BACKGROUND AND RATIONALEConstruction industry has been hardly hit by the crisis, and faces the challenge of being capable of emerging stronger by responding to an increasingly demand of skilled workforce, due to its technification and the replacement of retired craftsman. While apprenticeship has been recognized as an opportunity to tackle youth unemployment, it is not being as successful as expected in Italy and Spain. Within this context, apprenticeship in construction industry is a solid chance for youth to build their future. However, VET counts on a wide social negative outlook. Together with a traditionally school based, VET lacks of strong apprenticeships and a clear intermediary body between construction VET centres and SMEs; all of this, creates barriers for its development and lowers apprenticeships value in both countries. AIMSTherefore, project’s aim was to improve SMEs involvement in apprenticeship by developing actions to get two main objectives:*To build capacities of construction business representatives as an intermediary body and boost their leverage effect in apprenticeship culture, by founding their position and drawing role in a short, medium and long term. *To give support and motivation to SMEs and VET centres in assigning a qualified trainer through mechanisms that trigger the recognition of in-company tutors as key players for a proper trainee’ learning and to raise the employer’s confidence in this kind of learning on the building site.RESULTS- Good business practices in EuropeIn order to identify, define and benchmark successful strategies that some countries are putting in place to involve SMEs in learning programmes, 12 experts from EU organisations from countries with a long tradition in learning programmes cooperated in the study (interviews). Also, constraints that are hindering an effective participation of SMEs in apprenticeship programs were defined by the realization of 4 focus groups, as well as up to 14 recommendations structured in a Strategic Roadmap to overcome them.- Status quo of in-company tutorsBased on the strategic Roadmap, the project undertook the definition of the status quo of in-company tutors in Spain and Italy, by carrying out a field study (documentary analysis plus surveys and interviews).As a result, the final qualification perimeter was defined, establishing the core skills that would eventually compose the “In-company tutor qualification”- Qualification In-company tutor in the building industry Based on the qualification perimeter, the project designed the qualification named the “In-company tutor in the Building Industry”. This level 4 qualification has been developed according to EQF and ECVET methodology: 4 modules, 20 hours duration and 1 ECVET.- Mechanisms to raise the quality of apprenticeship programs in SMEs In line with the roadmap and the status quo of in-company tutors, the project activated some mechanisms to help SMEs to raise the quality of apprenticeships in view of promoting excellence and facilitate their participation in these programs. Outputs were:*Memorandum of Understanding (MoU): agreement between the partnership that expresses a convergence of will between the parties*Accreditation system and recognition procedure: to assess, accredit and recognize the in-company tutors’ skills. IMPACT AND DISSEMINATION- Endorsement by stakeholdersIn order to underpin all results and outputs, the partnership has carried out several activities aimed to get a sound endorsement from stakeholders, trying to raise employer’s confidence on this kind of work-based learning in the building site: +100 endorsement commitments 4 seminars +80 participants 2 National Advisory Groups- Dissemination, exploitation and impact Project website: www.cotutorproject.eu Social networks: #CoTutorEU Diffusion in international networks/projects Final diffusion day

"Buildings are the major source of global demand for energy and materials that produce by-product greenhouse gases (GHG). Slowing and reversing the growth rate of GHG emissions is crucial to address climate change. One key way to reduce and, ultimately, phase out the greenhouse gases produced by the construction industry is transforming the way buildings are designed, built, and operated, as stated at the Europe 2020 Strategy. To reach climate 2020 goals within the construction industry the need to improve skills of all workers in relation to energy efficient and environmentally-friendly processes, materials and technologies is widely acknowledged. Vocational teachers hold a crucial role for the transfer of knowledge to current and future workers at the construction sector, as a great part of its labour force comes from VET pathways. For that reason, BuS.Trainers’ goal is to design and provide ‘green training’ to Vocational trainers to overcome skills mismatch and boost sustainability in the construction sector. Based on existing evidences, building up VET trainers’ skills in Energy Efficiency and Renewable energies is the required breakthrough to address the weak link between education and green innovation in the sector, because of the effect of this occupational profile in the whole training supply chain.With the main objective of jointly develop and deliver a thorough training system for Vocational Trainers to better perform teaching in sustainable construction, several interconnected activities have been implemented:*Research and analysis of green skills demands (labour market and EU policies) and related skills gaps in the occupational profile ‘VET trainers of construction industry’: Report on skills gap (WP2).*Design of a new qualification based on skills needs identified: “Eco-Trainer in the construction industry"" qualification (WP3), a trans-national and sectoral qualification for VET trainers in the construction industry, directed towards sustainable and efficient construction in South Europe.