European Dual System Erasmus Project

Project Title

European Dual System

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: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Early School Leaving / combating failure in education; Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment

Project Summary

The EU-DualS project was based on the idea to alleviate Europe’s job crises as well as – on the other hand side – lack of skilled workers, starting from professional training and educational systems in different EU-Member States. Youth unemployment rates in Europe, especially in the southern countries, are still extremely high. The EU-DualS project intended to create a bridge between schools and the job market, introducing students gradually and practically into the work enviroment.
In this context, the actual German Dual System for VET represents a best practice in Europe. It is able to introduce youth into the job market, applying learned competences during practical work in companies, and only the necessary theoretical teaching at schools (1-1,5 days/week).
The purpose of the project EU-DualS was to elaborate a fast-track approach to adopt the German Dual System in an innovative way in other member states, like Italy and Spain. EU-DualS project has for this planned a pilot school class period in professional training schools, where less time is dedicated to school lessons, and more at work in companies, plus a 1 month mobility abroad to work in companies in another country.

EU-DualS introduced this new methodology for school and company cooperation and elabrated an approach to adapt the 6 most important principles of the German Dual System to other countries like Italy and Spain. In order to do that, a school or a regional school office can use the 2 Intellectual Outputs of EU-DualS, one Guideline (O1) to prepare for such experimental teaching/training, and a European Model Curriculum (O4) that describes the approaches implemented by the project partners in collaboration with 3 pilot schools, 1 in Lombardy (I) and 2 in Basque County (E). These tools allow now to be applied also in other member states, piloting a step twoards the Dual System, introducing key elements in line with national school and training requirements. The idea is to encourage students, schools and entrepreneurs to discover the advantages of the Dual System, and thanks to the positive results get more engaged in establishing step-by-step a complete – also institutional – system, adapted to national needs and specificities.
With the 1-month work experience mobility abroad for 21 students from Italy and Spain in German SMEs, with tasks in their field of professional training (mechatronics), the students made an important experience. They understood which skills they learned are key competences, as well as getting in touch with the job markets and economic realities and culture of another country. This resulted in an additional motivation push for the learners for the last year of school.

With all its activities, the project was be able to:
– bridge the gap between VET professional schools’ world and companies, contributing to reduce the unemployment rate among youth: all students of the 3 pilot classes found a job right after the end of their school final exams!
– create sustainable relationships and collaboration among enterprises and schools: the cooperation on local levels will allow to repeat similar experiences in the upcoming years with other students.
– (ET2020 strategy) contribute to decrease the rate of early school leaving: none of the students left the school before the end of the school curriculum.
– (ET2020 strategy) contribute to achieve an high quality of efficiency for the education sector, boosting mobility activities as part of the a European school curriculum: the 1 month mobility to Germany the quality of the training of the 21 learners involved into the pilot activities of the project was definitely increased.

EU-DualS target groups were students (aged 17-19), VET teachers, entrepreneurs as well as students’ parents, which were regulating invited to events organised at the pilot schools about the project.

Thre project activities implemented in different phases have been:
1) project management: along the project lifetime, coordinating all actions in a collaborative manner among partners
2) preparation of the pilot phase: 3 technical workshops (1 in Germany, 1 in Italy and 1 in Spain, in total 30 people) in 2016.
3) PILOT ACTION with 15 students in Italy and 30 in Spain in 3 schools. It followed a regular school year. Students had between 50 and 80% of school lessons, and 20-50% work experience. Moreover 21 of the 45 students participated to a 1-month work experience mobility in Germany. In order to be prepared, they have attended German language classes.
4) E-learning: all IO’s and 5 examplary videos have been uploaded to the project website www.europeandualsystem.eu available for other schools, companies and students.
5) Evaluation: eventually, all students found a job after their school, and enterprises in the areas ask for even more learners/apprentices.
6) Dissemination: 4 multiplier events in Italy, Spain, Germany and Belgium (Brussels) have been organised in 2018, with more than 250 participants in total.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 217450 Eur

Project Coordinator

CONFEDERATION EUROPEENNE DES ASSOCIATIONS DE PETITES ET MOYENNES ENTREPRISES & Country: BE

Project Partners

• ASOCIACION DE EMPRESARIOS DE GIPUZKOA (ADEGI)
• Confapi
• F-BB FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT BETRIEBLICHE BILDUNG GEMEINNUTZIGE GMBH
• BVMW – Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft e.V.