The Erasmus+ mobility project for 2017/18 involved students, the management, head teachers and professional teachers of Järva County Vocational Training Centre. The main aim of the project was to offer JKHK students the large-scale of practical work experience that corresponds to the job market needs of the European Union and which would motivate them to improve their professional and personal skills and help them better adapt to any work environment. The focus of the staff mobility was on the development of ICT, logistics and trade, agriculture, catering services and household economy specialties. Learning outcomes included updating teaching methods, raising the quality of education, and various activities that support the successful implementation of the new structure, encouraging cooperation and promoting school development.During the period of 1st September 2017 to 31st August 2018, in total 23 students were involved inwork placements in Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Sweden, Germany and Italy. Students involved were studying one of these specialties: household economy, cooks, stone and concrete construction, construction finisher, IT junior specialist, customer service assistant for logistics’ companies, freight forwarder, agricultural producer, equine management and veterinary assistance. Staff mobility included 15 staff members (the management, head teachers and professional teachers). The aim of staff mobility was to introduce different teaching methods and tools, which would help teachers to generate new ideas on how to integrate different subjects in order to improve the teaching quality, so that the learner would be more motivated to learn, and that the knowledge would help them in the future life. The involvement of different methods and ICT tools help to teach how to solve vital problems and face challenges, and as a results of this, students are more enterprising, more willing to generate ideas and look for new solutions, able to set goals and achieve them, and are more responsible. In addition, we value life-long learning key competences: developing foreign language skills, motivating participants to study other foreign languages and gaining an interest in different cultures, teaching both students and teachers self-confidence and taking initiative. The project activities offer opportunities to broaden their mind by learning more about foreign traditions, cultures, technologies and work-specific vocational skills. In the mobility project, we included students who had already gained knowledge and professional skills and some work experience. Nevertheless, application requirements were the same for every student, and the opening of the candidature was announced via the school website and social media.VET mobilities for students were recognized as a part of the compulsory school practice,while the staff mobilities were recognized as part of their professional training. All the participants were offered full support by both sending organisation and hosting organisations before and during the mobility. The sending organisation is responsible for the preparation of the participant’s language skills, cultural awareness, travel arrangements, documentation etc. The host organization arranges, according to the pre-agreement, pick-up from the arrival point to the destination location (transfer from the airport to accommodation and back), accommodation, food, work placements etc.Based on the feedback from the participants the mobility enhanced their professional skills, working skills and understanding of the working culture. In addition, several students have improved their foreign language skills and increased the courage to use it. Entering the labor market right after graduating from school often leaves the students in a weaker position because of monotonous practices and a lack of real work experience. Work placements abroad and foreign experience makes young people more privileged than their classmates, also proves their courage and initiative to achieve more. Staff mobility also fulfilled its purpose and the experience gained was more valuable than expected. For example, teachers raised their awareness of systems and opportunities in other countries. Also, they are more critical to evaluate the methods used and are encouraged to propose different solutions for the development of specialties and school. Main outcome is that teachers value more the effective implementation of theory into practice. Solving vital tasks increase students` interest in their specialty and learning, which in turn motivates teachers to use more and more innovative methods. In the long run, it will improve the image of vocational education and increases interest in acquiring a practical profession.

