To the TOP Erasmus Project

Project Title

To the TOP

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 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation

Project Summary

Vocational skills competitions aim to develop the quality and attraction of vocational education and training. This project is designed to develop further a training program for the needs of the top skill workers that want to compete. Helsinki Vocational college has developed a training model for the practical nurses in a Nordplus Junior project which would now be tested in various professional fields and with a new partner group. The effectiveness and further development is based on the models of training of the partners and experiences gained in this project.

The partner group consists of five colleges out of which three offer training in beauty care and three for cooks. Each of the partners are enthusiast in participating in skills competitions and want to improve the training they have to offer for the learners that aim to the top.

The project layout gives students a chance to test their limits in a secure environment. 72 young talented students in Europe will test their competences in 5 training camps where there will be a three days Skills competition simulation. These project weeks are the key for the training and give the learners a chance to test how it feels to work with strict limits, with a time pressure and under constant evaluation. The training in the camps project layout allows the learners to learn more of their future profession in a natural way, by normal daily tasks formatted into cases which will work as the base of the project learning teaching training activities.

As the learners will not only be the competitors but are also asked to work as judges for one another with a similar criteria as in the skills competitions, learners will have a chance to reflect the methods used in the tasks not only technically but also from cultural point of view.

To support the study path of the top skilled workers varied pedagogical approaches are needed. Achieving top expertise requires goal-oriented and long-term preparation which regular vocational training offers few chances for. The purpose is to support the curricular development and learning methodologies so that student can complete a vocational qualification in a manner that takes into consideration one’s individual needs, areas of emphasis and learning methods.

The knowledge gained in the project aids each participating organization to plan and develop their path for the top-skilled workers as well as develop a common training model for the learners.

The produced cases for competitions can be taken into daily use in the teaching but also can lead to use skills coaching as a pedagogical approach to general teaching.

After this project the model of the training program and its suitability has been tested in different professions. This should secure that it can be implemented to any vocational qualifications the colleges offer.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 88471 Eur

Project Coordinator

Helsingin kaupunki & Country: FI

Project Partners

• Stichting Lentiz onderwijsgroep, samenwerkingsstichting voor BVE en VO in het Westland en de Nieuwe Waterweg Noord
• Galway and Roscommon Education & Training Board
• Fjölbrautaskólinn í Breiðholti
• Association AFPROM – CFA