"Despite falling unemployment rates, however, the labor market integration of formally low-skilled workers is still a problem in Germany, Slowakia, Bulgaria or Sweden. Unemployment, drop-outs, as well as absenteeism and impaired performance through illnesses are problems we as education providers have to face and to find solutions. We realised that existing regional instruments of counseling and employment promotion by job centers, public administration offices with mostly practiced deficit-centered approaches are not sufficient and do not solve problems. Regional employers also confirm, that initiated mesures are mostly poorly fitting. Common to all these strategies is that they tend to be more mechanistic, often subject to sanctioning power, and often focused on weaknesses and problems that people should get rid of. It can be far more purposeful to explore and promote one's own strengths and resources. For the low-skilled with experience of failure solidifies, risks of permanently precarious life situations become permanent . Particularly affected are disadvantaged target groups with low education, poor language skills, mental or physical disabilities, long-term sick leave or regions with a stagnating job market. Young people, migrants, older people in many cases do not understand the different responsibilities and do not know who they can turn to and what the suitable offers are for them. As a result, for many years there has been a plethora of different offerings confusing and non-transparent for the targeted groups.On the otherside many formally low-skilled have already non-formally or informally acquired professional skills. After all, it is not the case that the formally low-skilled have not acquired any professional knowledge throughout thier life. It can therefore be far more purposeful to explore and promote one's own existing strengths and resources.A good practice case is the biologdesigner method of our Swedish partner Ibility, whose application in one year of youth unemployment in the municipality Laholm Sweden decreased from almost 17% to 9%. With our teachers (3 each per partner) we will organize a short-term training action and workshops (10-15 persons) with our local strategic partners for colloboration and exchange.Together with our partners from Germany, Slovakia and Bulgaria, we want to get to know the ""biologdesigner"" method of IBILITY (Schweden) and exchange ideas on how this concept could be transferred or adapted for our clientele and in our regions. We will learn about the learning processes and strategies discuss how and which resources contribute to the ability to work and against disadvantage, and how work, education, family and society are multifaceted dynamic complementarities that influence each other.Another benefit will be the empowerment of municipalities; pooling of VET- and guidance services through systematic coordination on cooperation and support structures."

"In June 2016 the European Commission launches the New Skills Agenda for Europe, one of the proposed initiatives being the ""Digital skills and jobs coalition"", a measure that aims to promote people's digital talent. The sector of new technologies has become an emerging sector for employment and entrepreneurship, and it is nowadays a fundamental sector of economic and social activity. According to the Commission, up to 500,000 Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) professionals may be missing by 2020. Education, in particular vocational training, is a key element to equipping future workers with the skills demanded by the labor market in the new technologies sector. The integration of both the transversal skills for employment and entrepreneurship required for the sector, and technical competences related to the latest trends in the technological sector, will comprehensively cover the labor market demands on new technologies and will ensure the best inclusion of the vocational training students in the technological labor market of the future. Therefore, the general objective of JOBS4TECH is to harmonize Vocational Training with the needs of the labor market in the new technologies sector, and in particular in one of its recent trends, virtual and augmented reality, to improve the employability of its students. To fulfill this objective, 8 VET teachers in the technological area and their students (approximately 120) will experience an integrated path in the area of virtual and augmented reality, which will contemplate both the teaching of technical skills and the necessary skills to work or own in this sector. There will also be a tool to evaluate skills for employment and entrepreneurship in the new technologies sector, which teachers and students can use. JOBS4TECH provides the following activities: -Detailed analysis of the training offer in professional technological families and informatics in terms of teaching both technical and transversal skills (for employment and entrepreneurship). -Validation by experts, companies and teachers in the field of technical and transversal competences detected. (for employment and entrepreneurship). -Development of an integrated route with both types of competences, taking as the last trend of virtual and augmented reality as a subsector to pilot it. -Adaptation of skills assessment tools to carry out one in the technological sector. -Training of VET trainers in the integrated itinerary. -Pilot experience with two groups in each of the participating countries. -Evaluation of results and preparation of report of recommendations to education and vocational training on new routes in the sector of new technologies and integration of skills for employment and entrepreneurship. The methodology applied in our project will be based on the following characteristics: -Inductive, that is to say, from the analysis of the concrete realities identified it will be developed a technical and competence approach that responds to the detected needs. -The gender approach will be applied transversally to all our actions. -Social technology, applying the virtual and augmented reality that has multiple applications in different areas of society. -Competence approach: the ultimate and most important purpose of the program is to increase the competences of the students with a view to a future incorporation into the labor market. The labor market competences, which increase student employability, have an eminently technical variable (companies require workers with specific and innovative knowledge), but also in transversal competences, which are very important at the labor level, although least specified. -The training will follow the methodologies of learning by doing, role playing and cooperative work. With the JOBS4TECH project, the technological sector itineraries will be improved by the integration of technical and transversal skills of employment and entrepreneurship suited to the needs of the sector. In addition, VET teachers, both those involved in the project and the rest to whom the results will be disseminated, will increase their knowledge of virtual and augmented reality and how to incorporate in the classroom the development of competencies such as: leadership, creativity, perseverance, etc. They will also learn how to relate them to a technological sector. In this way, VET students in professional families related to information technology and new technologies, will evaluate and improve their skills and their level of employability in the technological sector."

