THE EUROPEAN WORKPLACE TUTOR

Project Coordination

  IG Metall Head Quarters, Frankfurt, Germany

IG Metall is a democratic organisation of metalworkers in Germany. Membership is voluntary. The local organisation are the basic units of the overall structure. Workers are often faced with difficult situations in which they need effective expert advice. A strong trade union protects them against arbitrary decisions taken by employers and from the vicissitudes of working life. IG Metall can help its members by offering various benefits. Collective bargaining is one of the trade unions' most important tasks. It is a means of ensuring that workers receive an equitable share of the national product. IG Metall contributes to the project as coordinator and vocational education expert.
www.igmetall.de
 

Project Partners

Institut Technik und Bildung, Bremen, Germany

As one of the leading European research institutes in vocational education and training, ITB covers a wide range of research and development projects on a regional, national and international level and cooperates closely with industry and other VET institutions. Research activities are typically embedded in national and international networks and focus on research and development in the field of VET learning and teaching methods, curriculum development and the professionalisation of VET professionals in companies and vocational schools; VET innovations, HRD and regional development; information technologies and competences; and work and career guidance. As concerns the Europeanisation of vocational education and training ITB has taken an active role in providing background material, research and evaluation expertise in the Copenhagen Process and the development towards a European Qualifications Framework.

Number of staff: 65; Two Study Programs in Techaer Education (BA and MA)
www.itb.uni-bremen.de

   Kenniscentrum Handel International (KCH International), Ede, the Netherlands

Kenniscentrum Handel (KCH) is the Centre of Expertise for the retail, wholesale and international trade sector. Working in collaboration with companies, trade organizations and the vocational training sector, KCH ensures that the training courses are correctly geared to the relevant occupations and the requirements of the labour market. It consists of four divisions, which all focus on the creation of conditions that encourage professional development. Kenniscentrum Handel (Centre of Expertise on vocational education, training and the labour market for the trade sector) is by far the largest of the four divisions. It contributes to a vocational education infrastructure that facilitates and stimulates professional development of human capital.

Qualifications (diploma requirements) are defined in consultation and close collaboration with representatives of employers and employee organizations, vocational educators and ‘hands-on’ experts. Companies that wish to offer apprenticeships and traineeships are supported in a practical manner so they can properly fulfil their role in the vocational education system.

KCH Examinations, KCH Human Capital Management and KCH International deliver products and services to companies, sector organizations, training institutions, government bodies and individual professionals, which facilitate and encourage the definition, assessment, planning and monitoring of professional development.

In addition to the economic need to manage human capital well in order to ensure continuity and company profitability, KCH also feels that offering opportunities for professional development is a valuable business objective within a broader social perspective.

KCH International initiates and participates in international projects that investigate VET and/or labour market issues and in which institutes and experts from different countries work together. In addition, KCH international, in cooperation with national and foreign VET providers and institutions, offers VET students the possibility of completing part of their workplacement in foreign companies.
www.kchinternational.nl

  Salpaus Further Education, Lahti, Finland

Salpaus Further Education arranges vocational and upper-secondary school education and training for comprehensive school leavers and adults together with training, development and related services for businesses and organisations. Salpaus also arranges apprenticeship training and personnel training courses for companies, as well as long and short follow-up courses for adults wanting to update their skills.
Salpaus Further Education aims at being no 1 in the quality of learning
Salpaus Further Education is an independent part of Lahti Region Educational Consortium
Values
Salpaus Further Education is open, customer-oriented, responsible and trust-worthy in its operations.
Mission
Salpaus Further Education arranges vocational and upper secondary education and training as well as promoting development together with working life and other stake holders. This enhances regional, national and international development and welfare and life-long learning.
www.salpaus.fi

Institute of Training and Research (IFFES), Valencia, Spain

The Institute of Training and Research Studies (IFES), is a foundation of the General Trade Union of Workers (UGT) which. Since 1986, IFES has been offering solutions to formative needs of companies and workers through vocational training and long life learning. IFES accomplishes a social purpose by giving priority to human factor and offering skills and professional qualifications to workers. Our task are following the same doctrines and values of UGT. Since its foundation in 1986, IFES has carried out more than 90.000 courses, promoted more than 10 million training hours and gained the confidence of more than 1.300.000 students. IFES has a vast experience in European, National, Regional and Local projects related to training and education
IFES is a member of the European Network «EURORESO» (www.euroreso.eu).
www.ifes.es

Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade (ISQ), Oeiras, Portugal

ISQ is a private and independent technological institution – non profit - founded in 1965 and actually runs operations in the EU, East Europe, Africa, Americas and China offering its experience on the fields of training, certifications, engineering studies, auditing and consulting for quality, research and development.

