"AppMentor project continues the work that began during the Leonardo da Vinci Project WorkMentor (2011-1-IS1-LEO05-01263) chosen to be a ""success story"" by a panel of experts from the Directorate-General for Education and Culture of the European Commission and WorkQual (2014-1-IS01-KA202-O00180). The need for AppMentor in VET has arisen as an increasing part of the learning is conducted during work based learning (WBL) away from the VET provider. Sometimes it is impossible to travel to the companies and have mentoring sessions on the spot. Many work mentors & mentoring teachers already see the benefits of using mobile technology (=SOME) in mentoring. Also reporting and registering is already done online in many sectors of industry and service. In order to do this work mentors and mentoring teachers need tools and encouragement to guide and support them to start using SOME when mentoring. They don’t want to be made feel inferior to the students who use different forms of mobile technology and social media. By implementing the outcomes of Appmentor we will give work mentors and teachers the tools needed in order to start using SOME when mentoring. This will make mentoring more flexible and it will create a learning experience which is user friendly, meaningful and up to date with the working environment. Students used to using mobile technology (blogs, facebook, Instagram, chats etc) use it because it is useful, flexible, instant and a way to keep track on what is going on. Students might however need support and encouragement to use these forms of mobile technology in a “new” way, a way that encourages and supports learning. AppMentor provided teachers and work mentors with tools and ideas on how to guide students to use SOME for learning. AppMentor transferred & implemented mobile learning to work placements. 2) encouraged work mentors to use mobile technology (e.g. apps, social media, virtual learning platforms) when mentoring students/apprentices during WBL, 3) deepened the cooperation as well as information and data sharing between work mentor and mentoring teacher during placement by introducing tools for mobile technology, 4) ensured that all students regardless of where they have their work placement receive continuous mentoring & feedback through mobile technology and thus raising the quality of learning received during work placements, 5) introduced tools, methods & materials that support the work mentor and student during work placements.AppMentor had the following intangible results/impact 1) Better cooperation between the work mentor and teacher, 2) Improved communication between student, work mentor and mentoring teacher, 3) Raised quality of WBL both nationally and abroad, 4) Flexible and qualitative mentoring fit for the 21st century and 5) An attitude change relating to how learning and mentoring should be done.The project lifespan was 24 months + 2 extra months to ensure that the outcome(s) were qualitative and user-friendly. Appmentor partners hosted five transnational project meetings during this period. Each meeting lasted for 3 days. In order to ensure time to work on the intellectual outputs there was 1 meeting every 5-6 months, the first meeting was held in December 2016. Throughout the project each partner cooperated closely with employers, work mentors and students and develop the Intellectual Outcomes: 1) Online Micro Learning mentoring course, 2) Manual of mobile technology and social media that can be used to facilitate and strengthen the quality of the mentoring process and 3) Guidelines for mentoring students online using mobile technology. All 3 IOs are included in the AppMentor - An online course for coaching and mentoring at work (https://appmentor.weebly.com/). The AppMentor Online Course is open for all interested parties to use and implement and is available in English, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Icelandic, French and Spanish.Dissemination was and continues to be an important part of the project and all partners were active in disseminating the project though SOME media such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram and by participating in conferences and seminars as well as other events. AppMentor has a project web page http://thalttun.wixsite.com/appmentor and an open Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AppMentor.project/ that function as dissemination channels.By the end of the project all partners had implemented the outcomes of the project in their daily activities and are committed to ensure that the outcomes will be sustainable and used in the future. Appmentor project partners are: P1 = Axxell, Finland (coordinator), P2 = Broadshoulders, UK, P4 = Charlottenlund Upper Secondary School, Norway, P5 = Nantes Terre Atlantique, France, P6 = Verkmenntaskolinn a Akureyri, Iceland, P7 =Education and Mobility, Spain and P8 = Het Idee, The Netherlands"