Project SAGA for VETBased on analyses of unoccupied work positions for particular professions, of registered unemployed suitable for requalification in these professions, of the opportunities for VET in these professions, the partners selected 6 educational programs relevant for this project.Since these educational programs are well covered in AT and DE, the main aim of the SAGA for VET project, was to transfer the elements of dual education from AT and DE to SK, within selected programs.During the project the Comparative analysis of the selected programs in AT, DE and SK was made. By such analysis we defined the differences in selected programs and in approach to educational process for requalification in particular countries (AT, DE and SK). Such analysis was crucial for decision of interested partners on which elements of programs were about to be transferred from AT and which from DE.We planned the trainers training for particular programs, by which the candidates for guarantees and teachers from SK were trained in partners facilities in AT and DE. By such trainings these trainers gathered relevant knowledge for relevant selection of the elements of dual VET, and their successful transfer to SK, by incorporating them to Slovak educational programs.After the trainers’ trainings, the SK partners created particular courses and relevant documents necessary for successful accreditation of the educational programs, focusing on local requirements and legislation.After successful accreditation, the SK partners prepared the Comparative analyses of established programs, which outlined the innovations in educational programs compared to AT and DE programs, and these innovations have been transferred back to AT and DE educational environments, and used by AT and DE partners.After selections of candidates for pilot testing of the programs (from registered unemployed) and suitable region for pilot testing (concerning the actual needs of local employers for particular professions), the SK partners ran pilot education for each program.Based on gathered knowledge and experiences regarding the transfer of the elements of dual education, accreditation process and pilot testing, the partners issued the Best practice methodology, which could be used by third parties in similar processes in the future.Concerning the actuality of theme of dual VET, and the innovations in approach in particular programs, which can be multiplied for other programs in future, and concerning the opportunity of further effect of these new dual educational programs within the key actions on labor market, and the commercial potential of the innovative outcomes of the project, the partners issued the recommendations for local authorities, which can incorporate the project outcomes to their policies in fields of vocal education and trainings and employment affairs.Project SAGA for VET was focused on professions and areas, which notwithstanding the reform of vocal education system, which has been in progress in Slovakia, are underestimated and are not covered by the education system, our project brought solutions how to conquer these challenges in short term period.The indirect beneficiaries of the project outcomes were all registered unemployed, who attended the requalification courses through the key actions on the labor market, as well as the SME and enterprise, who benefited from the qualified labor force suitable for their needs available on the labor market.The partnership of partners, who were leading subjects in their particular fields of engagement within the project, and principal representatives of the project and following activities in their home countries, guaranteed the relevant qualification for successful implementation of the project, for achievement of the project goals and objectives in relevant quality, as well as for successful dissemination of the project outcomes to reach the target group of dissemination in best possible way.The participants in the trainers’ trainings were Slovak leading experts in particular fields, who expanded their professional knowledge and experience, to provide the added value for the project activities, and to guarantee the expertise in the process of transfer of the elements of dual VET.The participants of the pilot testing, as well as the future participants in new educational programs, as the registered unemployed, were facing the economic objectives, for their voluntary participation in such programs. From the long term perspective, these participant benefited from the projects outcomes in same way as unemployed did in AT and DE in the past, when similar programs were established there, and the unemployment itself can be reduced.Since the activities within the project are multipliable for significant target group, and can be used also after the end of financing from the Erasmus+ grant.