*Learning outcome-oriented modularity of the qualification, with 8 modules in a total of 200 learning hours, which allows partial or total accreditation, as well as accreditation through prior learning/experience by means of ECVET (WP3).*Definition of learning outcomes, assessment method and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) following the EQF methodology and underpinned with EQAVET principles (WP4).*Deveolpment of the Eco-trainers online course (WP5).*Development of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the sustainability of the course and its accreditation system (WP6). *Addition of the Eco-trainers course into the Official Maltese Qualification system, thus becoming an official curricula (WP6).*Delivery of the training course for testing the product for a better adjustment to final users –trainers, with the enrolment of more than 170 trainers (WP7).*Involvement of stakeholders at local Info-days and endorsement seminars, paving the way for the uptake of project outcomes, generating interest, raising awareness and attracting attention of key actors, target groups and industry in general (WP8).*Dissemination actions to spread project results and share solutions, enabling a wider community to take advantage from EU funding (WP9).The project shows a positive impact on VET providers enhancing the quality and adequacy of their trainings/classes portfolio and their net of trainers, on vocational trainers that will upgrade their teaching skills according to market needs, on VET trainees and workers who will receive up-to-date knowledge in green skills, on companies who will have better skilled workforce and, finally, on the rest of industry and society who will benefit from the added value of cooperation in green curricula design and delivery to address climate change."

RenovUp project results from an observation made by professionals in the construction industry: the current training facilities for site managers and team leaders do not take sufficient account of the specificities related to the renovation of buildings and its various constraints. There is a real need, confirmed by companies and professional federations in the partner countries, to reorient them in terms of objectives, content and methods of learning, in order to enable the targeted learners to strengthen their capacity to better understand the renovation as a whole, to foresee and plan the related specific interventions, to better communicate and convince in complex situations on these sites.In order to achieve this objective of professionalization the targeted audiences in the countries of the partnership first, then beyond, 5 partners from 5 countries have come together to design a model of repository to meet the evolutions of these two functions, declinable in national schemes, consistent with the priorities, contexts and resources specific to each partner country.This project brings together experienced and complementary partners in the design and implementation of professionalization schemes for managers, technicians and construction workers: 3 national and regional networks of vocational training (initial and continuing) in the building trades in France (CCCA-BTP), Italy (Formedil) and Spain (FLC Asturias), a recognised technological and pedagogical research organisation in Poland (Lukasiewicz ITE Network) and in Greece, a professional federation of the sector, also advisory body (Pedmede). A systemic approach, based on cooperation with associated actors (national, regional and local) involved in the fields of guidance, vocational training and recognition of learning outcomes (formal and informal), will be implemented. This cooperation will enable the following projects to be carried out for site managers and team leaders of building renovation projects:•A transnational model for positioning, coaching and professionalization, mainly based on training in working situations in the company, supplemented by training modules in training centres, as well as by e-learning.•Transnational schemes for:oThe evaluation and recognition of learning outcomes with Open BadgesoThe training of teachers, trainers and masters/tutors preparing for the accompaniment and training of the targeted audiences.•Implementation of a transnational strategy for the positioning, support and professionalization of targeted audiences.This three-year project includes conceptualization, implementation, in situ experimentation and evaluation of results. Ongoing and final productions will be supervised by National Expert Groups (NAG) and subject to an ongoing evaluation. 6 biannual transnational seminars will have to validate them, to ratify any adaptations if necessary and to promote the dynamic of the communication and dissemination of the results.RenovUp will allow the evolution of the design of professional development of targeted audiences, more individualized and more based on the formative exploitation of the real work situations of the learners. The partners also want the skills acquired to be clearly identifiable, and their recognition and validation to be effective.With 3 well-identified impacts, declinable at national levels, this project will meet the expectations of SMSE in terms of the skills development of the targeted audiences:•Real and measurable strengthening of education and professional partnerships established locally, regionally, nationally and at transnational level to meet the expectations of the enterprises concerned in a sustainable and satisfactory manner (especially SME) in terms of their site manager and team leader skills in building renovation•Better integration of work situations training into individual professionalisation projects, creating lasting links between in-company training, vocational schools/training centres and e-learning,•Systematic integration of environmental and climate objectives, as well as constantly evolving OSH standards, into the management of work sites and teams on the work sites concerned.

