Project tasks: 1. To improve the professional competencies of vocational students in the railway transport sector during practical activities. 2. Create conditions for students of the profession to do internships in foreign companies, where students could get real experience working with various infrastructures and get the basics of working with systems used in Western Europe, thus providing the opportunity to work with the latest technology and programs and ensure their better integration into the labor market not only in Lithuania but also in other EU countries. 3. To ensure that the educational process encourages future specialists to be constantly learning, self-confident, tolerant, and independent individuals.
Vocational education should be modern, dynamic, creating prerequisites for general economic growth, the country's competitiveness and the well-being of citizens. Vocational training in Lithuania recently faces major challenges: Lithuania has one of the lowest numbers of adult learners in the European Union, the highest percentage of workforce turnover is predicted and the largest shortage of qualified mid-level workforce in the European Union. Such a context forces us to act decisively and improve operational processes: to pay great attention to the development of technological and digital competences of vocational teachers in production companies; to introduce elements of quality assurance of vocational training; to form the practice of assessment and recognition of competences acquired in various ways; implement sectoral practical training centers. International mobility is one of the operational tools to overcome these challenges and improve the quality of vocational education. Vilnius College of Technologies and Design (hereinafter referred to as the College) is the only educational institution in Lithuania that trains railway transport specialists, which makes us look for examples of best practices in training these specialists abroad. The railway transport sector constantly applies the latest technologies in its activities and adopts the practices and standards of other EU countries. During the short period of professional training (the duration of most professional training programs is one year), it is difficult for students to introduce and form the necessary professional and personal qualities required by future employers, so the College tries to provide students and vocational teachers with the opportunity to gain good experience in foreign companies. This is one of the most effective tools for training professional specialists. The specifics of educational activities and strategic activity guidelines oblige the educational institution to constantly improve general and professional competences by improving the content of vocational training programs and the quality of their implementation, therefore the College pays great attention to: - the international mobility of staff and students, - the application of innovations in the implementation of vocational training programs; - the improvement of practical training.