Common vocational Training to Master in the Baltic Sea Region Erasmus Project

Project Title

Common vocational Training to Master in the Baltic Sea Region

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 vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation

Project Summary

In all Baltic Sea Region countries there is a great shortage of entrepreneurs and managers, so that growth in SMEs is severely limited and innovation capacity is much lower than it could and should be. For demographic reasons, this shortage will increase sharply in the future. In most Baltic Sea Region countries, the number of younger workers will fall by up to 25% by 2030. In view of this sharp decline on the one hand and the high aging of current company owners on the other, it is becoming increasingly difficult to attract enough business successors and start-ups.
The shortage of entrepreneurs is particularly noticeable in countries with predominantly school-based vocational training and a lack of further training. In addition to the high demand for entrepreneurs, SMEs also have at least the same demand for managers with sound professional and technical qualifications as well as leadership and management skills. In countries with school-based vocational training to date, SMEs also urgently need personnel with pedagogical qualifications and trainer aptitude in order to carry out training in companies within the dual vocational training.
In Germany and Norway, for example, training to become a master craftsman is of outstanding importance in securing the next generation of entrepreneurs and managers in SMEs. However, the qualification level of the master craftsman training varies widely in the Baltic Sea Region countries. The aim of the project was to gain company successors, start-ups and managers by means of a comparable master craftsman qualification at a high level in the Baltic Sea Region, to increase the efficiency and competitiveness of SMEs and at the same time to promote the realisation of dual vocational training.
On the basis of the German master craftsman training and experiences from other Baltic Sea Region countries, a concept, curricula, teaching materials and examination regulations for a uniform master craftsman training in the entire Baltic Sea Region were developed. The curricula were tested and evaluated in Denmark, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia in order to gain experience with different regional/national conditions and to ensure high transfer and implementation success.
The developed master craftsman training also includes a pedagogical part, which leads to an entitlement to vocational training in companies. The qualification programme was classified in the European Qualification Framework and assessed with credit points according to ECVET, so that a cross-border transfer of acquired competences as well as the international recognition of the qualification was ensured.
In addition, a comprehensive concept was developed and coordinated in order to enable the integrated attainment of master craftsman qualification and Bachelor’s degree within the dual Bachelor’s study programmes.
Target groups of the master craftsman training are:
a) persons employed in companies;
b) unemployed persons with good professional qualifications and experience, who use them to significantly improve their chances on the labour market or to become self-employed;
c) students and graduates who will have good opportunities to take on management roles in SMEs or who will achieve outstanding preparation for self-employment.
Beneficiaries are also SMEs that attract much-needed managers or business successors.
In order to constantly attract qualified lecturers to carry out master craftsman training, a training programme for teaching staff has been developed and implemented, which will in future be offered on an ongoing basis by colleges and universities. Target groups are teachers from chambers of commerce, industry and crafts, other vocational training providers, colleges and universities who are specifically qualified as trainers. This benefits all providers of master craftsman training.
Under the leadership of the Hanse Parlament, the project consortium consisted of altogether eight partners: chambers, associations, further education institutions, vocational schools and universities from Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Norway. In addition, 68 chambers of commerce, industry and crafts with their educational institutions, other vocational training providers as well as colleges and universities from 13 countries were involved as associated partners. All project results were published in a handbook and transferred to the 68 associated partners, who received needs-oriented implementation advice. The results were presented and comprehensively discussed at meetings and international advisory and transfer conferences. At the same time, politicians, administrations and other stakeholders were involved. This ensured that the master craftsman training in education and economic policy was anchored at local, regional and national level and that the project results were extremely sustainable and used on a broad basis.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 420450 Eur

Project Coordinator

HANSE-PARLAMENT EV & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Latvijas Amatniecibas kamera
• International Business College
• Powiatowy Cech Rzemiosl Malych i Srednich Przedsiebiorstw – zwiazek Pracodawcow w Wejherowie
• HANDWERKSKAMMER DRESDEN
• VIESOJI ISTAIGA VILNIAUS STATYBININKU RENGIMO CENTRAS
• POLITECHNIKA GDANSKA
• NORDISK HANDVERKSFORUM