"The aim of the project was to strengthen the international dimension of VET education at TCAA by creating concrete opportunities for as many as possible of the students to do work placements in approved companies around the EU as an integrated and fully credited part of their education. Through these mobilities, the student - apart from reaching the professional competences required at the actual stage of their education - also obtained personal development (e.g. maturity) and stronger intercultual competence (ability to cooperate across national and cultural barriers). Thus the students are now better equipped to act on the global market for employment and life long learning, and TCAA now - to a higher degree - lives up to the aim of the Law on VET that calls for a clear international dimension in the education. Thereby TCAA also lives up to the pedagogical manifesto of the college itself.A prerequisite for being able to motivate VET students to participate in international mobility is that the teachers/counsellors, who are close to the students in compulsory school and at the transition to youth education have a solid knowledge themselves about how VET and guidance is being delivered around Europe. Therefore, this project also gave the opportunity for teachers, student counsellors and youth guidance practitioners to strengthen their competences in this field through short mobility stays, so that now, they may contribute better to promotion of VET and international mobility.The European partners have been choosen to represent professional and geographical diversity. Most partners have worked with TCAA for several years with mobility - some even for decades. Therefore TCAA could vouch for their experience and competence in implementing mobility on basis of written agreements and common understanding. TCAA has secured that every partner had a reasonable network of suitable host companies, and that proper procedures were in place for matching student and work place. Furthermore, partners took care of arrival, introduction, ongoing monitoring, evaluation and securing that the achieved competences were documented. This was all done through regular communication with partners and students - and by letting accompanying teachers (activity 3) take part in the start larger group mobilities. In addition, the preparation in Denmark included cultural understanding and handling of possible cultural chock.On the student side (activities 1 and 2), the major part of the students was from the basic course. They were selected on basis of professional skills, English language skills and maturity. Another group of participants came from TCAA's college based main course (SKP). They achieved a more realistic learning enviroment in real companies this way. On the teacher/counsellor side (activity 4) the participants - regardless of their professional background - needed to know how VET is provided and marketed in a broad European context, so that they now will be more competent in motivating students to choose this path and to add an international angle to their education.In the dissemination of project results TCAA has continued a series of ongoing activities that realready put in place to promote international mobility as an integral part of VET. This is for example the world map found on every sub-college homepage. Here stories of mobility (Erasmus+ as well as the Danish PIU scheme) are oploaded regularly in a Google map with search function. This has given the chance for primary school pupils, enrolled students at TCAA, teachers, councillors and other interested of finding information and inspiration.At the same time, TCAA has continued running its ""PIU"" Facebook group"". Despite the name, it is not only about PIU but also Erasmus+ mobility. The group currently has well over 400 members, and TCAA has noticed an increased number of inquiries from comming students through this social media.The achievement of concrete competence aims during the mobilities has been carried out in close dialogue with the partners. The more overall evaluation was based on the project aim of increasing the international dimension in VET at TCAA. The quantitative apsects of this was entered in the annual ""Mobility Barometer"" that TCAA has prepared since 2008."

