• Increase the technical skills of students in professional courses in the field of information technology. • Increase their language skills in a new lanaguage. • Promote the development of personal skills, including autonomy, reflection, critical thinking, communication, integration, etc. • Foster understanding of a new culture and get them to work for it. • Disseminate the experience within the school o. • Disseminate Portuguese culture in host institutions. • Value other languages and cultures belonging to the European Union. • Encourage the sharing of experiences among the teachers involved, promoting cooperative learning.
In recent years, Carlos Amarante School has had difficulty in attracting public for professional courses (PC), even with guaranteed work in the local market at the end of their training (data provided by InvestBraga). In addition to this, students who have, in recent years, opted for a PC report that they did it as a last option (information collected in the diagnostic questionnaire applied at the beginning of the course). In what concerns teachers, (data collected in the distribution of the teaching service), we can see that the PCs are neglected in relation to other classes because students are labeled as unmotivated, with behavioral problems and with little prospect of success. On the part of the companies that welcome them in internships in the 11th and 12th grades, we also feel, year after year, the difficulty in accepting the internships. International projects will bring these students unique opportunities to complement their training in an EU country, a factor that will act as an enticing factor in the search for this type of education and will promote the Professional Courses in the educational community and also in the local community - teachers, parents and local companies recognize the value of these experiences.