Promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in particular for females, is a priority across Europe. In the UK only 13% of all STEM jobs are occupied by women yet it is known that STEM education and careers lead to better job prospects than most other subject areas, greater financial rewards, and exciting opportunities for individuals and businesses alike. Within the South West College STEM Centre in Northern Ireland, a needs analysis has been carried out on young people who participate in STEM enrichment activities. This has confirmed that girls and young women find STEM subjects and STEM careers less attractive than other options. Young people have identified a need to promote STEM careers for girls, identify more relevant role models and develop new skills through overcoming stereotypical challenges. However, critically, young women are not aware of how they can affect change in this area and feel powerless to address the challenges identified.The ‘Miss STEM’ project (Motivating, Inspiring and Supporting Skills in STEM) is designed to give young females the opportunity to voice their opinion on why STEM subjects and careers are typically seen as an unattractive choice for females. The overall aim of this project was to disseminate to local, regional and national policy makers, legislators and STEM stakeholder a voice from young females based on ‘‘Why STEM subjects and careers are currently unattractive to young females’. Miss STEM helps to build a bridge between young women and decision makers and increase active participation in civic life. MISS STEM recruited a group of young women at different stages of STEM career paths and facilitating discussion and structured dialogue on barriers to STEM careers. Critically the themes, priorities and the working methods for projects will be defined and agreed by the young participants: • Young women in the early stage of a STEM Career (age 21-30) • Young women studying a STEM course in Further Education (age 16-25), and • Girls in secondary education (13-18) whom have not yet chosen a STEM career path . A series of national meetings will tookplace through Miss STEM which included 'structured dialogue' and engagement with policy makers at local (Mid Ulster Council), regional (Northern Ireland assembly) and national level (UK Houses of Parliament). Through these meetings, participants were given the opportunity to gain a holistic understanding of policy development and the complexities of the legislation process. The praparation and meeting involved both non-formal and informal learning. Impact and outcomes from the projects included engaging and empowering young females and facilitating links with policy makers and stakeholders, developing new skills through overcoming stereotypical challenges, leveraging and promoting STEM careers for women and stimulating STEM debate through the development of a digital animation and on-line poll. The long term impact is to contribute to a greater uptake by females in STEM subjects and careers. Miss STEM animation link: https://youtu.be/0IS-wBzJPWk

WORKPLACEMENT STUDENTS VET (48 students)Workplacement in 2015 and 2016 for students of the third degree of the departments Restaurant-Kitchen vocational secondary education, the 7the specialisation years Domestic Caterer and Restaurantmanagement-Beverages, Hotel and Hospitality Technical secondary education and the Se-n-Se Hotelmanagement, in France, Spain, Iceland, United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands and Malta. The students want to increase the knowledge of the regional kitchen, work in the restaurant, front office and reception, animation program as well as acquire more experience in international first class hotel chain or resort or restaurant. AIM OF THE PROJECT - Confrontation with the reality of working in a restaurant, kitchen, hotel reception - Apply the acquired knowledge, skills and attitudes by working in a real working situation - Learn what are the shortcomings and strong points - Stimulate to be a more mature adult - Improve responsibility and increase social skills and attitudes - Have the possibility to work with new technologies and new European trends in cooking - Learn new techniques and methods - Learn to deal with factors as working time, working hours, work speed, efficiency, productivity, hospitality and quality assurance. - Basis understanding in daily practice in the kitchen, kitchen organization and management, construction and safety, food safety and hygienic laws… - Be more fluent in other European languages - Increase European citizenships WHEN? - The workplacement for the students last 6 to 8 weeks and is scheduled in the third period of the school year 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 There was also a longer workplacement for one student that has finished his studies and wanted to do an international workplacement before starting higher studies in the field of gastronomy and 2 workplacements of 20 days by dental technicians in the NetherlandsMENTORING During the workplacements the students have an individual mentor of the company. Co-mentorship is done by a regional Hotelschool or organisation skilled in follow up of students workplacements. During the workplacement all students will also be visited by the schoolmentor and they will use the online reporting platform Quickstage WINE STUDY OF 14 DAYS (26 students)Students of the 7th specialization yearsreceive a practical en theoretical course in workshops on the field of the following subjects: - harvesting of apples - berries and stone fruit cultivation - harvest of wine grapes - Process of vinification - working in the wine cellar - organization of wine degustations - production of sparkling wines and