More and more young people in Europe include a stay abroad as part of their learning pathway in initial vocational training (IVET). Despite the increase in relative numbers, however, it is at present still only about 1% of all young people in IVET who integrate a placement or a school period abroad in their learning pathway. Moreover, most stays are of a short duration, and rarely exceed three weeks.
In order to boost both quantity and quality of mobility in Europe and to complement the activities of the Commission’s Leonardo da Vinci programme, the European Parliament voted a special line in the 2005 and 2006 budgets earmarked for the mobility of apprentices and young people in IVET. This budget line financed 3 major studies carried out in the years 2005-2007: Move-It (http://room.projectcoordinator.net/projectweb/435bc339b0795/Index.html), which identified and analysed barriers to transnational mobility in IVET; and ECVET Connexion (http://www.ecvetconnexion.com/) and Reflector (www.ecvet.net), which analysed the conditions for the introduction of a joint European recognition scheme for mobility in IVET. Further, the European Commission in 2006 launched a call for proposals (http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/calls/4506/index_en.html) for 12 pilot projects, which were to build on the recommendations of the 3 studies and translate these into concrete tools and practices. In a special call for tender (http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/calls/4406/index_en.html), the Commmission at the same time looked for scientific expertise to accompany and support the 12 projects both in the development and the dissemination phases. This call for tender was won by a consortium led by the Danish Institute for the Educational Training of Vocational Teachers (DEL). The consortium further comprises the Centre for the Innovation of Education and Training in the Netherlands (CINOP), Techne (DK), and a number of independent experts.
www.mobilityportal.eu is the website of the consortium. On this space actors, stakeholders, experts and any interested persons may obtain descriptions of the aims and methods of the 12 pilot projects and follow their progress. Also, it is possible to find background information on the various themes addressed by the projects (examples of good practice, previous research and development work, policy papers etc.), and to contact the involved experts to discuss relevant issues or to contribute with new knowledge.
Below, please find operational definitions for the key terms used in the context of the work undertaken in the projects and in the work of the accompanying expert consortium under the overall heading “promoting and supporting the mobility of apprentices and other young people in initial vocational training”: Initial vocational education and training (IVET)
Vocationally oriented education and training at initial level leading to formally recognised qualifications. IVET may be school-based (i.e. with participants having the legal status as pupils/students) or structured as apprenticeships (see below)
(Transnational) mobility
Any temporal stay abroad organised explicitly for learning purposes in the context of initial vocational training ApprenticeshipSystematic, long-term training with alternating periods in a vocational school (training centre) and at a workplace. The apprentice is contractually linked to the employer and receives remuneration. The employer assumes responsibility for providing the trainee with training leading to a specific occupation.
Young people
Whilst recognising that the inclusion of young people in transnational mobility activities pose specific pedagogic and juridical challenges (for under-age participants), we operate within an overall perspective of lifelong learning and consequently do not impose any strict age criteria.