Tallinn School of Service (further on referred to as Teko) is a state educational institution acting according to the statute of Estonian ministry of Education. There are about 900 students studying in Teko per year. The studies start both after the basic school, and after the high school. There one can study in both Estonian and Russian languages. The studies are organized on a school basis and on working basis. Additional education is also active.The project “Mobile Teko 2” is based on the programme of internationalization worked out in Teko as well as on school development plan. School’s project manager is the person who organized the mobilities. Her task were, intorducing the possibilities to make practice abroad, open competition to practicepalces, took part of the choosing candidates, organizing the trips, communicating with partners, signing contracts with participants and reporting back. Teko management also took part as well, helping out with teachers mobilities. Main international partners are first of all similar vocational schools or institutions for adult teaching to guarantee possibly identical understanding of the aims for practice/internship while travelling.The expected results of the project are connected with the aims following from Teko development plan and the programme of internationalization. They support the activities of the school as well as development of foreign language skills and social skills of its employees.Within the framework of the project “Mobile Teko 2” 56 students made their practice in 6 countries to 10 partners for 32-50-day vocational practice and 11 employees was sent to 7-14 days internship. 51 students made their practice at companies and 5 students worked at school enterprices. (such as school restaurant, that are open for local quests and school bakeries providing their goods to customers outside the school). As a result of taking part in the programme the students are better prepared to enter the work-force market both in and out of Estonia, they are more confident in private life. Both students and teachers are proven their foreign language skills. They are more motivated in their field. International ties between vocational educational institutions are stronger. Partnerschools have made plans for futuure activities, that include mobilities in both sides.

"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.

Who?Doing Together –Erasmus+ -KA1 -project is aimed at Turku Vocational Institute’s 18–25 year-old students of various fields. The students are mainly third year students. Turku goes Europe–Erasmus+ -KA1 -project is aimed also at apprenices of various fileds. Also staff members are projects target group: expecially the project is indirectly aimed also at teachers who instruct and support students during their international on-the-job training period or school period.-145 students and apprentices during project period- 30 staff members (25 teachers, 5 other staff memebers: study counselers, head of units stc)Why?The project will make an international impact in following ways:1. Strengthening the employability of the participating students2. Strengthening students’ language and cross-cultural communication skills3. Strengthening the ability to tolerate pressure and adapting to changing environments when abroad, which is a skill needed in all fields and is expected as a basic working skill from people in today’s world4. Widening the participating teacher’s or other staff member’s knowledge on European educational systems as well as multi-professional co-operation in different schools5. Strengthening staff’s language and cross-cultural communication skills, as well as the skills to instruct students, based on one’s personal experiences abroad6. Stimulating new ideas via staff mobility: by comparing and contrasting different educational systems and methods, one notices the fields of improvement in e.g. one’s own teaching and professional field in general. The project enables development in the whole organisation and the received experiences benefit the upcoming projects and development work.7. Be able to take advantage of previous pedagogical projects and the disseminate information to partner organizations. And also strengthen multi-professional and entrepreneurship skills for both students and teachers. 8. Establishing the international study path and especially the optional course of international studies via long training periods abroad9. Developing an evaluation questionnaire, in order to further develop international studies and thus better meet the needs of students and working lifeWhere and when?The length of student exchanges is usually between 30-60 days, and staff exchanges one week. We aim at carrying out the staff exchanges simultaneously with the student exchanges, so that the students will receive support and guidance also from their home country when doing their international exchange. The exchanges will take place between autumn 2016 and spring 2018. The length and timing depend on each field (and also each individual student), curriculum and schedule. The exchange period abroad will be fully taken into consideration in the student’s degree. This is possible thanks to the international study path. The teachers and other staff members will receive a report of participation. The target countries and the schools, as well as other partners in them, have been chosen so that they support the strategic alignment of Turku Vocational Institute. The partners act responsibly and they have understanding about the Finnish educational system. They are also interested in developing the possibilities for exchanges in co-operation with Turku Vocational Institute. The target countries have been selected from different parts of the European Union.Results 1) establish the course of international studies as part of international study path in as many fields as possible.2) create a Webropol-based questionnaire, which will provide us with information that helps us to further develop our international dimension.3) connect pedagogical projects of Turku Vocational Institute to international exchanges and thus create synergy.4) support multi professionalism and entrepreneurship, which are considered to be key elements in today’s working life, for students as well as staff members

In this project of the BBS II Osterode students and trainees of different educational programmes and different vocational fields take part. This reflects the structure of our school which is based on many different fields. The globalization shows that experience in vocational training and working experience in all fields of work are necessary. Today competence of work has to be seen in the international context. The aim of the project is getting to know structures in work and in vocational training in foreign firms . Furthermore the participants will get further vocational qualification in a new surrounding. This improves the chances for the young participants to get a job, especially in international engaged business companies. The transparency and the acceptance of vocational qualifications and also the competence is improved. Today in many fields of work there is the necessity of having knowledge in foreign languages, especially English. The employees and the participants of the project must have competences in understanding English documents. Also they must be able to work together with international foreign colleagues.The BBS II has a special interest to judge the experience of the programme in different fields of work and to draw conclusion for further activities. Within our school a new process of experience can start. Students and teachers will have the chance to gain international experience, especially in Europe. An international exchange is the basis of a European identity which is a need for an education centre like ours.Another aim of the project is the constant partnership between European educational institutes. They have to be developed in the years to come for getting a better and larger mobility of trainees who pass a vocational training in different fields.Our widespread geographic and subject-specific activities in this project include the fields of catering (10 trainees) with our partners in Poland and Austria, social pedagogics (5 students) with partners in Austria, mechatronics (10 students) with a partner in France, old-age care ( 8 students) with partners in Spain and nursing for handicapped people (10 students) with partners in the Netherlands. Within this programme the trip of 9 teachers of our school is planned for preparing the stays of the students in the different countries with their new partners.Professional competences and social competence will be trained through the experience of the exchange programme. For getting into contact with colleagues in different countries and in different working places the students need special competences. They need skills in using the foreign language. Enlargement of learning competences, mobility and communication competences is a fundamental aim of this programme.The basics of vocational knowledge, learned at our school shall now be widened and used in a professional context with the foreign colleagues and partners. These key skills and professional aspects can be encouraged with the help of this Erasmus project and in this way be helpful for our students finding a suitable working place in Europe after their apprenticeship.