special work in the cellar - alcoholic drinks (grappa) - production of vinegar oilt - Italian cheese production WHEN? First 14 days of Oktober in 2014 and 2015MENTORING The students are mentored by the staff of Laimburg Research Center for Agricultrure and Foresty and by the accompanying teachers. WORKPLACEMENT – JOBJADOWING – LESSONS TEACHERS HOTEL (10 teachers)In order to have an optimal functioning of our teachers, to keep the lessons up to date and up to the expectations of the companies in the field of gastronomy, to increase the collaboration between hotelschools and stakeholders, to obtain new insight pedagogically and subject related, Stella Maris offers the opportunity to teachers technical subjects and language teachers to do an internship in other European hotelschools and to have job shadowing or give themselves some lessons WHEN? These internships are scheduled during the examinations or work placements of the students IN SERVICE TRAINING TEACHERS DENTAL TECHNIQUES (5 teachers)The evolution in the field of dental techniques is going very fast and every year new an modern high technological equipment and techniques are coming on the market. The firms Ivoclar and Amann Girbach are offering for free the opportunity to our teachers to follow an in the company a training with this new equipment. These are mainly ICT courses with new scanners and programs. This new equipment of 3D scanners is available as well in Stella Maris due to the support of those companies, but a yearly update of the program and the possibilities of it is necessary in order to be able to give lessons that are up to the expectations of the industry.RESULTS AND IMPACTStudents having done an workplacement are a lot more open for new cultures and more willing to start an international career in the field of gastronomy. After a workplacement they are a lot more mature and some of the students decided after to do start higher studies at. We have seen also an increase in practical knowledge and use of European language. The knowledge of our teachers in their field of education (gastronomy and dental technician) has increased and introduced in the theoretical and practical lessons of our students. Due to working together with other hotel schools we have a larger network of first class companies offering workplacements.

"Europe needs for its increasingly diverse labor market more and more flexible and well educated workforce. Therefore the demands on the professional and social skills of construction workers and those who train them are growing constantly. Hereupon the Knobelsdorff School reacts with its increasing internationalization of vocational training in the construction sector and participating in international educational projects . Christoph Hertz (christoph.hertz@knobelsdorff-schule.de) and Kristian Wuthe (kristian.wuthe@knobelsdorff-schule.de ) are responsible for the organization of the projects.The aim of the now completed project was to empower our students already during their initial training for working in Europe across regional and national borders and to make our employees gain acces to the skills required to support them the best possible way. The aim was to improve the basic factor of human capital in the construction industry . The chances of trainees for their future professional life at home and abroad should be increased.Important to us was in this case the best possible coordination of internship-activities on the respective trade-typical training contents of the participants.According to our plan, the project lasted for one year and was realized with 90 mobilities in different partner countries.Participants were:Young people of the second and third year of training in their initial training (carpenters, masons, carpenters, concrete workers, plumbers, electricians and metal workers). Duration of mobility activities was up to three weeks. Students of Knobelsdorff School in the sector of technical assistant for preservation of cultural heritage also participated in mobilities of up to 3 weeks. Trainers, teachers and management personnel took part in mobilities from 2 to 5 days.Main activities of the apprentices:- The participants were staying abroad and working closely together with our partners in small-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and were divided and integrated into the on-going construction projects.- Restoration work on a monument respectingnational regulations and regional crafts. The restorers of the Memorial ""Mauthausen"" informed the participants and performed specific tasks.- Improvement of language skills. The participants had to talk about specific topics in English language in order to implement work tasks with colleagues simply and coherently.Transfer of innovation:The mobility of trainers, teachers and executives leaded to insights about the organization, the methods and the strategies of the partner, and effected new impulses. This is an important contribution to the development of curricula and the school program and promotes the implementation of reform initiatives. An awareness of the social importance of international partnerships for research and teaching was created. International exchanges were not an end in itself, but should have culturally inspired and quality enhanced learning results. By the project Knobelsdorffstraße school has helped to improve the ability of young people to participate in democratic life in Europe, to make our educational system more efficient and to help young people to enter the European labour market more easily. The project focussed on providing the accompanying key competences, such as improving language and professional skills, as well as on peaceful interaction with other people and cultures."

