Project Overview Content

Context

As evident by the high youth unemployment rates around Europe and the long transition from the education system to the labour market, youth are faced with the lack of practical skills that could help them to secure employment. Internships have been recognized as a vital part of Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs, nevertheless, the potential of Information and Communication Technologies in the process of organization of these programs has not been fully utilized as yet. Internship programs which are facilitated via computer-mediated programs (i.e. virtual internships or e-internships) provide numerous possibilities for improvement of the relevance of VET and for increasing opportunities for all students to engage in work-based learning programs. Namely, they enable greater participation in internships of young people with fewer opportunities who cannot participate in traditional internships due to various reasons such as financial or geographical obstacles and they also make international internships more feasible, besides increasing their digital skills and virtual collaboration skills.

Objectives

In order to answer to the recognized needs of VET teachers, trainers and mentors and VET students, including students from disadvantaged groups, the project aims to:

- Develop and test the model for virtual internships in VET;

- Promote the organization of virtual internships in VET;

- Promote strategic cooperation between educational institutions and business sector focused onvirtually supported internships;

- Support the Europe 2020 priority of development of vocational skills considering labour marketneeds.

Target groups

The project addresses the needs of:

- VET teachers, trainers and mentors

- VET students

- Disadvantaged students

- Business sector