About Q-Placements project
Q-Placements project (2013-2015) was aimed at coordinators and tutors of WBL at VET schools and enterprises.
Outputs
Expected outputs of Q-Placements:
- Needs Analysis and Research Report: overview of current quality assurance of VET placements in Latvia, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain;
Needs Analysis and Research report
Summary PPT with charts
- Tested Q-Placements training methodology and training programme for improving the skills of VET and Host company tutors for ensuting higher quality of placements;
Lead Trainers’ Programme for Train-the-Trainer Workshop. Model for National workshops.
- Trained tutors from VET and from Host companies in Latvia, the Netherlands, Spain, Slovenia; Lead-Trainers in these countries;
- Mehtodological material “Guidelines for Joint Workshops of VET Tutors and Enterprise Mentors for High Quality of Apprenticeships”;
Guidelines in English
Guidelines in Latvian
Guidelines in Dutch
Guidelines in Spanish
Guidelines in Slovenian
Partners
P0, Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Latvia
Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is a non-governmental, voluntary organization uniting Latvian companies and educational institutions. LCCI has 7 regional offices in the major cities of Latvia. LCCI has over 1002 active members. LCCI has a training centre, which provides information support and training in the form of courses, seminars and workshops, including VET staff, SME managers and wider society.
In the period from 2005 to 2013 LCCI has participated in over 45 international projects, related to liaison between VET and business, placements, education, mobility, etc.. LCCI has a policy department, where one person is participating in government working groups, related to the education and VET policies LCCI has a special PR department and a professional PR specialist working with EU-funded projects, who has a vast experience in the project results dissemination and different promotional activities (website, leaflets, social networks, newsletters, mailing etc.).
LTRK as a social partner represents labour market needs. In Q-Placements project LTRK will represent enterprises/host companies in Latvia and its regions.
P1, Baltic Bright, Ltd., Latvia
Baltic Bright (BB) is a non-formal education and consulting centre. BB training courses serve to improve skills and competences of adults, to promote their employability, inclusion, personal development. As a consultancy, BB has expertise in EU lifelong learning strategies, policies, instruments for implementation. BB provides guidance for national and EU partnerships between education sector and stakeholders, expertise in development of projects for the needs of education sector and lifelong learning systems.
BB has worked with VET sector since 2010 (entrepreneurship coaching for VET students, development of training programme, training of VET staff dealing with placements, validation of non-formal/informal learning outcomes). BB has built strong experience in implementation and management of EU LLP projects: Grundtvig multilateral and partnerships, LDV TOI, Networks and Mobilities, KA1, KA2, KA4 projects. Currently, BB is the EU-level Coordinator of 3 LLP multilateral projects. BB is management coordinator of Q-Placements project.
P2, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Terrassa, Catalonia, Spain
The “Cambra de Comerç i Indústria de Terrassa” (Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Terrassa) was established on the 29th of June 1886. It was the first Chamber established in Catalonia and the third in Spain. Its current demarcation area comprises 12 municipalities, representing an area of 400.000 inhabitants and of 34.000 companies (98 % of them SMEs). To represent the interests of the Terrassa’s business community in the short, medium and long term. To promote development in Terrassa’s Economic area. To supply services such as: consultancy, training, mentoring, aware rising campaigns, aware rising events, conferences and seminars, international meetings, trade missions, B2B meetings, transfer of know-how, capacity building and technical assistance.
We have developed 4 expertise areas, including our own successful methodology programmes on internationalization of SMEs (more than 12 years); SMEs Managerial Training (More than 10 years); SMEs consultancy, training and mentoring. CCIT represents European Q-Placements network, has developed Q-Placements Handbook and is the donor of innovation in this project.
Web: http://www.cambraterrassa.es/
P3, National Centre for Education, Latvia
National Centre for Education (VISC) is a public institution subordinated to Ministry of Education. The number of employees: 90. The main activities: to develop national education standards; to develop teacher training programs and syllabi models for basic, general, secondary and VET; to develop and organize national examinations and assessment; to coordinate in-service training in national level for general, vocational and non-formal education teachers and school heads; to organize support system for SEN students; to provide methodological support to teachers, education managers, teacher trainers, education experts;to coordinate and implement EU Structural funds, EU LLP, Council of Europe and other projects; to ensure a cooperation with other governmental and non-governmental organizations.
VISC is currently implementing 3 ESF projects on development of professional competences for VET teachers in key areas: foreign language, ICT, entrepreneurship, civic competences. VISC, P3, is a key stakeholder representing VET system in Latvia.
Web: http://visc.gov.lv/
P4, MBO Raad, the Netherlands
The MBO Raad is the Association of Colleges in the Netherlands, that represents all educational institutions for secondary vocational training and adult education. (650.000 enrollments, yearly).On behalf of its 70 member institutions the MBO Raad promotes the collective interests of the sector, supports common activities of the institutions and acts as an employer’ organisation. In addition to this the MBO Raad acts as an intermediary between the VET-colleges and the government, professional branch organisations, industries and other stakeholders providing the colleges with guidance and advice of their specialised consultants.
Concerning international cooperation, MBO Raad is strongly supporting their member colleges to participate in mobility projects and is facilitating this through their links with VET Associations from other countries, some of them being member of the European Association for VET providers; EUproVET.
P5, National Institute for Vocational education and Training, Slovenia
National Institute for Vocational Education and Training (CPI) is a public institution which was founded in 1995 by the Government and co-founded by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia and the Chamber of Craft of Slovenia. In accordance with the legal basis passed by the Organization and Financing of Education Act (Official Gazette No. 12/96), CPI performs research, developmental and advisory activities and is the focal point where interests of the state and social partners in vocational and technical education converge, coordinate and connect, studies developmental trends in labour markets and prepares profiles of occupations and competence-based vocational standards, develops methodologies and prepares module-based educational programmes of short-term, secondary as well as post-secondary vocational education. CPI evaluates implementation of vocational education programmes and fosters quality development and self-assessment of VET providers.
Web: http://www.cpi.si/
Conference
International Conference “ VET-Enterprise Cooperation for Quality Assurance of VET Placements and Apprenticeships” took place on October 7, 2015 in Riga, Latvia.
The Conference focused on
1) WBL systems in EU countries and key elements;
2) training options for VET and enterprise tutors supervising WBL;
3) results of Q-Placements project.
The Conference is aimed at representatives of VET systems: schools and enterprises interested in quality of WBL, VET stakeholders, VET decision- and policy makers.
Conference programme: Download
Conference presentations:
Inta Susta: Organization of work-based learning approach in Latvia:achievements and challenges
Janis Atslens: Why Cooperation is important for enterprises and what they can do to support WBL
Manfred Polzin: Quo vadis with VET or what can we learn from each other in Europe
Andris Sekacis: VET for Employment
Guntra Kaufmane: Q-Placements Training Program and Guidelines
Andra Senberga: Quality of VET and WBL. Applying EQAVET for WBL
German Baltic Chamber: Train the Trainer in Latvia
Vita Zunda: Q-Placements Project Results
Photos