NextSteps@TechVET

NextSteps@TechVET project aims to promote WBL in all its forms, by involving companies and VET providers and targets VET institutions, especially VET teachers and their connections in the world of work such as workplace instructors, managers and HR. Through these target groups, the project also benefits VET students.

The project aims to develop partnerships that promote WBL in VET and support professional development (especially guidance skills) of people involved in the WBL process and the internationalization of VET.

The project responds to the EU priorities for Vocational Education Training. It promotes WBL and teachers’ and trainers’ professional development through the recognition of the current state and development needs regarding cooperation between VET institutions and working life, especially focusing on guidance (incl. career guidance and workplace guidance in physical and digital environments); development of pedagogically considered educational materials to support guidance skills and cooperation between education and work; promotion of best practices for WBL from the perspectives of teachers, students and working life and the improvement, recognition and accreditation of guidance skills through the development of digital open badge-driven learning process. The project runs for 36 months starting on 1.9.2020 and finishing on 31.8.2023.

HAMK coordinates the project. Project partners are Koulutuskuntayhtymä Tavastia Finland; Kouvolan kaupunki (City of Kouvola) Finland; Vidzemes Tehnoloģiju un dizaina tehnikums Latvia; Tallinna Lasnamäe Mehaanikakool Estonia and Stichting voor Christelijk beroepsonderwijs en volwassen educatie Friesland/Flevoland Netherlands

NextSteps@TechVET project has been funded with support from the European Commission, under ERASMUS+, with the reference number 2020-1-FI01-KA202-066596.

Remark: The European Commission accepts no responsibility for the contents of this website.

Target Group

Teachers and trainers

Target Area

Vocational Education Training.

Means and objectives

Objectives

The project promotes WBL and teachers’ and trainers’ professional development through following objectives:

1. recognition of the current state and development needs regarding cooperation between VET institutions and working life; especially focusing on guidance (incl. career guidance and workplace guidance in physical and digital environments)
2. development of pedagogically considered educational materials to support guidance skills and cooperation between education and work,
3. promotion of best practices for WBL from the perspectives of  Learning Ambassador, Students and Working-life,
4. improvement, recognition and accreditation of guidance skills through the development of digital open badge-driven learning process.

Current events

Dissemination 

Video: Competence of a Learning Ambassador

Video: NextSteps@TechVET presents: Role and importance of Learning Ambassadors

News: NextSteps@TechVET: Elevating Work-Based Learning in Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Video (FI): Oppimisen lähettiläät ammattiopiston ja yritysten rajapinnassa

Article: Learning Ambassador – The new role for a VET teacher

Presentation: TechVET_presentation

News: Expectations of technology companies for vocational training and vocational teachers

News: From Vocational Teacher to Learning Ambassador

Video: Ambassadors of work-based learning

Video: Project implementation status

Video: Winter greetings

Video: Welcome to TechVET

NextSteps@TechVET project will improve work-based learning methods

Project team

Hämeen ammattikorkeakoulu, Finland, Coordinator

Vidzemes Tehnoloģiju un dizaina tehnikums, Latvia

Koulutuskuntayhtymä Tavastia, Finland

Tallinna Lasnamäe Mehaanikakool, Estonia

Kouvolan ammattiopisto, Finland

Stichting voor Christelijk beroepsonderwijs en volwassen educatie Friesland/Flevoland, The Netherlands.

Results

The ERASMUS + KA2 Strategic partnerships project promotes WBL and teachers’ and trainers’ professional development through the recognition of the current state and development needs regarding cooperation between VET institutions and the world of work; especially focusing on guidance (incl. career guidance and workplace guidance in physical and digital environments); development of pedagogically considered educational materials to support guidance skills and cooperation between education and work; promotion of best practices for WBL from the perspectives of teachers, students and the world of work and the improvement, recognition and accreditation of guidance skills through the development of digital open badge-driven learning process. The project runs for 36 months starting on 1.9.2020 and finishing on 31.8.2023.

Outputs

a) report on the current state of school-work connection and guidance competencies,

TechVET_report_students
TechVET_report_teachers
TechVET_CompanyRepresentatives

b) educational materials to develop guidance skills and materials for workplace instructor training,

English material bank
Finnish material bank
Latvian material bank 
Estonian material bank 
Dutch material bank 

Test your Learning Ambassador abilities with this test

c) best practices for work-based learning support guide for Learning Ambassadors, Students and Workplace trainers,

d) defined competence criteria for a Digital Badges for “Learning Ambassador” and “Workplace instructor” and piloting Digital Badges.

Materials

IO1 materials

Student questionnaire template
Teacher questionnaire template
Interview questionnaire for business representatives template

IO2 material bank

English material bank
Finnish material bank
Latvian material bank 
Estonian material bank 
Dutch material bank 

Test your Learning Ambassador abilities with this test

IO3

Best practices for work-based learning support guide for Learning Ambassadors, Students and Workplace trainers,

IO4

Defined competence criteria for a Digital Badges for “Learning Ambassador” and “Workplace instructor” and piloting Digital Badges

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