By implementing the project, we, as representatives of vocational education together with employers representatives, wanted to explore and test the needs and opportunities for collaboration between both fields, to better align vocational education with the needs of employers who are seeking employees. We wanted to influence the development and improvement of vocational education quality by developing, implementing, and disseminating, together with employers (representatives of the lifting industry), a model collaboration solution (course curriculum, syllabus, and teaching materials) that other employers and educational institutions could take after, expanding their offerings, meeting employers' staffing needs, and improving the quality of vocational education. We also wanted to influence the development of our institutions by providing our staff with experience in implementing international projects and developing solutions and materials that we could implement to improve the quality and effectiveness of our courses.
We applied for the project as a Continuing Education Institution in response to numerous signals from employers that the skills and qualifications of vocational course graduates did not align with employers' demands for qualifications in specific professions, and that companies had to incur significant costs for additional training. These observations were confirmed by our consultations with employers. The need was to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of vocational education so that students were not only prepared to pass exams but also possessed practical skills sought after by employers. The project addressed the need to establish a framework for cooperation between educational institutions (Continuing Education Centers, vocational schools) and employers to best align educational offerings with their labor market needs. By implementing the project, we wanted to influence the development of the potential of our institutions, gain experience in implementing international projects, and develop teaching materials that we will be able to implement in our ongoing educational activities.