Lithuania is a transit country and its favorable geographical position is like a bridge between East and West. Eastern and Western European railway rolling stock is currently being operated in Lithuania, the "Rail Baltica" project is being intensively developed, and more and more innovations from Western Europe are being applied and adopted. Western Europe railway transport system is different from Lithuania. The differences are not only in the width of the track, but also in the speed of railway transport, infrastructure, etc. The College vocational training base is modern and compatible the needs of Lithuanian labour market., It is necessary to improve the qualification of teachers and the subject competencies of students, especially digital, in order to integrate into the Western European railway transport system and meet the needs of the Western European railway transport sector. During the implementation of the project, students and vocational teachers had a great opportunity to get acquainted with the latest trends in the development of railway transport, with the specifics of the training of railway transport specialists in the Republic of Austria. The project participants learnt the practices applied abroad, what kind of professional employees are currently needed, and what are the requirements for them. Internship tasks: - get acquainted with the latest information technology achievements in the implementation of digital technologies in railway transport in Austria; - to gain knowledge and experience in the use of the latest digital technologies in the training of railway transport specialists; - to acquaint vocational students with the latest railway transport, IT and digital technologies; - to acquire independent learning skills by learning according to the project-based learning methodology.
Vilnius College of Technologies and Design (farther College) is the only educational institution Lithunia that trains railway specialist, therefore we must look for examples of good practice in the training of these specialists abroad. The sector of railway transportation is constantly improving and uses the newest technologies, adopts the practices and standards of other EU countries. The College provides vocational training after adjunction of Vilnius Railway Transport and Business Services School. During the short period of professional training (the duration of most vocational training programs is 1 year), it is extremely difficult for students to introduce and form the necessary personal and professional qualities required by future employers. Therefore, the College provides students and profession teachers the opportunity to gain good experience in foreign companies. It is one of the most effective tool for training specialists. The specifics of educational activity (vocational training) and strategic activity guidelines (strategic plan) oblige to constant improvement of general and professional competences of vocational teachers by improving the content of vocational training programs and the quality of their implementation, therefore the institution pays great attention to: - international staff and student mobility; - employment of innovations in the implementation of training programs; - improvement of practical training models; - arrangement and implementation of projects.