The Erasmus+ Project ‘The VET circle: Schools – Students – Companies’ have meet in Skopje for their 2nd Transnational Project Meeting on 13th and 14th of July 2023. Below the agenda and an update on the work we have done!

Agenda Skopje

Previously we have given you a pretty good outline of the LTT activities in the Netherlands of the VET Circle partnership. The Dutch Foundation of Innovation Welfare 2 Work (DFW2W) was the host for sixteen delegates from Bulgaria, Turkey, Macedonia and Greece. The blended mobility was also an activity that leads to the achievement of the project objectives. Below Part 2, with more dutch good practice, VET-Circle tips and tricks on how to establish a good connection with the companies and how te motivate the students to get workplacements in companies:

An Employers Perspective

Dutch Employers are looking for sustainable potential. The employment rate of Dutch recent graduates is currently higher than 90%! The percentage of Dutch early leavers from education and training at 8.0% is lower than the EU average of 10.7%. It is also below the Europe 2020 average target of 10%, and exactly at the national target of 8%.

Introduction Passport to Success

TheVET-WBL Passport is a Learners Diary. The main purpose of the Learners Diary will be to support learners working, during their work based learning period. The VET-WBL Passport, c.q. Learners Diary, is based on the WBL guide. The framework of the WBL Guide is integrated in the learners activities, with tips and tricks, some animation and graphics and a journal.

The VET-WBL Passport (Learner’s Diary) is divided in three parts:

1. Details intern /apprentice/Company/Supervisor;
2. Work-based learning Validation based on Occupational Standards;
3. Journal Learner

The principles of the Passport to Success
Congratulations on completing your Pre-assessment and selection for your internship/apprenticeship. Now you can start your work based learning period. This is a short guide to your passport of success. The principles for success are:

1. Positive attitude
2. Effort at work
3. Cooperation with your supervisor and tutor
4. On time
5. Personal presentation
6. Cooperation with colleagues

Each journey start with one step (step 1).

The passport is connected to the WBL guide and use a passport c.q. diary format. The students can fill the work-based learning activities in the journal (Learner Diary). The aim is to reflect and have an perspective on the Work based learning period through the eyes of the student. The idea of the learning diary is that as tool of reflection, it helps the student to assess what she/he has learned during the work based learning period. This obviously helps the teachers and tutors, too.

The aim of the learning diary is to summarize, analyze and comment on activities during the work based learning period as a sort of passport to success.

We anticipate that the Learners Diary will be able to be adapted for use across a range of sectors (as a Passport to Success)

Dutch Good Practice; Superschool

In 2009 Eric van ’t Zelfde became director of one of the worst schools in Rotterdam. A school with only 34 new student registrations, dramatic exam results, tired teachers and crime. Van ’t Zelfde tackled the problems off the beaten track. No less than 56 teachers left, 34 of whom in his first year as director. He introduced the ingenious rule of conduct ‘you behave yourself’, which is brilliant in its simplicity. He expelled a number of students against the law and had to answer to the judge. After several years, his school began to score at or above the national average. From the worst school in the Netherlands to one of the best schools in the Netherlands in five years.

How to create a Workplacement?

Part III: Coming Soon

More about our Dutch LTT will be shared with you in Part 3!

The training activities in the Netherlands om May 8-12th 2023 will aim at enhancing on the one hand the potential of the participants for work based learning schemes and professional organisation of workplacements on the other hand. The staff training in Netherlands will also be an activity that will lead to achievement of the project objectives. The experts from Netherlands will train the participants so that they learn how to establish good connection with the companies and how te motivate the students to have a practical placements in companies. Read more what we will do at Area071 below:

Dutch VET Circle Programme

The VET-Circle project is co-funded by the Erasmus Plus programme of the European Union. The project wants to help companies to get the best students, and also help the students find the most appropriate company for their work placement. One of aims of the Vet-Circle project is to develop e-courses for company mentors and school teachers.

Presentation Better Teaching and Learning