The project ACT2IMPACT tackled the existing gap between the set of soft skills detained by young adults preparing to enter the labor market or recently in their first job and the needs currently faced by companies. Due to the fast-changing business environment, the set of skills needed from professionals is also changing. Professionals, in addition to being highly qualified and good learners, need to improve their creative skills, to adopt new ways of thinking, solving problems and collaborating with others. All of this, in order to support companies to be competitive in the market. Consequently, the labor market is also changing very quickly in a very short term. Because of that, solutions to support adults to face the new challenges of the changing labor market are already highly needed when the traditional education system has not been adapted yet to this demand. And not only innovative content is required but also new teaching methodologies must be adopted to take the theoretical knowledge into action. According to this, the challenge-solving approach is a good way to foster critical and creative thinking. The target group of the project was the one of adults over 20 years old, including students, teachers and professionals interested in the intellectual output. For the project development, a complementary team from 5 EU countries was gathered: FUNDEUN (ES) as project leader, E&D Knowledge Consulting (PT), EURO-NET (IT), University of Thessaly (GR) and Danmar Computers (PL). The project had the duration of 36 months. ACT2IMPACT aimed: 1. To develop an interactive online platform for the learning of Creativity and Critical Thinking skills, tested with adults, that shows an effective way to improve transversal skills. 2. To help to acquire and develop relevant skills and competences currently demanded by the labor market. 3. To improve and expand a quality learning opportunity in transversal skills for adults with less qualification by providing training that does not exist in the market and which will help them when accessing the labor market. ACT2IMPACT developed a single intellectual product (Online Platform and European Forum), which includes training material in Critical Thinking and Creativity to help in facing the challenges. The main result of ACT2IMPACT has therefore been this intellectual output, with its training packages on Critical Thinking, and on Creativity, and a European-wide Discussion Forum with its corresponding methodological processes. A pilot phase was implemented by the partnership to test the solution provided by the project. There, more than 100 people from the 5 countries of the association participated. The pilot phase was analyzed in a report including description of the sample, impact of the solution on the target group, suggestions for the improvement of the platform and its usefulness as training material and recommendations for interested groups that may use the program in the future. The results of the report were quite positive towards the use of the platform and the methodology for the described purpose.
ACT2IMPACT has aimed the following objectives: 1. To develop an interactive online platform that supports the learning of Creativity and Critical Thinking skills, tested with young adults, and that indicates a general itinerary for the improvement of transversal skills; 2 To help to acquire and develop relevant skills and competences (horizontal priority) such as those mentioned in the current evolution of the labor market; 3. To improve and expand quality learning opportunities for adults with less qualification (priority of adult education) since it provides training that does not exist in the market for a group that will benefit from transversal skills when accessing the labor market. In other words, ACT2IMPACT has tried to develop a learning process, not strictly based on knowledge, consisting of implementing challenges that admit very different solutions, with an attractive process that reduces one of the typical problems of online training, the high rates of abandonment With this orientation towards student action, ways of improving qualifications and access to them are created, with an effective impact on the development of the transversal skills addressed.
The project idea arose because of the existing gap between the transversal skills that young adults offer when they arrive or try to establish themselves in the labor market, and what companies demand from their new staff members. In addition, these transversal skills are increasingly required for every kind of professional. The new professionals, in addition to being highly qualified and good learners, need to improve their creative skills, to adopt new ways of thinking, solving problems and collaborating with others. In technological and business transformation, these skills are needed to make companies more competitive in the market. As usual, the demand for this profile of professionals by companies begins before the traditional educational system adapts to this demand. And it will take some time to adapt it, since it depends not only on innovative content to be taught but also on transforming teaching methodologies into action. Solutions to help young adults meet the new challenges of the changing job market are extremely needed, and the challenge-solving approach is a good way to foster critical and creative thinking.