The woodworking and furniture industries have a considerable investment on CNC technologies, yet the productivity, precision, and complexity of the products are not as high as expected as the end product of such technologies. One major reason for these discrepancies is related to the education of CNC operators. This two-way project aims to provide a guide to prepare a curriculum for on the job training of CNC operators in furniture industries based on andragogical principles and a new curriculum for training the CNC operators in these sectors to use the available technologies to their full potentials.Ultimately, this will enhance CNC operators' technological skills to cope with the new CNC technologies in the realm of life-long learning activities as described in Bologna Process and enable them to solve on the job problems by themselves using any e-media.Regardless, it will aim to furnish them with basic computer literacy and CAD in order to interact with the machine and the model and/or designer whenever necessary.

"The digitalisation creates new possibilities, but also dilemmas and challenges for schools and teachers, be it in VET sector or education in general since digital transformation is an overlapping process across all educational fields. There is consensus among policy-makers, researchers, teacher educators and school management that digital literacy and ICT implementation must be given high priority and needs to be explored more deeply in educational institutions. A large majority of European countries currently have definite plans to invest in schools' digital infrastructure. Germany has launched a digital pact to invest five billion euros into the expansion of IT infrastructure in schools by 2022 . The successful integration of digital tools as comprehensively as possible, but without reflection and a pedagocical concept into everyday school life is the biggest challange we face in Germany and partner countries.Despite efforts to push digitazition in schools, most schools do not have a concept for using digital learning aids, and are not able to reflect digital change as part of their systematic school and teaching development. Bertelsmann Stiftung Study shows rather the lack of pedagogical concepts. In fact, only 8 percent of school management attach great strategic importance. The result: Schools lack a concept for using digital learning aids, do not develop a common didactic understanding, and teachers usually have to organize their further training themselves. Having left all on their own, the partners in this consortium are struggling to use digital contents properly and the missing part is basically an application of the corresponding teaching pedagogy. The success of educational processes depends on the quialifications and competences of the teaching staff.Unfortunately a pandemic shows us the relevance of mastering digital teaching. As coronavirus forces sectors to consider replacing real-world interactions with virtual alternatives, the move has been most dramatic in the education sector, with many schools sending all students home, suspending in-person lessons and switching to digital learning materials and lectures.In this project by exchanging good practice we will encourage the teachers to view technology integration from a wider perspective and become reflective in their teaching as they use technology to support and facilitate instruction. The target group is teachers and schools. Each partner contributes to a specific issue we identified as important for our schools: teaching concept using digital technologies as well as the promotion of self-organized competency-based learning, new forms of teaching, learning and assessing, preferably open source solutions, joint activities platforms, networks. We will not only „consume“ the good practices, we will discuss with all partners what parts could be matching to currently avialable settings and frameworks within our organsiations and how could such a transfer or integration or adaptation be engineered. We included the experts into our project who developed and/or applying these good practices, having expertise in pedagogical software settings as well as development of software related to these pedagogical concepts. Possible synergies and joint actions we could have benefit from are the additional pillars of the project.We foresee two face-to face and one online learning activity. Learning from and with others is a most powerful learning experience. The value and importance of this experience inspires teachers: Being exposed to new ideas, new tools and new ways of teaching with these tools. Teachers would have time and place to reflect on their learning. Observation means getting involved, how it works, experiencing (first-hand experience, also together with others; stimulating, motivating), leads to reflection.We included three good practices, each of them covering different aspects we are interested in. We expect to learn from good practices the technology integration about new forms of teaching, learning and assessing-individualized learning paths in order to support a heterogeneous group of learners in achieving the same learning goals. Students are no longer subjected to the same requirementsacross the board ('classroom principle'), because they are at different ""learning levels"" (skills, knowledge, willingness to learn), so they should get different options offered to progress.-Methods suitable for designing individualized learning arrangements and the framework conditions of teaching-learning situations-Appropriate teaching materials on the basis of learning levels and the respective digital learning environment and learn management systems-A joint learning management system from teachers for teachers-design and development of contents of educational scenarios8 partners will participate and contribute and prepare eventually guidelines with results and recommendations based upon project activity."