VET alternative opportunities for young musicians’ better integration into labour market Erasmus Project

Project Title

VET alternative opportunities for young musicians’ better integration into labour market

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: Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; Creativity and culture; Teaching and learning of foreign languages

Project Summary

According to Eurostat statistical data youth unemployment is a common challenge for European countries. Competition in a music field is very strong, and young musicians are under serious risk of unemployment. Even being high class specialists, when they leave the educational institution they are hardly adapted to the local and international musical labour market. Experts consider that modernization of musical vocational education programmes could be an appropriate solution for the problem stated above. Erasmus+ strategical partnership project “Vocational education&training alternative opportunities for young musicians’ better integration into labour market” is the project for vocational music education institutions’ (music VET) learners aged 14 – 24, and objectives of two-year project were the following:
– to strengthen young musicians’ capacity in a labour market in the long term;
– to encourage modernization of learning programmes in music VET;
– to provide international communication skills to music VET learners for better integration into multicultural musical environment.

The project was realized by two private concert agencies from Baltic states and famous vocal ensemble, as well as involving in cooperation many music VET institutions. Project partners come from three EU countries: Herman Braun Foundation – from Latvia, OSAUHING ERP – from Estonia, and The Real Group from Sweden. Latvia and Estonia come from the same geographic region (Eastern Europe), Sweden being their Nordic neighbour. Thus, different geographic regions of EU provide cultural and geographic diversity to the project. As for composition of the partnership Latvia always was known with its brilliant music traditions, the names of Latvian musicians like G.Kremers, M.Majskis, E.Garanca are known through all the world, as they are leaders in their profession – in music. In the same way Estonia has P.Vaahi and Sweden has strong vocal traditions and various brilliant names (ABBA).

According to experts’ view there was a necessity to develop alternative study programmes for practical work in music specialty, for management, for information technologies and technical supply (especially in the content of the art of composing and arrangement) and professional foreign language. International specialists are absolutely sure that there is an extreme need in developing and introducing new individual study plans for some young musicians according to their abilities and schedule (participation in concerts, workshops, competitions during school year). Thus in the frame of the project experts developed five innovative learning modules: “Practice”, “Individual plan”, “Communication technologies and technical supply in a music field”, “Management” and “Professional English” for VET institutions and learners. Different aspects of the studying programme were tested by more than 200 young people, whose participated in master classes for vocalists, piano players, flute players, percussionists and string instruments players, future composers in Riga, Stockholm and Tartu. The young people took part in more than 20 concerts together with adult musicians-as solo players and as members of orchestra.
Project results were presented at the final conference. The project was finished unusually-a contact stock exchange of musicians, employers and managers took place. The participants had the possibilities to find partners or even a job, to exchange experiences, to discuss new ideas or simply to find in oneself new potential and inspiration. As a result of the business game participants presented three remarkable projects – a cycle of concerts, an international project and a festival.
Main project results are the following: – improved professional skills in music through apprenticeship approach; – proposed innovative VET learning modules for music VET learners; – improved key and transversal competences of learners concerning foreign language skills, entrepreneurship competences, and ICT skills; – raised effectiveness and improved flexibility of VET learning with the proposed module for individual plans for learners; – raised employability of young musicians by providing practical tools – Contact Fair.
All produced intellectual outputs will give long term impact on the target group, as well as learning modules could be used in all art and music VET institutions.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 145176,14 Eur

Project Coordinator

Herman Braun Foundation & Country: LV

Project Partners

• OSAUHING ERP
• The Real Group AB