This project was implemented as part of TECHCOLLEGE's globalization strategy and action plan in order to provide optimal opportunities for student mobility and staff exchange within EU. The aim of the school’s globalization efforts is to prepare the student in the best possible way to function on the globalized labour market in relation to employment as skilled manpower, lifelong learning and re-training, and to qualify the school staff to cope with this challenge. As for the project aim as such, it is not only quantitative, but also qualitative in relation to learning potential and spreading internally at the school by involving more education programs, student types and staff categories. IMPLEMENTED ACTIVITIESFirst activity in the project (A1) was work placement in companies for VET students. The duration was 3-7 weeks, and 55 students participated compared to 44 planned, as this duration seems easier to incorporate in the new basic course (GF2). Around half of the mobilities were single students or couples for whom the mobility fitted into the individual education plan and with a destination/host company that matches their wishes and learning objectives. The other half part was sent out in groups of up to 10, which earlier has proven difficult in the VET stream of the school. A high percentage of these students have subsequently signed apprenticeship contracts in Denmark or continued with Work Placements Abroad (PIU).The second activity (A2), longer work placements for VET students, was planned with 8 participants. The perspective was the same, namely qualification apprenticeship contracts in Denmark or transfer to Work Placements Abroad. The school succeeded in sending out 6 students for 7-12 weeks due to time pressure at GF2. Several of the participants were from school-based apprenticeship (SKP), who were not yet subject to a 3 weeks’ limit for work placements under SKP in the first part of the project period.The third activity (A3), short learning stays at VET schools for students, was planned with 36 participants. The result was 20 students going to the Netherlands, whereas the planned stay in Finland had to be scrapped, because the Finnish partner surprisingly enough was unable to deliver tailor-made training modules in log house and mass oven building. Also in this activity, the aim was apprenticeship contracts in Denmark or transfer to PIU.The fourth and latest activity (A4) dealt with educational stays at VET colleges for 16 TECHCOLLEGE employees and Youth Counsellors (UU). The aim was exchange of best practice within guidance to VET programs and incorporation of an international element in the single student’s VET. A group of 3 participants were transferred to the school’s technical secondary school (HTX), whereas 3 groups of 11 participants in total were sent out from the VET side of the school. By virtue of their decisive role in relation to the students’ choice of VET program and a possible international toning of it, the counsellors came back better suited for their role as advisors and motivators.TARGET GROUPSIn accordance with the globalization strategy of TECHCOLLEGE, it has been tried out to engage a broader target group – especially among the students, who constitute the majority. Thus some flows were arranged for specific groups as SKP and EUX (combined VET and upper sec. exam), while the remaining were mainly for GF2 students. Due to the constraints of the recent VET reform, the school did not succeed in this project to send GF1 students on mobility stays, but at least one recent VET graduate participated despite the limited interest in that target group.Another new development is that TECHCOLLEGE as mentioned has succeeded in sending out a larger proportion of participants out in groups. The Food Department is now on board – and in fact with 5 students from the main program of VET, which is a new target group that was not foreseen at the time submitting the project application. In connection with groups, TECHCOLLEGE has seen an increasing, general need for sending accompanying teachers out.PARTNER CHOICE AND STRATEGYContrary to expectations, the VET reform has not had a significant influence on the composition of partners in this project. Out of 11 partners 9 were repeaters. In course f the implementation period a couple of new partners were taken in and approved by the NA – among them a Danish hair dresser at Crete, with whom the school now has a formal agreement (MoU).However, the reform has influenced the actual volume of the activity types. New participant types such as SKP and EUX turned out taking up more space than planned. And learning stays as schools (with associated objectives) were added, although TECHCOLLEGE did not fully reach this target.

"<< Background >>To be able to send staff and students abroad to visit other schools. Hairdressing students and teachers to Malaga to Grupo Nebro, to learn subjects from their trade that is not possible to study in Iceland. We meant to send students from culinary department and assistant nursing department to work in their field in Denmark and Finland as well, and send teachers to Norway jobshadowing, but due to Covid-19 restrictions that was impossible. Staff did job-shadowing in different schools.<< Objectives >>The plan was mainly about our graduating group of students in hairdressing department, send the whole group and both of their teachers to learn courses that are not taught in Iceland. The remaining learner-mobilites were meant for assistant-nursing students, and culinary students, to go for a few weeks to Denmark/Finland/Norway to work as interns in their field - and to send staff with them. The remaining staff-mobilites were about sending teachers to many of the school's in and outside VMA's network of partner schools, to jobshadow and broaden the network within VMA.