The aim of this project proposal is for 48 Motor Mechanic, Chef and Beauty Therapy apprentices in two flows to undertake a mobility placement with the College’s direct employer based partners in Iceland and In France. This project provides College Level 3 apprentices with a 3 week European work-placement that will enhance and improve their practical skills and knowledge in the vocational areas of Motor Vehicle and Mechanic, Chefs and Beauty Therapy. It will also build there self as-teem and confidence as the target group are apprentices who are hard to reach and disadvantaged.The Motor Mechanic apprentices will be under taking a work placement in high quality garages in France. On top of their placement within the UK as a requirement of their core programme, these European placements will further give learners the opportunity to develop a range of skills and techniques, personal skills and attributes essential for successful performance in working life. Their personal development will be further enhanced by this European perspective to allow contrasts, comparisons and incremental learning to take place. (TRAINING PLANS ARE ATATCHED)The apprentices that will be participating in this project come from very rural country areas where job opportunities are very limited and the competition for jobs that are advertised is very intense. The aim of this project proposal in the chosen vocation areas through apprentice mobilities is to enable participants gain new skills and knowledge that make them more competitive in seeking and gaining employment in the labour market. The placement is tailored to the apprentices NVQ course. The project will find out what the young person wants to get out of the placement, which skills they want to develop, what barriers they face and what their career aspirations are. The majority of apprentices participating in this project come from areas of high levels social deprivation where opportunities are very limited. From the College experience these apprentices are hard to reach out to and in many cases have low self-motivation, low self-esteem and lack a lot of confidence in their own abilities in being able to access new opportunities. The aim of this project is to provide not only an opportunity for apprentices to gain new skills but also to raise their aspirations and have a European work-placement and experience that will be life changing. This project aims to emphasise to apprentices the tremendous opportunity and scope the European union offers in terms of labour market and job opportunities and being able to have the confidence to work in different countries as a result of new language. The project aims to provide a mobility experience for groups of apprentices who due to financial factors do not get the chance for learning through exchange. In addition to the vocational training and skills development that apprentices will acquire, they will also gain new and more updated vocational and customer service skills, better communication skills, more improved teamwork and problem solving abilities and genuine practical life experience will result from mobility. With regard to skills gaps apprentices need to be more flexible in their attitude, require enhanced motivation and the wider work based learning experiences that a European placement provides.For apprentices from relatively disadvantaged backgrounds and prone to risk of leaving College early and whose basic skills require nurturing, project involvement will significantly contribute to improving attainment, enhancing employability, broadening horizons and creating an energy and enthusiasm for learning. This project will develop partnerships between education and employment that significantly contribute to the development of key competences and transversal skills relevant to labour market requirements. Similarly it will enhance and reiterate the award winning international dimension of the College, (winner of the 2012 British Council Further Education International Collaboration Award) all of which mirror the specific objectives of the Erasmus+ programme. For example it reflects fully the aims of mobility by supporting apprentices in the acquisition of competences, (knowledge, skills and attitudes), •with a view to improving personal development and employability throughout Europe. It will also raise the apprentice’s awareness and understanding of other cultures, facilitating the acquisition of international contacts so important in a global world. Our organisation will grow by integrating practices across our campuses and throughout Europe. It will give rise to new thoughts practices and activities that compliment organisational objectives such as professional development, standing in the community, not to mention the enhanced learning opportunities provided by an increasingly dynamic staff with access to more and more resources, thoughts and ideas. Progression to Higher Education will be an evaluation.

CONTEXTIn 2016 South West College (SWC) were awarded the VET Mobility Charter recognising our operational capacity to manage high quality VET mobility projects, our long-term commitment to continuous improvement of mobility and the strategic approach of the organisation to incorporate transnational mobility in its activities. In line with the commitments in our International Strategy & VET charter application this project ‘Training Skills for Future Thrills’ will enable 300 apprentices to undertake a 3 week traineeship in European companies related to Hospitality, Computing, Construction, Beauty Therapy, Hairdressing, Business & Administration, Electricial, Mechanics and Health & Social Care. The traineeships will be linked the participants NVQ and BTEC level 3 programmes.‘Training Skills for Future Thrills’ will also enable 30 VET staff from SWC’s Engineering and Hospitality departments to undertake training mobility with the aim of refreshing curriculum content & pedagogical approaches. For Engineering teaching staff this will include mobility to Tknika institute of innovation for continuous improvement training in areas including new learning methods and entrepreneurship. Hospitality teachers will participate in job shadowing in Icelandic Restaurants during the Food and Fun Festival. Here Michelin Star Chefs from Europe and American are invited by Icelandic restaurants to cook their food for one week.OBJECTIVES 1. To offer 300 apprentices a 3 week traineeship mobility in Europe. 2. To specifically focus on the inclusion of participants with fewer opportunities particularly those facing cultural, geographical & educational barriers.3. To improve the transversal skills & competences of young people and particularly those running a high risk of being unemployed and socially marginalised.4. Encourage international staff training mobility’s as a mechanism to innovate & improve current pedagogical practices.5. To ensures that the learning outcomes of participating staff & students are properly recognised & validated though Europass & ECVET.PARTICIPANT PROFILEThe apprentices were 17 years of age studying vocational full time programmes at level 2 & 3. They will be a mixture of male & females, Roman Catholic & Protestants & ethnic minorities. The participants were all from very hard to reach rural areas who face a range of obstacles & few opportunities. Due to the age group of the participants, accompanying tutors were supported all mobility flows to oversee the activities & ensure the safe guarding of all participants.The profile of the academic teaching staff weMETHODOLOGY & ACTIVITIES 1. Mobility opportunities were internally promoted & participants completed an application relevant to their curriculum area & attended a short interview.2. Selected participants & accompanying persons participated in the required cultural, language & academic preparation and were supported to complete mobility agreements.3. Apprentices traveled in flows of 12 & work in an enterprise organized by the Intermediary Vocational College partner. The placements were all be vetted by College tutors prior to the placement commencing & training were mapped to the apprentices NVQ programme.4. Final evaluations, reporting and recognition of learning were be completed post mobility.The project facilitated the training and as part of the evaluation process the training plans are enclosed: (Apprentice Training plans See Annex 1) 24 chef apprentices will train in Icelandic Restaurants.24 Computing apprentices will train in Spanish Computer Enterprises24 Civil Engineering will train in German Engineering Enterprises12 Beauty Therapists will train in Astrurius Health Salons in Spain.24 Hairdressing and Sports apprentices will work in Hair-salons and Hotel Gyms in Teneriffe Spain.24 Construction apprentices will work in construction companies in Lithuania24 Electrician apprentices will work with Electrical companies in Varilelle France24 Mechanic apprentices will train with Garages in Orange France.24 Business and administration apprentices will work and train in business enterprises in Lyon France.16 Health and Social Care apprentices will work and train in Residential homes in Sweden.30 VET Staff will participant in training mobility in Spain & Iceland. (Staff Training plan See Appendix 2 and 3 )The aim of this project proposal in the chosen vocation areas through apprentice mobilities is to enable participants gain new skills andknowledge that make them more competitive in seeking and gaining employment in the labour market. The placementis tailored to the apprentices NVQ course. The project will find out what the young person wants to get out of theplacement, which skills they want to develop, what barriers they face and what their career aspirations are. The majorityof apprentices participating in this project come from areas of high levels social deprivation where opportunities are verylimited..