"<< Background >>The project ""Fit for Europe!"" of the BBS II Stade is aimed at students at the technical college for business and administration (FOS): Since 2020 we have been offering a specialization with a European/international focus. The reason is that language learning is becoming increasingly important for workers in modern societies. It is also of great importance in conveying intercultural understanding and in intercultural cooperation. This type of school is aimed at expanding foreign language skills, gaining valuable experience abroad, preparing for international courses at universities in Germany and abroad and improving the chances of an apprenticeship, also in international companies. In the job-related learning area, instruction is given bilingually (German – English), and Spanish is also taught. We want to support the learners organizationally and financially in realizing learning mobility abroad.<< Objectives >>We want as many apprentices as possible to be able to complete internships abroad. We want to make it possible to expand foreign language skills abroad. We want to provide an attractive range of educational opportunities and thus consolidate and increase the number of FOS registrations.<< Implementation >>We offer- internships in several countries, mainly in commercial companies- local cultural activities typical of the country (e.g. company tours, concert and museum visits, sporting events, nature experiences, suggestions for leisure activities, etc.).We prepare the participants extensively:a) linguistically (among other things, the participants develop a national language glossary of important technical terms),b) intercultural training (e.g. discussing prejudices, differences and similarities and implementing them in a playful way, cultural characteristics of the target countries, dealing with the Strangers and with conflicts,...),c) Subject preparation in subject and language classes.d) clarify each environmentally friendly type of travel.Teachers from the FOS and mentors from our organization team will visit the partner organization, companies and participants for exchange and take part in a cultural program.Finally, there is a follow-up (presentation and evaluation).<< Results >>- The internships abroad are open to all learners of the FOS, in particular there is effective access to the program for participants who previously had fewer opportunities (e.g. economic, social reasons). - After the project, all participants have further increased their intercultural competence. - The learners possess new knowledge, skills and competences based on the preparation, the overall stay abroad, the units of learning outcomes and the follow-up. They therefore have better chances of success in the application process for training and university places. - The teachers of the FOS and mentors of the team abroad are even better acquainted with the local conditions. They will receive ideas for the future design of the internships and lessons.- Through our measures to disseminate the project results, the level of awareness of our offer and the number of registrations of the FOS, but also of the participants in internships abroad."

During the practical training abroad, teachers of the Berufsbildenden Schulen II as well as trainers from the partner organisations will take care of the exchange trainees.The project aims to enable the future employees to react flexibly to the changing demands of a globalized economy. In the future, employees need intercultural, communicative and language skills as well as the ability to adapt quickly to new working situations and workplaces. Therefore, it is necessary to provide the possibility of developing and improving these skills at the beginning of their career, already. A practical training abroad can be an advantage in competition. Also, the trainees will be asked to use their technical knowledge and gain new knowledge in an unknown work environment. The project can also be seen as a step to establishing a cross-border training partnership which is of increasing importance e.g. in the transnational logistic sector.In this project the Berufsbildenden Schulen II will act as sending organization. As project executing organization, the project will be managed and coordinated by the Berufsbildenden Schulen II Stade

Erasmus+ mobility project for 2018-2019 involves students, the Support Office Staff, teachers of general subjects, adult education staff and professional teachers of Järva County Vocational Training Centre. In addition, an IT specialist was included to this mobility. The main aim of the project was to offer a large-scale education to meet the needs of the labour market in European Union, to support people involved in vocational education by offering them knowledge, vocational skills and qualification that is recognized in Europe, and to continue to popularize vocational education. During the period of 1st August 2018 to 31st August 2019, in total 25 students were included to the work placement mobility in Hungary, Poland, Germany, Sicily, Sweden and Cyprus. Students involved are studying one of these specialities: car technician, building and road construction, ICT junior specialist, customer service assistant for logistics’ companies, home economics, cook, equine management and veterinary assistant. Through the staff mobility, in total 19 employees were sent to gain work experience (job shadowing) in Germany, Sicily, Belgium, Cyprus, Hungary and Lithuania, and one IT-specialist and ICT trainer-teacher was invited to JKHK to teach our ICT students. The purpose of involving support staff and general education teachers was to gain direct experience regarding different methodologies and tools that are in use in other European countries in order to cope with students with special (educational) needs (inclusive education). Teachers (home economics and cooks) wanted to learn about local traditions, customs, cuisine and working methods in hotel service in different countries, so they could teach students all about it and make changes to our respective curricula. The aim of involving adult education staff was to improve the quality of continuing education and retraining and to offer courses that are not yet available in vocational schools in Estonia. We