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IHF joined the Kick-off meeting of the JOBS4ALL Project

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About the project

Fitting VET-business for the future employment of all (JOBS4ALL) is an Erasmus+ KA2 project, which gathers 8 organisations for 8 countries.

The project’s rationale is based on the fast pace by which the world is progressing, the changing and increasing skills demands, coupled with economic, demographic and technological developments which are posing considerable challenges as well as providing opportunities for innovative and inclusive responses from VET systems. Several reforms are underway across Europe to introduce more apprenticeship models or to implement other forms of work-based learning. However, since systems coming from very different institutional set-ups and legacies are trying to move in that direction, it is expected that the process of reform will be rather long and difficult. Aside from work-based learning, meaningful VET-business cooperation can pave the way for VET systems to raise the quality and attractiveness of VET. JOBS4ALL partners recognise that VET provision needs to be based on effective governance at all levels, and that strong employer engagement is vital for delivering excellent and inclusive VET that offer opportunities for both economic and social cohesion, tackle mismatches between employer needs and worker skills, support competitiveness and sustainable development.

Objectives
The objectives of the JOBS4ALL project are the following:
• Supply VET providers with a bespoke employer engagement methodology for shaping VET-business cooperation and fostering its sustainability.
• Involve and upskill VET professionals in effective employer engagement that has the required impacts, through a blended CPD course and practical resources toolkit.
• Provide a set of video case studies emerging from the piloting trials, aiming to raise awareness and reflection among VET professionals on common challenges.
• Engage associated partners and key stakeholders in development, validation, dissemination and exploitation actions, through the Local Experts’ Groups, community of practice and multiplier events.
• Boost the excellence, attractiveness and inclusiveness of Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Work-Based Learning (WBL).

Target groups

The main target groups of the project and those who can benefit from material and information disseminated during the project are:

  • Educational and career guidance practitioners
  • VET learners and VET providers
  • VET associations and boards
  • Employers’ associations
  • VET, WBL and/or employer engagement experts and/or researchers
  • Ministries of Education

What is the desired impact of the project at the local, regional, national, European and/or international levels?

JOBS4ALL project has the following aims:

  • Improve engagement of employers in the process of designing and developing sector-relevant VET programmes in cooperation with qualification awarding bodies, ministries of education, and other educational sector organisations in the partner countries.
  • Improve understanding by all project partners, their LEGs and remaining stakeholders of the challenges to engage VET and employers and the possibilities for fostering improved cooperation and engagement.
  • Make available a new high-quality VET-employer engagement programme developed with effective employer and industry support and involvement.
  • Increase satisfaction among employers engaged with VET providers regarding the skills of VET learners
  • Reduce skills mismatches between VET providers and employers engaged in the project.
  • Increase VET and WBL inclusive paths.
  • Improve policy and regulation with regard to employer involvement in the qualification and programme development process, through the involvement of decision makers in the partner countries.
  • Enhance digitalisation processes in VET and businesses.
  • Enhance attractiveness of VET programmes.
  • Increase engagement of employers in the process of designing and developing sector-relevant VET programmes in cooperation with qualification awarding bodies, ministries of education, and other educational sector organisations.
  • Upskille VET professionals on effective employer engagement across Europe.

Members of the Partnership
• Internationaler Bund – IB Mitte gGmbH für Bildung und Soziale Dienste Niederlassung Sachsen – Germany.
• CSI – CENTER FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION LTD – Cyprus.
• DANMAR COMPUTERS SP ZOO – Poland.
• Mindshift Talent Advisory lda – Portugal.
• IASIS – Greece.
• FONDO FORMACION EUSKADI SLL – Spain.
• INSTITUT DE HAUTE FORMATION AUX POLITIQUES COMMUNAUTAIRES – Belgium.
• The Rural Hub CLG – Ireland.

Kick- off meeting was virtual and was carried out in January 2021

IHF participated at the Kick-off meeting as partner leader of the Exploitation of project results and partner directly involved in the development of all projects’ activities. During the meeting, partners discussed about the general management of the project and ways to approach the target groups. They also divided and clarified the tasks of each organisation according to the proposal. Furthermore, the partners agreed on the implementation of the first steps of the project and set the dates for the upcoming partners meetings.

The partners will meet again in Portugal, in June 2022, for the second Translational Project Meeting.

Stay tuned for more!