OUTSIDE IN INSIDE OUT Erasmus Project

Project Title

OUTSIDE IN INSIDE OUT

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Regional dimension and cooperation; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment

Project Summary

The Outside in, inside out project, also known as OIIO, started in November 2016 and officially ended in September 2018 although our partnership continues. The partnership brought together expertise from different sectors: schools, employers and government. A unique opportunity to realise energy and synergy between these different worlds. The partnership consisted of 7 (originally 8* ) transnational partners:
– Schools (VET and secondary vocational education); City College Plymouth, OMO (Rodenborch College and St. Jans Lyceum), BG/BRG/NMS Klusemannstraße, ds. Pierson College,
– Employers : Steirische Volkswirtschaftliche Gesellschaft (STVG) and Devon Chamber of Commerce
– Government; Gemeente ‘s-Hertogenbosch

*Sancta Maria left the project after 1 year due to unforeseen managerial issues within the school

The involved partners in OUTSIDE IN INSIDE OUT have a big and relevant network of general secondary schools, companies, local governments and public employment services. A guarantee for successful dissemination and mainstreaming.

The OIIO partnership concluded before the project that we, in the whole EU, face the same problems, students have a lack of insight concerning the actual and future labour market and a lack of connection between schools and the world of work. This all is of big importance, we still have too many dropouts (ESL), too many students switch in the first stage at VET, higher vocational education and university. The effect is decrease of motivation of youngsters, the school period extends and it raises youth unemployment. It was important to all of us to work on this together for the wellbeing of students on their way to qualifications in VET, Higher vocational education and university, in the interest of good qualified staff at schools and a well-functioning labour market.

We saw that students have a lack of information, not knowing exactly what the characteristics are, what learning skills are important and not knowing well what kind of jobs fit to their own interest and talents and what requirements meet the demands on the labour market. Key problem is that the young students didn’t have the slightest idea about the actual and future labour market. The school process can be characterised as an internal process, with a focus on learning aims defined by the Ministries of education in the involved countries.

We are convinced that schools have to change their focus to the outside world of work. Important are the developments at the labour market, how we can inform our students better, how we can train teachers to support students in career orientation and career guidance. Students need a better understanding of work, occupation and employment in order to make a more balanced study choice for further vocational education or university. Active and intensive cooperation with companies forms an important part of the process of career orientation and career guidance. Companies get connected with employees of the future and utilize the brainpower of young people and students get a chance to really experience the world of work.

Main stakeholders for this project were students, schools (management, teachers, guidance councillors, mentors) and companies/HRM department. Other relevant stakeholders: local government, parents, youth ambassadors, Public Employment Service, training institutions.

To realise our ambitions our OIIO-partnership developed a well-balanced programme that consist of five intellectual outputs:
IO1: a conceptual framework of “labour market orientated career orientation and career guidance
IO2: a guideline for building a sustainable network of companies/organisations for general secondary education;
IO3: a blueprint and tools to realise a “labour market orientated curriculum” in schools for general secondary education (OUTSIDE IN)
IO4: A training programme for teachers and guidance councellors (INSIDE OUT);
IO5: A toolbox “OUTSIDE IN INSIDE OUT”.

These outputs were developed through an intensive process of working together. We brought together the expertise of our partnership and extended it to well know experts and practitioners. We shared best practices and promoted and discussed our outputs through multiplier events, pilot-events, peer-to-peer exchange, advisory groups, surveys, pop-up working groups and promotion through dissemination-activities.

By producing these Intellectual Outputs schools have a toolbox at their disposal which will increase
the quality of education significantly. Students can make their choices for further vocational education more balanced/well founded and students are less likely to switch in further vocational education or university. Also, students will be better prepared to enter the labour market for a job with perspective and a job which fits to the individual competences and interests. Schools will be better equipped to support the guiding process of students (labour market orientated career orientation and career guidan

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 274142 Eur

Project Coordinator

GEMEENTE ‘S-HERTOGENBOSCH & Country: NL

Project Partners

• JYVASKYLAN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU
• City College Plymouth
• ds Piersoncollege
• Devon Chamber of Commerce
• BG/BRG/NMS Klusemannstraße
• STEIRISCHE VOLKSWIRTSCHAFTLICHE GESELLSCHAFT
• Vereniging Ons Middelbaar Onderwijs