Explore Europe! - Keri's work placement and experience abroad

2016-1-HU01-KA102-022808

16/1/KA102/022808

2016.06.01. – 2018.05.31.

Background

Following the changed name the Békéscsaba Vocational Training Center (BSZC) József Zwack's Commerce and Catering Vocational-grammar and Vocational-secondary School has been dealing with international projects since 2004.

Objectives

Following the deadline of the 2016 tender, our institution has been able to successfully complete the study trip of 92 students with the help of foreign vocational training schools and companies.

We selected our foreign partners from our previous partner network to take care the training needs, and on this basis we signed contract with those institutions that could enable our planned international mobility to take place.

Number and professional background of the participants

• 90 students completed the mobilities, which corresponds to 97.8%
• In the catering and tourism sector there were 33 cooks and 16 waiters (20 caterers were trained in these two professions) and 14 pastry chefs were included in the program,
• 8 sales assisstant and 19 merchants were involved in the trade sector,
• 40 students - who have disadvantages in their life - participated in the 2016-2018 project,
• 8 teachers were received in the field of catering to foreign study tours. This occassions were successfully completed.
• Our plan was 98% because 2 students have withdrawn their applications.

Implemented activities in the project

Preparatory phase:

• First meeting of the working groups.
• Preparation of contract between the receiving and sending institution.
• Start of the final work program.
• Campaign in our school from the actually mobilities.
• Giving information to the teaching staff and the public.
• Evaluation of incoming motivation letters, selection of the participants.
• Contract from the preparing with our school’s teachers.
• Evaluation and preparation of selected participants.

Implementation of the practice / study trip:

• Preparing the trip with the host institution.
• Agreement between the sending institution and the receiving partner, the participants and the accompanying person.
• Finalize the work program.
• Consultations from the trip.
• Implementation of a foreign internship / study trip.

Closing stage:

• Collecting and compiling travel documentation (experiences from the work practice, evaluation sheets, certificates).
• Dissemination from the mobilities.
• Inform the teaching staff and the public about the success of the trip.

Results of the project

1. For participating students:

• their competencies have improved, for these reason they have been more successful,
• took part excellent way in national and international competitions,
• developed their communication,
• their motivations growing and their dedication to the profession,

2. For participating teachers / trainers:

• as a result of the foreign study trip / practice, their competences have evolved, methodologically renewed, thus increasing the level of work, efficiency, motivation,
• they went home mentally refreshed.

3. For our Institution:

• the prestige of the professions increased,
• the human resources base and the competences of our institution were strengthened,
• at the student and teacher levels the popularity of foreign mobility projects were increased,
• the relationship with the host organizations has been further deepened and new institutions have been involved in the network,
• the prestige of the institution has continued to grow, this has contributed to the success of our institution's schooling,
• the experience gained in using ECVET tools has increased, and the popularity of the Europass documents is growing.

4. In case the group of the project:

• their professional, linguistic, intercultural, social, digital competencies have evolved,
• their organizational, collaborative, problem-solving and communication skills have been further developed,
• and have been able to use ICT devices even more confidently.

Effects of the project

Short-term effect:

• The practical experiences in the central vocational training programs and the further training needs were implemented successfully,
• The participants have got Europass Mobility Certificate which demonstrated the effectiveness of the practice / study trip.

Long-term effect:

• We disseminated the opportunities through the media through the press, so the students are more likely to attend our school.
• Our outgoing students have more and more employment opportunities in our profession because of their international knowledges.
• With the results and the documents of the project, the level of vocational training continues to rise.