As it was pointed out by the European Ministers of Vocational Education and Training in the Bruges Communiqué, WBL constitute a foundation for the social coherence of the current and future employees as well as the base for their professional and personal development. It is worth and important to include WBL into the strategic activities on the national and international levels. The renewed European agenda for adult learning also calls for promoting WBL, as a form of vocational education and training, which assure achievement of the aims of the Strategy ET 2020. Latvia has already reached most of its targets for Europe 2020 Strategy (employment, early school leaving and tertiary education attainment rate). Vocational education policy aims to increase the share of vocational learners by offering them better future work opportunities and updating the curriculum according to the needs of labour market. Yet, challenges remain. Promoting participation in vocational education is one of key challenges outlined in the Latvian national reform programme for implementation of EU 2020 strategy. Regardless of the past investments in the modernisation of vocational schools and the reform undertaken in the vocational education, the basic school graduates still prefer the general education more than the vocational education. There is strong evidence that work-based learning helps to equip young people with the practical skills that can improve their employability and ease the transition from school desk to work. Thus there is an increasing and urgent need in Europe to boost and support the participation of SMEs in WBL. In-company WBL trainers are the main persons ensuring quality of WBL. However, in-company WBL trainers, in most European countries, lack standardized support ensuring their successful contribution in the learning process. In Latvia in-company trainers involved in providing WBL must have (as of January 2019) a master of crafts qualification, vocational education or at least three years of relevant work experience and have acquired 72-hour teaching competence-development course or special 32-hour teaching competence-development course for in-company trainers of apprenticeships (Cabinet of Ministers, 2016b).Slovenia adopted the Law on apprenticeship in 2017 and basic pedagogical training for WBL in-company trainers prescribed by law in Slovenia, Lithuania and Bulgaria are on the way to requirements to in-company trainers. Crafts qualification and professional skills and craftsmanship are not a problem for companies, but pedagogical competence and knowledge are the main drawback for companies to provide WBL. Objectives of the project1)Development of an open e-learning tool for in-company trainers involved in WBL, thus ensuring successful contribution of SMEs in the WBL process.2)Promotion of WBL and raising VET prestige, thus bridging the gap between labour market needs, qualified workforce and education.Main target groups of the project are:1) Companies – WBL providers and companies planning to participate in WBL. In-company trainers are the main target users of the project outcomes and in-company trainers are also the final beneficiaries.2) Teachers and educators of VET schools3) Young people deciding on their future education and career options4) VET students looking for qualitative WBL5) Employers’ organisations (the national and sectorial) wishing to support their members in human resource development though traineeships.All project international partners will contribute in development of the content of the e-learning tool– learning modules, self-evaluation tests, FAQ, content of videos, additional useful sources, elaboration of the final test.There will be simple requirements for the e-learning tool - user friendly interface, thoughtful, design-attractive, with interesting tests.There will be possibility to personalize the final tests - to log in with official login (bank card, ID etc.)When passing the final test, the trainer will receive affirmation on taking the e-learning course and passing the test. During the project implementation, the certification process of this affirmation will be undertaken in partner countries.

<< Objectives >>The objective of the project is to form a partnership, promote cooperation and exchange of good practices between the institutions coordinating the work of SECs as well as other stakeholders involved in development of VET education in the Baltic States. During the course of the project we will create a framework for a long-term partnership at national and international level to acquire new knowledge, exchange experience and thus strengthen each of the parties involved.<< Implementation >>It is planned to organize study visits to Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia to learn how the work of the SECs is structured and organized, including: (1) visits to coordinating institutions of SECs; (2) visits to educational institutions; (3) identification of common challenges; (4) exchange of information about the VET systems. Virtual mobility will be organized - project activity planning meetings, online seminars etc. Project will promote also national level cooperation between LAOCC, LNCC, LDDK.<< Results >>The main outcomes of the project are (1) Establishment of a network of non-formal cooperation between the SEC coordinating bodies of the Baltic States; (2) Preparation of a common vision on the co-operation of Latvian SEC co-ordinating institutions in order to ensure a common approach to the implementation of SEC functions; (3) Strengthening of the understanding of the role of SECs in the development of vocational education by all stakeholders.