At the origin of the project, several surveys conducted by observation structures of construction trades in France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Poland, Portugal and the United Kingdom showed a mismatch between the expectations of the companies and the nature of trainings for middle management on sites. In addition, analyzes demonstrated difficulties in recruiting team leaders and sites managers, not because of the shortage of manpower in general, but often for lack of training sufficiently adapted to the evolution of these functions.This is why the partners reviewed, updated and experimented the training courses concerned, so that they match more to the evolution of standards, organizations and operating procedures on site, in accordance with the wishes of the economic world and in relation with the profile of the candidates available to be site manager or team leader. 9 organizations took part in the project:•8 training centers for construction trades (4 national networks : CCCA-BTP (FR) – coordinator, FLC (ES), Formedil (IT), Cenfic (PT) and 3 regional networks : IFPAME (BE), BZB (DE) and FLC Asturias (ES) and a local center : Warrington Collegiate (UK)),•A research organization specialized in training engineering and validation of learning outcomes (IBE (PL))The partners realized the following productions:•Identification of the transversal skills of the team leaders and site managers desired by the companies and their matching with the training available,•Formulation of the training contents for team leaders and site managers grouped in 9 thematic blocks and 43 training units (with the evaluation criteria) that can be grouped into larger blocks of training,•Accuracy of training methods and tools adapted to the objectives and contents of the targeted trainings, aiming the individualization of the training and support process of the learners,•Design and life-size experimentation of a transnational model for the validation, recognition and transparency of the learning outcomes from the training courses designed and implemented by each partner. These main productions were accompanied by numerous ancillary productions: progress reports, national analyzes and methodology tools (annexes 15-27).In addition, the partners organised:•8 results dissemination seminars (Infodays) specifically dedicated to the project that brought together training professionals, representatives of social partners, researchers, institutions and representatives of companies,•Communication actions during meetings and seminars not specific to the project but concerning its target audiences (board of directors of partners training organizations, professional days, trade fairs for vocational guidance, technical meetings concerning other partnerships for skills),•Publications, mainly digital, on their websites as well as on www.constructyvet.eu about the life of the project and the available productions.Common productions can be adapted to the specific contexts and objectives of each partner, in terms of contents, teaching and evaluation methods. The intention was to propose a model allowing each organization to take a step back from its national references, to integrate the good practices and to select those which can be the most useful. Annex 1 contains a summary of the project phases and a list of productions. Annex 2 presents its progress over the time.Key figures:•Interviews in the companies: 112•Learning units designed : 43•Experimental sessions implemented : 59•Number of participants in the experimental sessions : 782•Number of Infodays: 13•Number of participants in the Infodays: 286ALL THE ANNEX ABOUT THIS PROJECT ARE AVAILABLE ON THIS INTERNET ADDRESS : http://www.reforme.org/2018/10/31/constructyvet-project-mission-accomplished/

"The project ""SoMExNet - Network enhancing the SoMEx app"" aimed at implementing an extensive process to support and improve an existent tool: the SoMEx app. The SoMEx app was developed during a previous Erasmus+ project (2014-1-BE01-KA202-000875) as a tool to provide VET trainees taking part in mobility exchanges with all the necessary information (general info, travel, schedules, culture, language, contacts, evaluation, certification, etc.). This Android app helped the SoMEx partners (four VET training centers and a national association) to increase the number of mobility exchanges in the building sector. The SoMExNet was the logical continuation of this successful partnership: SoMEx partners were joined by two new partners (one more national organisation involved in VET in the building sector and one university as technical partner) with the objective to enlarge the number of institutions using the app and, by that means, the number of mobility exchanges in Europe. The main objective of the project was to make trainees aware of mobility opportunities and therefore to increase the mobility of young workers in the building sector on the European labour market. The SoMExNet partners developed an extensive process and toolkit in order to make the SoMExNet app available to any institution interested in it. Several activities were undertaken by the partners to reach that goal. First, the technical partner developed a new version of the app with a new back office and with new functionalities (including new build-in communication tools for trainees and trainers enrolled in a mobility action to interact with each other). Now the multilingual SoMExNet app (available in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish) can be downloaded free of charge both on Android and IOS smartphones. Second, the partners developed tools (online platform, users' kit, pedagogical kit and pedagogical process) to support the app and to help any interested institution to use it for its mobility projects in an autonomous way. These tools are available in all SoMExNet partners' languages (English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish). In parallel, the SoMExNet partners tested the app in real-life mobilities to get feedback and be able to improve the final project outputs. Third, the SoMExNet partners ensured a large dissemination for the app through the building a users' network linked by a users' adhesion charter. The SoMExNet app and related process is now proposed to the general public as a reference tool for European mobilities in the building sector and beyond."