocational students and students left the project because they completed their final examinations and graduation. The involvement of upcoming grades of vocational students and Abitur students implied further changes in the project schedule. - From an operational perspective, training companies raised concerns about letting apprentices travel to the participating partner state when Covid rules had finally been relaxed. Hence, an active exchange in the partner state was no longer possible. - The beginning of the war in Ukraine in February 2022 presented our project partner in Poland new challenges which affected the original project schedule as well. The first C1 meeting took place according to plan. Within the ID activities, the types of activities had been performed the best way possible, given the fact that the changes in circumstance mentioned above occurred. Training company visits and higher education institution visits could not be offered. After the sudden change of the project situation in March 2020, the project partners agreed on the following further process: - Further meetings had been performed online. Dates for meetings had been agreed upon short-term according to the processing status of project contents. - The project partners integrated and worked on the project contents in the apprentices´ and students´ lessons at the respective schools increasingly. With this change, the project partners prepared the planned project parts of the short-time exchanges in such ways that allowed exchanges and discussions about the particular processing status. As consequence, the work on project parts had been extended. - The joint short-time trainings for the staff had been organized via telephone and online meetings. - As project enhancement, we included a filtration cleaning system for wastewater based on natural filtering material which vocational students had planned during the project phase. Short description and integration in the project The model system above displays the first cleaning stage of raw water from a well within the drinking water treatment. It simulates how reduced iron and manganese fall out and can be detached per oxidation. The water values which result from the treatment can be recorded and compared pre and post cleaning stage. The model presentation enables a vivid depiction of the complexity of drinking water treatment. Within the project, we were not only able to work out measurement series of possible water qualities, but also to discuss the potentials of subsequent drinking water treatment. We derived the change in procedure from the general changes in a more digitalized professional world. For contemporary chemical companies with global branches and cooperation partners, the “online conference” is crucial for business growth and prompt project management. In project development and in the transfer of the progress status to employees all over the world, the factor “time” is a significant cost factor in a modern globalized economy. All project participants supported and accepted these changes in the project structure. Each person was aware of the currently increased importance of the project`s topic. The significance oscillated clearly between the professional field and the individual way of living which was reinforced by current debates in societies worldwide about the protection of the environment and sustainability. Due to that personal affection, the project developed a huge momentum of its own which allowed a lively project realization. The following project structures have been determined as being disadvantageous: - Considering the long duration, vocational students and students had to leave the project behind because of their final examinations and their graduation. The involvement of upcoming participants had an impact on the work process. - The targeted project goals should not be organized in a two-year time-bound Erasmus project. At this point, short processing periods via an Erasmus project series should be established. This way, current topic related phenomena or problems could become part of the project sooner and more easily. All project participants wish for a thematic integration in school lessons even after the completion of the project. Thanks to the project, the participants gained sustained knowledge about the significance of dependencies within the field of environmental issues, their own active lifestyles and the economic necessities when dealing with water.