The project aimed to improve the quality and effectiveness of internship programmes by fostering collaboration and sharing best practices among sending and hosting organisations, tutors and interns from three European countries. We sought to address common challenges such as insufficient supervision, lack of structure, and misalignment with labour market needs. Specifically, thought the outputs of the project we: (1) enabled the exchange of experiences and good practices to raise the quality of internships; (2) developed practical guidelines that reflected the needs and expectations of learners, tutors, employers, and organisations accross 3 countries; and (3) strengthened communication and cooperation between stakeholders to build more effective and inclusive programmes. By achieving these objectives, we intended to make VET activities more attractive, support the creation of meaningful work-based learning experiences, and enhance young people’s employability. The project also aimed to contribute to the internationalisation strategies of VET providers by trying to build networks, strengthening the existing ones and facilitating cross-border partnerships that would support high-quality mobility opportunities across Europe.
Young people across Europe face significant challenges when entering the labour market, often due to limited access to quality work-based learning opportunities. Internships are a crucial tool to bridge the gap between education and employment, but many programs still suffer from poor quality, lack of structure, insufficient mentorship, and inadequate learning content. These issues reduce their effectiveness in supporting skills development and employability. Our consortium – Lexema Ltd (Malta), Associazione Culturale Pro.m.e.t.eu.s (Italy), and Work Experience Agency Ltd (Ireland) – applied for this project to address these gaps and improve the overall quality of internship programs.In response, our consortium set out to improve the quality and consistency of internship programmes. We targeted the needs of learners, tutors, employers, and both sending and hosting organisations by codifying good practice, clarifying roles, and strengthening cross-border collaboration. This focus aligned with Erasmus+ priorities on adapting VET to labour-market needs, increasing the attractiveness of VET, and supporting internationalisation strategies.