Creating your own opportunities in the European workplace Erasmus Project

Project Title

Creating your own opportunities in the European workplace

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 : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; Teaching and learning of foreign languages

Project Summary

The project showed that friendship overcomes all distances, differences and boundaries, because beyond the project friendships were made among the participants and many of the students are still in contact with each other.
The three schools Gesamtschule Kaiserplatz Krefeld (Germany), CC. El Salvador Leganés (Spain) and Liceo Elsa Morante Naples (Italy) were involved in the project, which had already successfully collaborated in a previous Erasmus+ project and jointly launched the project “Creating your own opportunities in the European workplace”.

The main objective of the project was to show young people opportunities to broaden their perspectives on the pan-European labour market.
The participants were between 14 and 18 years old and were sometimes close to graduation and starting their training.

The participants visited the partner schools for five project days each and took part in the counter-exchange in their home country.
During the exchanges, the participants took part in various building blocks that introduced them to the world of work.
In order for the participants to be able to apply internationally, it was necessary to make them aware of the necessity of the business language English, without whose basic knowledge a (professional) life abroad becomes difficult. This was achieved by dealing with unknown communication situations in a professional and private context, as the participants had to use the English language orally and in writing. They also strengthened their listening comprehension.
In order to expand the learners’ skills in the context of English-language application procedures, they took part in full-day workshops in the countries. In Italy, they acquired skills in the preparation of a CV, in Germany, they practiced writing an application letter and in Spain, they trained the right behaviour in a job interview. The key competences acquired through the workshops enable participation in international application procedures and access to the entire European job market.
In a further module, the participants visited a local company, were given a guided tour and informed themselves about training opportunities. At the same time, the participants were given a first insight into everyday working life and the professional world. A final round of questions offered them the opportunity to make initial contacts with foreign companies.
In addition, they completed a daily internship and thus received their first points of contact with the world of work.
For the daily internship and the company tour, the participants received pre-developed questionnaires that supported them in carrying out the activity and provided learners with information on the prerequisites for training.
Furthermore, the guest students accompanied their hosts in everyday school life and compared life at the foreign school with that at their home school.
The experiences from the company tours, as well as the day internships and the results from the workshops were presented by the participants at the open day, as well as the “National Days” to all interested parties.

Cultural exchange with the partner countries was a high priority in the project.
The project promoted the participants in their intercultural competence, as they participated in family, school and professional life in the host country. In addition, “National Days” were organized in the schools to present the cultural characteristics of the partner countries. In addition to the school community, parents were also involved in the implementation of the state days.

From final discussions with the participants and the evaluation of the questionnaires, it became clear that they not only feel more confident in participating in English-language application procedures, but that they are generally more self-confident in dealing with foreign languages. In addition, they feel strengthened in working with others in the team and working with strangers, which is the first step for a possible year abroad. Due to the informal atmosphere, the participants lost the inhibition to speak English and overcame obstacles on the way to apply abroad.

The questionnaires developed in the course of the project for company visits and daily internships, as well as the workshop materials created, have been summarized in a digital collection. They are available to all interested parties via eTwinning and the PEP and can be used to prepare students for English-language application procedures and to guide them during a company tour or internship.

Through the encounter and cooperation between the teachers, parents and students of all partner schools, the common values of the European Union were strengthened, as well as insights into different cultures were provided.

Project Website

https://twinspace.etwinning.net/85501

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 96919 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gesamtschule Kaiserplatz & Country: DE

Project Partners

• liceo Elsa Morante
• CC. EL SALVADOR