Objective 1 was to improve the language skills of the participants, as English is becoming increasingly important in the international economy. Through the internships abroad, the participants were able to improve their language skills, especially in professional contexts. Objective 2 was to increase the participants' job opportunities, as the students were able to gain international work experience and acquire key competences that give them a decisive advantage in the labour market. The internships were certified with the Europass Mobility Passport to ensure international recognition. Objective 3 was the development of professional skills, personal development and learning new work processes. By working in an unfamiliar environment, the participants were able to make great progress in the area of personal development and acquire skills that offer indispensable advantages in later working life. In addition, the attractiveness of the BHAK Gänserndorf should be increased by offering internships abroad. The BHAK Gänserndorf has been accredited in the KA1 sector, which has allowed for the establishment of internships in Ireland at the school. The internships are often also quoted as one reason to enrol at the school.
The BHAK/BHAS Gänserndorf is a vocational school in the district of Gänserndorf in Lower Austria. We provide students with practical training for their entry into professional life. There are two types of school at our institute, first the commercial school, from which students graduate with a final exam after three years. Furthermore, there is the commercial academy, which concludes with the Austrian version of the A-levels (“Matura”) after five years of education and thus enables graduates to either enter professional life directly or allows them to continue their education at tertiary level. A particularly important part of the education is the completion of internships of 150 hours per week during the three-year course and 300 hours per week during the five-year course. The internships are usually completed by the students in local companies during the summer holidays. The project "Leanúint", which follows the steps of its predecessor "le chéile", offered interested students of the BHAK Gänserndorf the opportunity to complete 14-day work placements in the Irish capital Dublin and thus add an international component to their education at the BHAK Gänserndorf.