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.

"Context of projectThe EuroSTEAM project is an Erasmus+ funded project that aims to increase basic maths, literacy and Science skills of students throughout Europe by introducing STEAM teaching methodologies to teachers. Low attainment levels in these subjects is a common problem throughout Europe with a varying underperformance throughout different regions. This is highlighted in various Euopean poilicy documents which claim that approximately 20% of young learners throughout Europe are not adequately equipped with relevant STEM based skills.The EuroSTEAM project has a key aim to tackle this problem and identify a new approach to nurturing these skills within students.The Eurosteam project had a duration of 36 months beginning in September 2016 and concluding on the 31st of August 2019.Project objectivesBy taking into account our key aim of boosting skills of young learners, the EuroSTEAM project had these objectives:1.Formulate a research study identifying underachievement in maths, science and literacy skills of learners aged 11–14 throughout Europe and identify how problem based STEAM methodologies can address these shortcomings.2.Develop a range of STEAM resources which are accessible for teachers to deliver in their classrooms to boost the required skills set and to provide teacher training handbooks in 5 European Languages.3.Develop an Online Toolkit which acts as a hub for downloading resources and also allow users to contribute their own resources to ensure the continuity of the toolkit.Participating organisationsThe project consisted of:- South West College (United Kingdom) – SWC is a vocational and technical college located in Northern Ireland. SWC is the lead partner on the EuroSTEAM project. - Thomas More Kempen (Beglium) – TM is the largest University college in Flanders with Aproximately 14,000 learners participating in a multitude of programmes. - Childrens museum Rome (Italy) – Il Museo Dei Bambini is a non-profit museum for children, schools and families where the exhibits can be observed, touched and interacted with in order to support learning.- ETIC (Portugal) – ETIC is an educational institution in the fields of creative industry and has a focus on promoting innovation, technology and creativity within education.- TKNIKA (Spain) – TKNIKA is the Institute for the Innovation of the Vocational and Educational Training System which promotes innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship in schools and VET centres of the Basque Country.- Heilig Graf (Belgium) –HG is a school organisation and one of the first secondary schools in Belgium to start with a specific programme called STEM.- Via Mar dei Caraibi (Italy) – VMDC is a school situated in a heterogeneous district of Rome. Main activities undertakenThe project has had 7 transnational partner meetings. With the inclusion of face to face meetings, partners have also gained the opportunity to collectively test and consult with each other on project outputs.Intellectual outputsThroughout the project, partners have produced the following 3 outputs. 1.Comparative analysis report which identifies the underachievement of Maths, Literacy and Science skills within young learners throughout Europe and the need for a ""problem based"" STEAM approach to teaching.2.The development of 3 creative and educational camps which use STEAM based teaching methods to educate students in a variety of subject areas, piloted to 730 students.3.The development of an online toolkit which provides an online area where educators can learn about the project and access the outputs of the project. Multiplier eventsThroughout the project there has been 3 Multiplier events participated by 167 stakeholders . The events were:1.A workshop seminar hosted by Thomas More in Belgium which disseminated the results of the comparative analysis report.2.A demonstrative launch of the STEAM camps which was hosted in the Children’s Museum Rome.3.The final event was a showcase for the entire project results and was held at South West College in Northern Ireland.Results and impactEach organisation trialled the STEAM camps to a minimum of 100 students carrying out baseline surveys and following up with evaluations to understand each students experience. Results proved that there was a boost in skills in the key areas of Science, Literacy and Maths. The number of students carrying out the pilots was 730. The online toolkit hosting all of the outputs has had a total of 753 unique users at time of writing which will reach over 1000 within a year.Long term benefitsThe dissemination of the project will continue and results are expected to take a noticable leap when the new School year begins in September with the amount of users and feedback continuing to grow between September – December 2019. We foresee the online toolkit continuing to grow and evolve with continued contribution from teachers and educators to produce a growing library of resources."