The objectives of the project were:I. To increase the supply of the qualified labour staff for the economic sectors suffering from the workforce shortage and to help to match skills for the job, cover skill gaps as well as skill deficits through efficient apprenticeship training.II. To increase the popularity of apprenticeship training through the development of a systematic apprenticeship promotion. To achieve these objectives, the project created the following 2 Intellectual Outputs:1. An In-Company Trainer Training Programme Model2. A Model Concept for Apprenticeship Promotion Project activities:Output 011. NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND PROVISION REVIEW2. SELECTION OF METHODOLOGY FOR THE CREATION OF IN-COMPANY TRAINER TRAINING PROGRAMME 3. DEVELOPMENT OF IN-COMPANY TRAINER TRAINING PROGRAMME MODEL 4. METHODOLOGY KIT FOR IN-COMPANY TRAINERS. 5. ADAPTATION OF IN-COMPANY TRAINER TRAINING PROGRAMME MODEL TO NATIONAL SPECIFICS. COMPLIANCE WITH NATIONAL QUALIFICATION INSTITUTIONS. 6. PILOTING OF IN-COMPANY TRAINER TRAINING PROGRAMME. Output 021. DEVELOPMENT OF CONCEPT MODEL FOR APPRENTICESHIP PROMOTION2. ADAPTATION OF CONCEPT MODEL FOR APPRENTICESHIP PROMOTION TO NATIONAL SPECIFICS. 3. PILOTING OF CONCEPT MODEL FOR APPRENTICESHIP PROMOTION. According to the research of World Economic Forum, employers in many countries reported difficulties in finding suitably skilled workers. Workforce shortages can be explained by low birth rate, emigration, uncompetitive wages, unattractive working conditions, poor recruitment policies, mismatch of skills and jobs, skill gaps and deficits in specific sectors, occupations or locations. While some of these problems require difficult economical and political decisions, the skills mismatch, skill gaps and deficits could be addressed by changes in training and recruitment practices, and by facilitating labour mobility. One of the best solutions is training in the form of apprenticeship during which around 80 per cent of training is carried out in a workplace under the supervision of an In-Company trainer who is an experienced worker in the company (workplace instructor). Apprenticeship has been recognised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) as the most effective way of moving from education into work. In-Company trainers play a fundamental role in apprenticeship training. However, European Centre for the development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) study reveals that while In-Company trainers are highly professional, they would benefit from training programmes which would teach them more efficient training methods. It echoes Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) statement that the central challenge in VET is to ensure that pogrammes meet the needs of the labour market. These studies are supported by the responses from enterprises in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia that the existing In-Company Trainer Training Programmes lack flexibility, are too long (over 100 h), and their content often does not meet the needs of the companies. The lack of an appropriate In-Company Trainer training results in a less productive apprenticeship.For that reason, an In-Company Trainer Training Programme has been developed and piloted. The In-Company Trainer Training Programme is based on the needs of companies, and is much more flexible than the previous. The programme teaches the In-Company trainers to train the apprentices in the most efficient and effective ways to match their skills for the job. There is also a constant struggle of attracting apprentices since vocational education is considered less attractive than university education, it is often viewed as a personal failure to achieve better. Therefore, more promotion of and information about apprenticeship learning form is required. To address these problems, the project has developed and tested the Concept of Apprenticeship Promotion. The Concept targeted a wide spectrum of potential apprentices and promoted the positive image of apprenticeship. The Intellectual Outcomes have been developed in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia with the expertise support from Finland and Belgium. Organisations: Jerusalem Labour Market Training Centre (the applicant, Lithuania) Centre of Expertise and Productivity (Finland) Actions Intégrées de Développement asbl (Integrated Development Action) (Belgium) Lithuanian Qualifications and Vocational Training Development Centre Employers’ Confederation of Latvia Lithuanian Engineering Industry Association Lithuanian Builders Association Estonian Employers’ Confederation

