Our aim is to help VET providers face significant challenges in organising long-term learner mobilities, including the lack of a reliable European partner network, limited practical guidance for mobility coordinators, hesitations from learners and parents (especially those with fewer opportunities), and concerns from companies about learners’ extended absences. Prep4Pro addressed these challenges through 3 key objectives: 1. Build a strong and sustainable, trust-based European VET network with complementary study offers and strong local support ecosystems, and formalised through a charter, a new partnership agreement, a sustainability & cooperation plan and a network development plan. 2. Facilitate high-quality ErasmusPro mobilities by developing a practical roadmap covering key concerns such as legal aspects, mentoring, social integration, and inclusion - especially for learners with fewer opportunities. 3. Promote ErasmusPro to all stakeholders through targeted communication strategies and tools that raise awareness, motivate participation, and address concerns from learners, parents, people with fewer opportunities, companies, and VET staff.
This project is a response to the growing shortage of qualified workers in key VET sectors across Europe, as highlighted by the European Commission and Cedefop. To meet labour market demands, VET providers must increase the number of learners, improve training quality and promote long-term mobilities that boost both professional and personal competences. Although ErasmusPro offers great potential, long-term mobilities remain underused due to persistent challenges: difficulty finding trustworthy partners with compatible study offers, lack of reliable on-site mentorship for learners and the need for practical guidance in organising high-quality placements, especially for those with fewer opportunities. Our partnership identified a strong need for: • A sustainable network of reliable VET partners across Europe • Good practices and tools to manage long-term mobility with confidence and quality • Inclusive strategies to engage learners, parents and companies • Support structures to ensure learners are guided, safe and integrated abroad Prep4Pro was created to tackle these needs by providing practical solutions, fostering trust and collaboration and facilitating long-term VET mobilities, especially for disadvantaged learners.