are confident that staff mobility helps teachers increase their confidence and learn about different approaches on how better support the learner; also to generate new ideas on how to integrate subjects in order to improve the teaching quality, so that the learner is more motivated to learn, and that the knowledge helps them in the future life. The involvement of trade and logistics is necessary in order to continue the development of apprenticeship, which started last school year (Erasmus+ 2017 project). In addition, we valued life-long learning key competences: developing of foreign language skills, motivating them to study other foreign languages and to get interested in foreign cultures, teaching both students and teachers self-confidence and initiative. The project activities offered opportunities to broaden their minds by learning more about foreign traditions, cultures, technologies and work-specific vocational skills. In the mobility project, we included students from the second and third year (except students from veterinary assistant course, as it lasts only 1.5 years), because they have already gained the knowledge and professional skills and have some work experience. Nevertheless, application requirements were the same for every student, and the opening was announced in school website and social media. All the participants were offered full support by both sending organization and hosting organizations before and during the mobility. Sending organization was responsible for the preparation of participant’s language skills, cultural awareness, travel arrangement, required documentation etc.). Host organization arranged, according to pre-agreement, pick-up from the arrival point in the destination country, public transport, accommodation, food, work placements, certificate etc. Our experience shows that thanks to the student mobility, their professional skills are even better developed, they are more aware of real life working situations and understand the work culture. The professional experience helps the student to adapt to new working environment and working team. Students entering the labor market straight from school tend to be more insecure, have less courage and less (diverse) practice. Doing the work placement abroad and getting a foreign experience makes young people more privileged than their classmates, also proves their courage and initiative to achieve more. Also, teachers who take part of the program are more eager to cooperate with different countries: learn about their work ethic, methods and in return share their knowledge. As a result of the mobilities, our adult education staff tried out a new method and are eager to start a new cooperation in order to develop new curricula, cook staff have already educated our teachers, students and adult learners about cuisine in Sicily, Italy and Cyprus. After IT specialist's visit students are looking forward to another experience like that, where a foreign specialist teachers them.

Keuda Group, Vocational education and training is the 9th biggest training provider in Finland. It is owned by seven municipalities: Järvenpää, Kerava, Mäntsälä, Nurmijärvi, Pornainen, Sipoo and Tuusula. The area is within 30-80 kilometres to the north of Helsinki. Keuda offers working life -oriented education and training to the young, the adults and the business life, and development services for the progress of the region.Keuda has vocational education and training (VET) in 12 establishments, or units, in all fields of secondary VET. We have some 7000 students of which ca. 2300 are adults. Our staff amounts to 620 persons, and turn-over in 2013 was 60 mill.€.International mobility has been carried out for years. After Keuda Group launched it’s first large, multi-sector mobility project for students and staff in 2014, a lot of emphasis has been put to develop internal processes: roles of actors involved in international activities, communication and co-operation between staff and students, common tools and procedures to plan and carry out the practical work, and equal opportunities of the students.IIn LevelUp –proposal, mobility is applied for 198 persons over years 2015-2017. It is an adequate amount for a large training provider like Keuda. VET students and adult learners will go on learning mobility for periods for 3-8 weeks. For staff, two types of mobility is planned. During 7-day-visits Keuda's teachers/guidance counsellor will job shadow, participate in teaching, visit workplaces and companies, and most importantly, go over ECVET practicalities with partner school’s colleagues. For guidance counsellors especially career planning is a theme of interest. Overall staff mobility is utilized for finding ways of recognizing and validating the so called non-formal and hidden competencies acquired during mobility, together with some of the more experienced long term partners. Also 14-day on-the-job-learning in companies is planned for members of staff.LevelUp -project gathers Keuda’s most active and well functioning networks under one proposal, as well as introduces some new partners. The rather impressive network comprises 14 partners from 9 countries. Mobility is carried out reciprocally with most of the partners. A Memorandum of Understanding is signed with all partners, and all mobility is carried out using a Learning Agreement template specifically developed in Keuda. LevelUp –project supports and gives framework and content to individual study paths and prior-to-mobility coaching, that are currently being developed in Keuda Group. These themes are all written down in Keuda’s strategic plan for international activities. Also recognition of non-formal and informal learning, or the so called hidden competencies acquired during international mobility is a topic that will be looked into with some of the most longstanding, experienced partners. It is essential that all the “hidden” skills acquired by students during mobility be recognized, documented, and communicated to employers who value endurance, curiosity and productivity when recruiting new staff. The paradox is that employers are not yet aware that international mobility is an excellent indicator to find these skills in a new recruit. VET-schools can do a lot to bridge the missing gap.