Skills for Future Working Life in Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Skills for Future Working Life in Europe

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 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education

Project Summary

SKILLS FOR FUTURE WORKING LIFE IN EUROPE
Our project aimed at improving the ICT skills and digital competence of students and teachers and at increasing the students’ capability to access the labour market at local, national and international level and their knowledge of job and education opportunities. Our idea was that students need to improve their digital skills and their entrepreneurship in order to improve their possibility of success in the labour market.
By working with partners from different European countries, the students learned about education and work opportunities in theirs and in other European countries and therefore increased their possibilities to find a career which might correspond to their dreams and passions. By travelling to partner countries the students learned to communicate with people from foreign cultures and realized how demanding and at times also challenging the communication with people from different countries can be. They also gained confidence in international communication for future working life.
The first objective of this project was to enhance students’ digital skills. This was carried out by using some of the most modern digital tools available and some apps and programs. The project was carried out so that specific apps (Blogger, Prezi, QReader, GPS, Kinemaster, AVS Video Editor) and social media platforms (eTwinning, Pinterest, Europass Platform) were used to carry out research and project work, which, in turn, dealt with the topic of work and professions. Most of these apps and platforms were unkown to our students (and sometimes to teachers as well).
The students looked into the world of work by visiting local companies (which could potentially be their future employers), universities, and by building their own blogs (including Europass), which is becoming more and more a valuable asset when applying for work both in national and international scale. These blogs were a concrete outcome for each of the students participating in the project with which they might be able to apply for work. Through specific career counselling activities they also gained a better understanding of what really matters for them personally as regards their future jobs and how they can plan their future careers.
Meanwhile, the teachers obtained more confidence and competence in the use of information technology, strengthening the profile of their profession. Teachers also benefited from the Transnational meetings, learning about other European educational systems, sharing their skills and knowledge, different methods of teaching, and curriculum structures.
The project involved five partners from Italy, Finland, Greece, the Czech Republic and Spain. The partners were chosen because all of the schools have some experience in the world of partnerships, and all have specific competences in the field of ICT and entrepreneurship. Besides, since the project’s main topic was about job opportunities, it was also useful to have countries belonging to very different economic areas (Northern, Eastern and Southern Europe), so that it could be easier to compare these very different situations and learn from each other.
The project included six transnational meetings, attended by some teachers and few selected pupils; five of them also included L/T/T activities which enhanced the students’ ICT skills and entrepreneurship, improving at the same time self-knowledge, team skills, communication skills and knowledge on different aspects of working life. During all meetings the students visited local employers and companies to see at first hand what kind of work opportunities each country can offer and also by visiting some local educational facilities (universities, etc.) they learned about the opportunities they might have as regards to further educating themselves, both nationally and internationally. The students also had the opportunity to communicate in English and to learn intercultural skills (which are required more and more by employers nowadays).
The results include a project website, containing all the activities and outputs of the project, individual resume blogs and Europass CVs. Inside the website it is possible to find a “dissemination kit”, in which a lot of useful materials (lessons, presentations, videos, etc.) are available for promotion. The results also include a general survey of the potential further education and job opportunities in the local areas, which might be extremely useful for our students and young people in general.
Teachers also acquired new digital skills, which are essential in order to take advantage of modern technology in teaching as effectively as possible.
The potential longer term benefits are connected to our students’ possibilities of success in the labour market, which were improved during the project by giving them some important instruments like new digital skills, entrepreneurship and knowledge of some of the mechanisms which work in the labour market.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 154390 Eur

Project Coordinator

Liceo scientifico statale Giuseppe Peano & Country: IT

Project Partners

• 2o GENIKO LYKEIO NEAS IONIAS MAGNISIAS
• Utajärven lukio
• Institut Guillem Catà
• Gymnazium pod Svatou Horou, Pribram II, Balbinova 328