Training and certification model for photovoltaic trainers with the use of ECVET system Erasmus Project

Project Title

Training and certification model for photovoltaic trainers with the use of ECVET 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 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Recognition, transparency, certification; Open and distance learning

Project Summary

The idea of EU-PV-Trainer project was tightly connected to the EU directions targeting creation of instruments for practical and flexible learning paths, as a way to improve the quality of professional non-formal education. The project was aimed at a specific form of qualification accusation of PV trainer: that one obtained through non-formal, informal learning and work experience by promoting the development of skills and competencies of trainers and teachers in the field of PV systems installation.
The project is built upon three main pillars: lifelong learning approach, mobility for exchange of experience and use of ICT methods and tools (for e-learning, identifying competency gaps, and validation of competences). The partnership aimed at levelling and improving the competence of VET teachers/trainers who are conducting theoretical and practical training for photovoltaic installers; building a blended learning course with wider coverage of the subject area and clear definitions of the learning outcomes; development of a modular training programme combining theory with practice through education packages based on analysis of the work process in PV installation; creating a system of recognition of competences gained through non-formal and informal learning by the educators in PV installation and supplementing the professional competence of teachers/trainers by the foreign language skills necessary to teach within the specific field of photovoltaic.
The project accomplished in cooperation with the partners from Poland, Romania, Spain and Cyprus creates great opportunities to promote vocational qualification transparency agreed with appropriate authorities and social partners especially when it comes to preparation of the computer-aided training courses for VET trainers in the PV sector. The partnership consists of European organisations involved in vocational education on the tertiary level (UGAL), as well as VET training and adult learning (EDICT, FEH); research institute (ITeE) and specialists in PV field (PTPV, SEP).
All objectives were possible to fulfil due to the consortium awareness of the EU-PV-Trainer importance in the labour market. During the development of the project results, partners cooperated with strategic experts in the field of PV, potential associate partners and members of professional networks’ involving scientific experts and universities in the partnership the scientific discourse in different faculties and the transfer of project results in order to highlight more quality in university education is guaranteed. This made a contribution to achieve a better quality of cooperation between the relevant actors of the VET system and to adapt concepts related to the education needs for labour market and educational integration.
The project outcomes are intended to be in compliance with the EQF, ECVET and with NQF systems’ standards in the partners’ countries. In this context, the project results can be effective tools facilitating different training forms, especially nonformal and informal, with transnational recognition of learning outcomes and qualifications.
The main goal of the PV-Trainer project was to develop a model of training, certification and validation procedures destined to support the vocational education and training of VET trainers and teachers in the field of photovoltaic systems with the use of ICT tools. Specific objectives of the project were oriented towards an increase in quality of vocational education and training of PV fitters through improvement of quality of competence of vocational education teachers, trainers and conducting theoretical and practical training for PV fitters, which may contribute to an increase in their competitiveness on the labour market, thus increase in their fitness for employment or keeping their job.
The consortium aimed at improving the quality of education and training of future PV installers by aligning and improving the quality of professional preparation of the persons conducting PV theoretical and practical classes and specificity of the partner countries. The established European reference frameworks such as NQF related to the EQF, together with the validation system and ECVET. The outcomes are directly linked to national education and training systems, have been taken as a basis for building the PV-Trainer project’s contribution to mobility, transparency and recognition of learning outcomes and qualifications throughout Europe.
The emphasis was put on trainer competences’ acquired in nonformal and informal learning trough work-based experience and in accordance with the established competence standard and with the use the requirements for general requirements for bodies operating certification of persons. The project sets the concrete objectives: to facilitate the validation of non-formal and informal learning and its permeability with formal education pathways and to develop partnerships between education and employment.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 382059,6 Eur

Project Coordinator

SIEC BADAWCZA LUKASIEWICZ – INSTYTUT TECHNOLOGII EKSPLOATACJI & Country: PL

Project Partners

• FUNDACION EQUIPO HUMANO
• UNIVERSITATEA DUNAREA DE JOS DIN GALATI
• EDITC LIMITED
• POLSKIE TOWARZYSTWO FOTOWOLTAIKI STOWARZYSZENIA
• Stowarzyszenie Elektrykow Polskich Oddzial Radomski