ISQ has more than 1000 workers and extensive experience in all areas of the training cycle, being one the main national players in VET, LLL, e-learning and knowledge management.

The Training Unit of ISQ has a large experience in all areas of the training cycle thus becoming one of the main national players in the fields of LLL, e-learning and knowledge management. In parallel, the Training Unit of ISQ conducts Research Activity, with national and international partners, aiming at products and process improvement. ISQ has over 16 years of experience in preparing and coordinating EU funded projects and has promoted or participated in more than 100 of them.

ISQ also has a great deal of experience in innovative learning paths and trainer training and certification, having worked closely with the Portuguese Institute for Employment and Training (IEFP) in this field and in developing several tools and methodologies, including ICT, via national and international partnerships.

As a training organization, ISQ is certified by APCER (the Portuguese Association of Certification) according to ISO 9001:2000, and is accredited by DGERT (the Portuguese Institute for Innovation in Training).
www.isq.pt

Corvinus University of Budapest, Observatory for Educational Development (Observatory), Budapest, Hungary

The Observatory Centre for Educational Development is a research office at Corvinus University of Budapest dedicated to the development of the education sector. The mission is to further the development of the education and training (E&T) system by formulating recommendations based on the analysis of national and international data, research findings and policies relevant to E&T and the labour market. Observatory's priority is to reach out to the broadest national audience possible by disseminating good practices and R+D results as well as up-to-date information on major trends and current policy issues in vocational education and training (VET).

The most important European partner is CEDEFOP (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, http://cedefop.europa.eu). The Observatory participates in many of its international networking and research programmes. In addition, Observatory is working in close co-operation with the relevant public administration and civil organisations, social partners, university departments and R&D institutions which are involved in VET and human resources development.

The top-priority areas of research include:

• information analysis related to VET/adult education (financing, management, social and economic benefits);
• initial and continuing training of teachers and school leaders;
• development and implementation of e-learning curriculum, creative usage of ICT in education;
• VET for disadvantaged students and relevant catching-up programmes.

www.observatory.org.hu

Akademie für professionelle Berufsbildung e.V., Kitzingen, Germany
 “Only those who are professionally trained are able to train professionally.“

The “Akademie für professionelle Berufsbildung“ is an organisation within the vocational training sector in Germany which aims to improve the quality of work of the vocational training personnel. We refer to the guidelines developed by the network “Netzwerk Berufspädagogen (BeNet)“. This network consists of experts from several companies, unions, employers’ federations and advanced training institutions. The common goal is to establish consistent didactics and methods in the field of vocational training which are systematically activity-oriented and make use of all possibilities to organise learning and training in the professional area of practice.

Consistent regulations on the advanced training of the vocational training staff in industry, administration and nursing have applied in Germany since September 2009. As a result a new level of quality has been achieved: obligatory framework plans ensure up to date and professional advanced training for instructors and trainers. The “Akademie für professionelle Berufsbildung“ has co-created this development significantly. With 17 study centres we support advanced training for the “geprüfter Berufspädagoge“ (qualified vocational teacher/trainer/instructor) as well as other key aspects of vocational training.
Thus the Academy has established access to new perspectives in vocational training.

http://www.professionelleberufsbildung.de
http://www.berufspaedagogen.net

National contact: Michael Kohlmann, kohlmann@professionelleberufsbildung.de

Societatea Romana pentru Educatie Permanenta (SREP), Bucharest, Romania

Romanian Society for Lifelong Learning (SREP) is an NGO actively involved in lifelong learning activities and projects supporting the continuous education of people of all ages, aiming at providing proper conditions so as more people may benefit from traditional and e-learning opportunities.

The major objective of the organization consists of guaranteeing universal and permanent access to the learning process, in view of training and improving the skills and competences necessary for a sustained participation to professional and social life. During the last 10 years SREP has participated in over 50 European projects, both as coordinator and partner.
www.srep.ro

National contact: Raluca Icleanu, raluca@srep.ro

Evaluation Partner

  "die Berater" Unternehmensberatungsgesellschaft mbH, Vienna, Austria

die Berater® (“the Consultants”) are an Austrian private educational institute based in Vienna with around 50 branchesin various Austrian regions. As a partner for individuals and organisations, die Berater provide tailor-made services. The company's core fields of business include:

Silent Partner

   Berufsfortbildungswerk - bfw, Heidelberg, Germany

bfw is one of Germany's major vocational training providers with 30 branch offices and about 150 vocational training centres all over the country. It is a non-profit-making limited organisation owned by the Association of German Trade Unions (DGB). The major business fields of bfw are: vocational training, organisation and staff development advice in connection with training schemes, combined employment measures and training schemes and initial vocational training. Bfw is furthermore involved in various European projects. This enables bfw to continuously test and develop new approaches to vocational training and to integrate them in the bfw training scope.
www.bfw.de