The project served to intensify the internationalization strategy at the Berufskolleg Hilden and helped to expand the existing partnerships and cooperation within the framework of the "Europaschule" and to enter into new cooperations. For the participants, it was a good opportunity to complement their professional qualification with a stay in other European countries and thus to strengthen their professional profile. BTA: During the placement the beneficiaries were able to experience the every day routine of the job they are being trained for. They were able to get an insight into the organization of university based research laboratories and worked on a small research project of their own. They can expand their intercultural knowledge. Commercial vocational school: On the one hand, the trainees were given the opportunity to expand their professional competence through practical work experience in foreign branches of their training companies, and on the other hand, they were able to greatly deepen their communication skills by using the foreign language in a professional context. Intercultural encounters with local employees were not only intended to shape the trainees' self-confidence, but also contributed to an additional motivational boost in their training. The same applies to the participation of two trainees in the international management workshop in Rotterdam, who were given the opportunity for intercultural encounters especially through joint group work with members from other nations.
The main objective of the project was to promote vocational and full-time school mobilities in order to give students insights into international working environments and to support and strengthen them in their professional and academic development. In doing so, the pupils get to know other companies and working environments on an international, especially European, level and broaden their professional perspective. Intercultural encounters promote multilingual exchange between the participants and lead to self-confidence and an improvement in communication skills. BTA: The placement is an integreted part of the fulltime schoolbased Training for lab technicians at the vocational college Hilden. Nine trainees were supported and did their placement for 12 weeks in universtity based research laboratories in Europe (two in the year 2020 and seven in the year 2021). The prospective information technology assistants (ITA) also complete a compulsory work placement as part of their training. 4 students planned to take the opportunity of an 8-week internship abroad. Commercial vocational school: As part of the project, two trainees were enabled to complete their professional internship abroad for four and three weeks respectively. Two trainees took part in a two-week international management workshop in Rotterdam.