A Holistic Intervention for an Upgraded VET Students Performance
KA2 – Strategic Partnership in VET
2020-1-SK01-KA226-VET-094428
252.758,00 €
1/2024 - 8/2026 (32 Months)
Slovakia, Greece, Germany
Laying the Foundations
The Laying the Foundations was born out of the need to bridge the growing divide between vocational education and the demands of today’s labor market. Recognizing the challenges posed by skills mismatches, digital transformation, and socio-economic disparities, this initiative seeks to transform VET into a dynamic, inclusive, and future-ready system.
By focusing on holistic skill development, digital literacy, and equitable opportunities, the Lying the Foundations aims to empower students and educators alike, ensuring that VET becomes a true driver of progress and prosperity. Welcome to the foundation of a brighter future.
Objectives of the project
The mission of Laying the Foundations is to transform Vocational Education and Training (VET) into a powerful tool for empowerment, inclusivity, and innovation. By addressing critical skills gaps, fostering digital literacy, and creating a supportive learning environment, the project aims to equip students in eastern countries like Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine with the competencies needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving labor market. The project aims to ensure that VET becomes a pathway to success for all, particularly for disadvantaged learners, by aligning education with the demands of the modern workforce and promoting socio-economic development.
Our vision is to create a future where VET is synonymous with opportunity, resilience, and relevance. We envision a world where every student, regardless of their background, has access to high-quality vocational education that prepares them for the challenges of the 21st century. By fostering collaboration between EU and Eastern Neighborhood countries, the project aims to build a sustainable, inclusive, and innovative VET system that not only meets the needs of the labor market but also drives economic growth, social cohesion, and lifelong learning.
Expected Results
Build Capacity of VET Providers
The project strengthens cooperation between public and private stakeholders to create demand-driven VET programs. By fostering partnerships, we ensure that VET institutions are equipped to deliver high-quality, opportunity-focused education that meets the needs of both students and employers.
Enhance Quality and Responsiveness of VET
We aim to improve the relevance of VET to socio-economic developments by equipping students with critical skills like entrepreneurship, adaptability, and critical thinking. This ensures graduates are prepared to meet labor market demands and achieve academic and professional success.
Foster Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environments
The project promotes inclusivity by creating environments that support diversity and empower every student’s unique learning journey. Targeted interventions address socio-economic disparities, ensuring equitable opportunities for all learners, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Strengthen Teacher Capacities
We focus on upskilling VET teachers in soft skills, digital literacy, and mentorship. By enhancing educators’ competencies, we create a positive and supportive culture within VET institutions, improving both teaching quality and student outcomes.
Align VET with Local and Regional Strategies
The project ensures that VET programs are tailored to the specific needs of each country, aligning with local, regional, and national development strategies. By customizing the Foundation Semester, we address the unique educational, social, and economic contexts of Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine.
Bridge the Gap Between Education and the Labor Market
Through targeted interventions and skill development, we strengthen the link between VET providers and the labor market. By preparing students with the right competencies, we ensure they are ready to succeed in their careers and contribute to sustainable socio-economic development.
Project Activities
Project Management and Quality Assurance
At the heart of the Laying the Foundations project there is a solid structure to maintain effective project management and quality assurance. This work package ensures the execution of all activities through:
Establishing a Project Management Mechanism with clear timelines, responsibilities, and resources.
Developing a Quality Assurance Plan to maintain high standards, including risk mitigation strategies and regular progress reviews.
Conducting continuous monitoring and evaluation to adapt strategies and ensure the project stays on track.
Implementing the Foundation VET Cycle
The core of the project is the Foundation VET Cycle, designed to address skills gaps and prepare students for academic and professional success. Key activities include:
Creating step by step guidelines to guide the implementation of the Foundation Semester in VET institutions.
Setting up Supervisory Teams to facilitate communication and support between partners and implementing institutions.
Adapting the Foundation Semester to the specific needs of each country (Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine).
Developing Training Materials and Upskilling
The project focuses on creating tailored training materials and providing upskilling opportunities for both students and teachers. Activities include:
Designing over 60 hours of training material covering digital literacy, inclusivity, mentorship, and learning-to-learn skills.
Delivering hybrid training sessions (online and in-person) for VET teachers to enhance their skills in mentorship, digital tools, and soft skills.
Offering students workshops, mentorship sessions, and digital upskilling opportunities to prepare them for the workforce.
Building Capacity and Strengthening Partnerships
To ensure the sustainability of the project, we focus on building capacities and fostering collaboration between EU and Eastern Neighbourhood partners. Activities include:
Sharing best practices and expertise between EU countries (Germany, Greece, Italy) and Eastern Neighbourhood countries (Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine).
Training VET teachers to become mentors and leaders in their institutions, ensuring the long-term impact of the project.
Developing a Best Practices Report on mentorship roles to guide future initiatives.
Dissemination and Exploitation of Results
To maximize the project’s impact, we have a dedicated work package focused on sharing results and engaging stakeholders.
Activities include:
Creating a project website and social media channels to serve as central hubs for information and updates.
Organizing info days, workshops, and a final conference to share insights, results, and best practices with the VET community.
Developing a Dissemination and Exploitation Strategy to ensure the project’s outcomes reach a wide audience, including policymakers, educators, and employers.
