My Future – a closed door or an open window? Erasmus Project

Project Title

My Future – a closed door or an open window?

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 Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment; Pedagogy and didactics; Overcoming skills mismatches (basic/transversal)

Project Summary

The project “My Future – a closed door or an open window?” has a focus on our changing world and the skills our students need to develop in order to take advantage of the inherent challenges and opportunities which these changes will bring.
The six partner schools, Gateshead College (UK), Gymnasium Celeanum, Zwolle (Netherlands), Skarnes videregående skole (Norway) Istituto Tecnico Industriale Statale Leonardo da Vinci, Carpi (Italy), Colegiul National Vlaicu Voda, Curtea de Arges ( Romania) and IES, Alfred Ayza, Peniscola ( Spain) have all had experience of working together on previous projects and over time we have recognised that our students face common challenges. The profile students taking part in this project are aged 16-19 and come from both academic and vocational study areas.
Our objectives were to tackle early drop out of our learners, to increase their basic transversal skills and employability and to develop our own teaching and learning through sharing best practice
The first part of our project aimed to engage students in their learning through the collaboration, development and sharing of best practice in teaching and learning We recognised that there is a need to engage with our students through exciting and innovative teaching methods as this encourages them to become more involved in their learning and to appreciate that the ultimate aim is to equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to reach their goals, whether that is to go to directly to university, into other training or employment. During the project we have been developing our own teaching practice and exploring the use of new technologies in our teaching through a variety of media and by sharing best practice in the form of a Teacher Handbook. The Teacher Handbook is now freely available for others to use as it has been uploaded onto the dissemination platform and is also available on our website https://myfuture.ro/site/ Our students carried out critical appraisals of their own learning experiences. For example they carried out surveys and made presentations on the educational systems in each country. By being more engaged the student drop – out rate decreased – no student involved in the project has left their study programme before completion. We have tried to develop their language and communication skills – both through the enhancement of their existing language skills and the introduction of new languages in order that they are better equipped in terms of skills, flexibility and innovation to take their role in pan -European employment.
We have also engaged with businesses and organisations who, in turn, have worked with students to give them a clearer understanding of the skills they require from their workforce. By working alongside businesses students have also had practice at filling in application forms, completing cvs, and having interviews.
The second year of our project focussed on the development of employability skills. Through the project’s activities we have made our students more aware of the need to develop a wide range of skills (both hard and soft), so that they can compete in the ever- changing working environment. We have worked with them to improve skills such as collaboration, flexibility, meeting deadlines, giving presentations etc. The activities taking place during the mobilities encouraged the development of independent and critical learning skills which required a focus on autonomous decision making. By working alongside businesses and employers our project also emphasised the skills required in the world of work. Students have had the opportunity to explore different fields of employment in the partner countries. Students gain experience of the employment processes from application to interview and so become better prepared for the world of employment. By exploring these issues students become aware that employers have the need for a flexible and innovative workforce with skills beyond the purely academic qualification such as the ability to communicate, be creative and to be critical thinkers
Student feedback, through focus groups, has indicated that that they feel more motivated towards achieving their goals and that they fell more enabled to take advantage of opportunities in the globalised economy and to play their part in the international arena.
The long term impacts include students with a greater understanding of the world of work and a greater level of skills acquired while employers can access a workforce with the skills they require.
The project has also encouraged and developed stronger links between the partner schools and also between the schools and businesses within their own locales. These links are expected to continue beyond the remit of the project as more possibilities for collaboration are explored

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 283550,79 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gateshead College & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Gymnasium Celeanum
• IES ALFRED AYZA
• Colegiul National Vlaicu Voda
• Istituto Tecnico Industriale Statale Leonardo da Vinci
• Skarnes videregående skole