The project “VET for Employment” (VET4E), led by the Employers’ Confederation of Latvia (LDDK), aims at:- improving availability of qualified workforce through improving compliance of VET to the labour market needs;- facilitating and supporting organisation of qualitative traineeships and work based learning in vocational education and training (VET) system and- developing new tools for the use by the employers and VET institutions to promote work based learning in VET and to support employers, VET institutions and students in human resource development through traineeships. The motivation for the project lies in the problems identified in partner countries: rather low prestige of VET, limited opportunities for qualitative traineeships, low involvement of employers, low level of cooperation between VET institutions and employers, high youth unemployment, problematic transition from education institutions to labour market. In order to address these problems, project will carry out a number of activities aimed at improving availability of qualitative traineeship opportunities and to strengthen employers’ involvement in VET. The main activities planned to reach these goals are:- Carrying out a study on availability, quality and costs and benefits of traineeships in Latvia;- Organising learning visits to Austria and Germany to learn from well-established dual VET systems;- Developing an action plan for improvement of traineeships in Latvia;- Carrying out feasibility study on vocational education in Lithuania; and mutually learning between Latvia and Lithuania in the process of implementing VET reforms;- Developing IT tool on career portal prakse.lv (traineeship.lv) which would ensure opportunity to organise and implement traineeships and work based learning in easy and comfortable way, as well as to collect and analyse data on traineeships- To implement work based learning programmes in two sectors – metalworking sector and pharmacy sector. - To implement a number of initiatives/ mini pilotprojects to promote new IT tool, traineeships and work based learning in different sectors such as facilitating traineeships, namely, combining traineeships in several companies, career support activities, organising training for trainers in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science, developing mobility projects, organising professional skills competition, certification of traineeship places, organising seminars, organising site visits of pupils or VET trainers in companies, examining work safety during traineeships, piloting examination developed and organised by employers.The main result of the project will be increased number of qualitative traineeship opportunities. The consortium is made of partners from Latvia, Lithuania, Austria and Germany. Partners include the national and sectorial employer organisations, trade union organisation, VET institutions, research and training institution, as well as private companies. Project is also endorsed by the Ministry of Education and Science of Latvia, National Centre for Education and the Municipality of Riga.

Europe’s Sustainability & Green agendas are providing opportunities for companies to grow where they invest in technologies, digitisation, materials, and skills to reduce carbon emissions and enhance energy efficiencies. To meet the needs of green jobs and industry 4.0 the workforce will need to expand and have higher levels of skills. To achieve this, education and training providers will need to develop upskilling/reskilling programmes that are flexible, offer recognition, provide career pathways. It is estimated that 128 million adults in the EU28 could benefit from upskilling and reskilling opportunities, of which 60 million are low-skilled and at risk of skills obsolescence and unemployment. Thus, it is necessary to invest in new skills development but also, to address social inclusion and equality to underpin provision of training and education. MiCred Green Pathways will provide a micro-credential green skills framework informed by experts from industry, education and training, which can facilitate adults to reskill/upskill within a lifelong learning paradigm to improve employment opportunities. The project consortium which include partners from industry, universities, adult education, VET, and agencies will provide a multilevel perspective to co-create the micro-credential framework, platform, teaching and learning resources to support low skilled adults gain recognised credits for upskilling/reskilling.MiCred project will carry out a comparative analysis of adult education policy in the six consortium countries (Sweden, Ireland, Bulgaria, Spain, Macedonia, Latvia) and research the emerging green skills to inform the development of learning outcomes for the micro-credential framework and platform at EQF Level 4. The project will pilot and test results to develop training material for teachers/trainers to use with low skilled adults. Providing a recognised award for participants and link to pathways for progression and career advancement.