Why this project?

VET education is offering many opportunities for students to go abroad and complete their workplacement in a foreign country.

Furthermore, it is possible for VET students to follow classes at a VET institution in a host country, to experience an international traineeship ánd to tick off certain parts of their examination during this period of internship. Additionally students will learn about the customs of the host country and share their culture with the other students.

The coordinator of the Blended Programme project is Landstede VET school in The Netherlands. Landstede work with the other partners to ensure the smooth running of the Blended Programme.  

Summary

At the moment there is a growth of VET students going abroad for their internships. It is common knowledge that these international experiences help them develop knowledge and skills for their future professions and students also grow and develop personally. Unfortunately it is also well known that a rather high percentage of VET students have a delay in their courses after they return to their home countries. This is because it is not possible for students to complete and pass (certain parts of) exams while they are on internships in a foreign country. Supervisors and tutors in the host countries are not accredited to grade students as recommended by exam boards in the home countries.

We aim to:

Have students take classes to update their English which enables them to feel more comfortable while working in a company in the host country. Students will also follow curriculum based classes on a part of their study/course they are doing in their home countries, which is again based on a certain part of their final exam. These units are the ones students are able to tick off while on duty at the company in the host country.

The main aim of the project is implementation of this Blended Programme in the curricula of different VET departments.

Blended Programme includes:

• -curriculumbased module to be attended
• -lessons to upgrade English and English for different Specific Purposes
• -awareness of EU
• -international internship
• -accredited tutor at workplacement
• -examination at workplacement
• -cultural awareness
• -sustainability of Blended Programme by implementation in curricula of the participating countries

The partners of this application will cooperate and foresee the following developments to stimulate VET students to go abroad. We are confident that students will broaden their horizons not only in knowledge and skills of their future profession but also in both the natural and professional use of the English language, learn about, live in and experience another culture. Students will be students in the host countries as they follow classes at a VET institution in the host country. This will help students to do (parts of their) exam in the host country but it will also encourage interaction and interculturalisation. Students will be better prepared and be more confident for their future profession not only in their home country but also in any other English speaking country, within the EU or further abroad. Tutors in companies of host countries will be accredited so that they can tick off (certain parts of) exams for the students. VET students will be much more motivated and challenged to go abroad for their courses and work placement.

We foresee a bond between teachers of the English language of the three participating countries, a bond between field teachers (e.g. Irish, Finnish and Dutch nurses who also teach at VET institutions for now. In the future other fields can do so as well), a bond between VET institutions in home countries (Finland and The Netherlands) and host county (Ireland) in the development of the lessons to be followed, a bond between the VET institutions of all participating countries and the companies of host country as we all work together to get the tutors accredited for the execution of exams the way the home countries need those to be done.

Why Europe 

Combining the transnational knowledge from our different institutes and countries enables us effective organisational learning and the opportunity to disseminate our knowledge widely to the target groups and beneficiaries. Owing to the decision to exploit the method through e-learning components VET teachers and trainers from all over Europe can participate.

This project therefore has a high potential role in facilitating interactions between European institutions because of the use of social media as dissemination tools. European partners in and outside the consortium will have the opportunity to transfer the knowledge to their countries. Development of a common strategy with fine-tuning on specific regions for the use of this innovative approach for lifelong learning.

What impact do we expect?

At the beginning this application focuses on two different VET departments (VET nurses and Welfare). In two years' time this application aims in having more VET departments in Finland and The Netherlands involved and participating. And we will also concentrate on having this Blended Programme included in the curriculum of the different VET departments involved.