Apprenticeship HUBs in agro-food sector Erasmus Project

Project Title

Apprenticeship HUBs in agro-food sector

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Cooperation between educational institutions and business; Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment; Agriculture, forestry and fisheries

Project Summary

The role of apprenticeships in vocational education and training has been recognised as an important factor in employability of youth and it is in a strong relationship with the needs of labor market. Eventhough small and medium entreprises represent a backbone of european economy providing employment, economic development and social cohesion, most of the apprenticeship positions are in large companies or in the public sector. Agriculture and food processing industry is a very important factor in the economy of Croatia, Greece, Hungary and Italy. The majority of the employees in the agricultural sector is older than 35 years. There is an urgent need to attract young and qualified employees with mutual benefit for the growth of the sector and employment. The engagement of small and medium entreprises working in agro-food sector in apprenticeship schemes should contribute to better employment of students and recently graduates who are in the labor market for the first time. Apprenticeship offers and positions contribute to the better employment and qualifications of students, as well as to the better adaption to the needs of small and medium entreprises.
Leading partner of the project is Zadar County Rural Development Agency AGRRA from Croatia. Other project partners are: School of agriculture, food and veterinary medicine in Zadar, Croatia (PPVS Ozanic), IDEC a Greek certified LLL centre experienced in online platforms and quality management, INASO PASEGES the Panhellenic Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives, Tuscany Region in Italy, TREBAG a Hungarian consultancy and quality assurance company specialized in the sector and Hungarian Chamber of plant protection.

Project is focused on the promotion of work-based learning and apprenticeship in agricultural sector. The specific objectives are following:
– to increase the offer of high quality apprenticeship places in agricultural and food sector, by engaging small farms and small food industries in apprenticeships;
– to build sustainable partnerships between VET providers and employers/farmers on both local and transnational level;
– to build capacity of VET providers and employers/farmers in organizing and hosting apprenticeships;
– to increase transnational mobility and workplacements of VET students in agriculture.

Target groups of the project Apprenticeship HUBs in agro-food sector can be divided into two larger groups – primary target audience and secondary target audience.
Category primary target audience refers to following :
• VET providers in agricultural sector, including VET schools at lower and upper secondary level, VET centers of post-secondary level providing initial or further VET, agricultural chambers, local or regional authorities and other stakeholders that provide training in the sector of agriculture;
• farms and small and micro food industry companies;
• VET students of agriculture.

Category secondary target audience includes following categories:
• support staff that will liaison between VET providers and companies of agricultural sector in the field of apprenticeship;
• journalists;
• the public.

Using different types and methods of dissemination (publications on websites, publications on DISCUSS platform, four newsletters, social media posts, creation of project’s FB page (317 likes) and website, creation of project’s leaflet and logo, articles in websites/magazines/newspapers, e-mail campaigns, workshops, multiplier events, meetings, workshops, presentation in meetings, distribution of leaflets and dissemination in local and regional fairs) project reached in total 77.828 persons. This numbers consist of all the dissemination efforts made by all the partners in the project.
Main results of the projects are Apprenticeship Hub model and establishment of four apprenticeship hubs in Croatia, Greece, Hungary and Italy. The services that hubs provided are: awareness raising on usefulness of apprenticeship placements and position, capacity building of actors involved in apprenticeship (farmers, employers and VET centres) through targeted actions, methods and instruments, establishment of partnership between VET providers and SMEs on local and European level and networking of actors involved through a web platform and social media. A web platform is a powerful tool which supports the operation of Apprenticeship hubs and its work is focused on awareness raising materials for small and medium entreprises VET providers, students, etc., list of companies offering apprenticeship places and positions, toolkit for VET providers on how to organise apprenticeships at local and transnational level and prepare grant applications and supports services of organization of transnational apprenticeship of VET students. By the end of the project, in total 293 users registered on the platform, out of which 7 hub representatives, 7 VET providers, 184 SMEs, 92 students and 2 keymasters.
Partners will ensure the availabilty of the project resulsts for at least 5 years and they will focus their effort on establishment of hubs in their countries and in Europe.

Project Website

http://www.apprenticeshiphub.eu/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 166140 Eur

Project Coordinator

Agencija za ruralni razvoj Zadarske zupanije & Country: HR

Project Partners

• TREBAG SZELLEMI TULAJDON- ES PROJEKTMENEDZSER KORLATOLT FELELOSSEGU TARSASAG
• REGIONE TOSCANA
• Magyar Növényvédö Mérnöki és Növényorvosi Kamara
• INSTITOUTO AGROTIKIS KAI SYNETAIRISTIKIS OIKONOMIAS INASO PASEGES
• AINTEK SYMVOULOI EPICHEIRISEON EFARMOGES YPSILIS TECHNOLOGIAS EKPAIDEFSI ANONYMI ETAIREIA
• Poljoprivredna,prehrambena i veterinarska skola Stanka Ozanica