<< Implementation >>January 2020: Malaga, Spain. 2 staff, 10 students. 2 weeks. Hairdressing department with graduating students went to Malaga, Spain to train in a hairdressing school.January 2022: Malaga, Spain. 1 staff, 2(3) students. 2 weeks. Hairdressing department, graduating students, went to Malaga, Spain to train in a hairdressing school. On student had force majur, due to covid-19. So 2 students went instead of intended 3.June 2022: Helsinki, Finland. 1 staff. 1 week. Head librarian of VMA went to visit many libraries in Helsinki, to get to know their function. Along with 13 other staff members of college-librarians in Iceland. September 2022: Helsinki/Lahti Finland.1 week. 3 staff. 2 student councellors and the head of academic-studies department visited 2 different schools in Finland, especially to see how they help students with another first language to adapt. Job shadowing.October 2022: Copenhagen, Denmark. 2 staff. 3 days. 2 teachers who teach our students with special needs visited 3 different schools with future cooperation in mind. Job-shadowing.<< Results >>Stronger network in Europe and better prepared/educated, graduated hairdressing students. Having staff visiting our school-network in Finland and Denmark, as well as making new partners in special needs schools in Denmark, clearly made our staff motivated to review their methods - and bring what they saw was good to their own work. It also started VMA again after the ""Covid-19 sleep"". Also, already in January 2021, we started receiving students from our ""old"" connection in Randers, Denmark, that came here on Erasmus+ mobility to work here as interns. In 2021, we hosted 7 Erasmus+ interns from SOSU Randers, 1 from Salpaus Finland, and 3 from SOSU Herning."

"The aim of the project was to support and sustainably motivate disadvantaged young people in their vocational training through international mobility in order to avoid dropouts. The strengthening of self-confidence as well as the recognition and expansion of own competences played an essential role.At the same time, teachers should have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with international standards in order to guide students along this path. Getting to know structures in the European context was aimed at expanding their own teaching practice as well as teaching teachers the possibility of an international assignment.Fifteen students (14 f / 1 m) from the two-year full-time school social assistance program took the opportunity to spend one in three compulsory 5-week internships abroad. Four students were not yet of age at the beginning of their mobility. 80% of the students need strong support in the fulfillment of school and organizational tasks. Mobility was a particular challenge for this student clientele and required thorough preparation, but above all accompaniment during the mobility phase.All apprentices were employed in day care centers in Iceland and Finland and fulfilled the requirements according to the training content of the social assistance: care of the children, carrying out activities, performing domestic tasks, supporting the local specialist staff. Taking into account that 80% of their language skills in English with max. ""A2"", the biggest barrier had to be overcome here. In addition, the working language was Icelandic in Iceland. Through a local language course with emphasis on vocabulary and topics for the day-to-day nursery practice, contact fears of the trainees were reduced and the implementation of their tasks was supported.All partner institutions have consistently provided positive feedback for the appearance and actions of the trainees.All students emphasized in the evaluation that mobility has taught them ""what I can do all by myself"", that they are able to confidently tackle tasks, deal better with problems and better assess differences due to cultural particularities.They want to motivate their fellow apprentices to take such an opportunity!3 Teachers teaching Social Assistance (English, Learning Area 1: Developing relationships with people in different life stages and life situations and recognizing and accompanying socio-educational processes, Learning Area 3: Acquiring and implementing basic domestic skills) and also always involved in traineeships perceive the possibility of a staff mobility.They had the opportunity to observe and discuss work processes in an intercultural context in children's institutions, to conduct collegiate lectures in the classroom and to exchange intercultural pedagogical concepts, curriculum development and quality assurance. At the same time, they were available to the trainees as contact persons.The inclusion of this content in the teaching of social assistance enables them to work even better to attract apprentices for mobility. The self-assessment statements also indicate that the primary goal of gaining practical skills for current work and professional development has reached almost 70%.After our predecessor project ""Motivation through Mobility"" (carried out by Kath. Jugendhaus eV), our training course in social assistance from 2015-17 already had the possibility of internships abroad, the continuation of this project for the August-Sander-Schule was due to the very positive experiences of great importance. It is a continuous continuation of the strategy of providing special support to disadvantaged students, thus offering them greater opportunities in the labor market. At the same time it enriches the training course social assistance. The already approved application for the continuation of the project (2019-2021) makes this component an integral part of the training."