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Apprentices Go Abroad
Start date: Sep 1, 2014, End date: Aug 31, 2016 PROJECT  FINISHED 

School centre Škofja Loka - Secondary school of mechanical engineering and the LEONARDO-Office from Ilmenau, Thuringia, as well as our partner school Berufliche Schulen des Unstrut-Hainich-Kreises from Muhlhausen, Gernany, cooperated in the LdV Partnerships project - CaRPs - CNC and Robotics Partnerships - in the field of vocational education and training from 2009 to 2011. During that project we agreed for further cooperation in the field of vocational education and training (VET) for apprentices in companies of the corresponding region in both countries. Within the program Erasmus+, KA1 activities, our cooperation has lasted for years. Our organization has already received 19 apprentices from Thuringia and arranged workplacements at regional enterprises (LTH Castings, Indramat, Orodjarstvo Plut, Lotrič Meroslovje, Iskra Mehanizmi Habjan transport, Avtoservis Paulus, Profil Jerala, Cordia ...), which performed vocational training in the field of mechanical engineering, car mechanics and transport and logistics. We have also arranged accommodation in the region, some cultural and sports activities as well as sightseeing tours for them. On the other hand, within our projects of individual mobilities, our school centre, together with partner organizations, has also organized VET mobilities for 13 apprentices in the field of mechanical engineering and car mechanics in companies (Schliess- und Sicherungssysteme GmbH, CL Machinenbau GmbH, TH Parkner in MAZ GmbH, Schade GmbH, Autohaus An der Aue GmbH in Langenhan Muhlhausen GmbH) in Thuringia so far. So in our project Apprentices go Abroad we carried out five VET mobilities for learners - apprentices and four staff mobilities (Co-ordinator, Head of B2B Education Centre and English and German teacher) as accompanying persons. With our partner school and intermediary organization we arranged workplacements for three final year auto service technicians (19 and 20 years old) in the field of car mechanics in the companies Schade GmbH, Autohaus An der Aue GmbH and Langenhan Muhlhausen GmbH. Auto service tecnicians had finished vocational school (3 year program), upgraded with vocational-technical education (2 year program) and for two final year mechanical technicians (18 years old) in the field of CNC technology and toolmaking in the company Schliess- und Sicherungssysteme GmbH. During their VET mobilities the apprentices got to know the German working environment as well as to acquire new knowledge, skills and competences in the fields they worked on; mechanical technicians learnt how to program and operate CNC machines in the programming language Solidworks, which is used in industry. They will be able to use and upgrade this newly acquired knowledge during their further technical education or in the companies at home or abroad. Auto service technicians learnt how to use hi-tech devices for servicing vehicles (car optics, diagnostics, smart car technology, hybrid and electric drives) as they were servicing and repairing newer German cars, which have built-in modern technology. They also got to know the German standards for servicing cars and safety at work regulations. Besides that all apprentices were able to experience the culture and life in Germany as well as to improve their technical knowledge, foreign language skills, especially technical terms and to improve their German language. Four out of five apprentices were communicating in German with their superiors and co-workers in the companies at the end of their mobilities. Taking part in the Erasmus+ program will contribute to higher quality, attractiveness and innovation in the field of vocational-technical education at our school since the apprentices presented their newly acquired competences to other apprentices at our school in the lab for CNC technology and in school workshops for car mechanics with the help of partner companies which contributed devices for workshops to be performed. The apprentices of mechanical engineering also took part in training unemployed people and also in this way shared their knowledge. There was a great benefit for students and teachers in exchange of good practices. We agreed with apprentices for a long-term cooperation in carrying out workshops for other apprentices and other groups (the unemployed). With the help of such projects apprentices gain new skills, knowledge and competences which all makes it easier for them to get a job as they are more competitive when entering the labour market in Slovenia and abroad. The mechanical technicians continued with their studies at the University in Ljubljana; the auto service technicians got a job, also on the bases of the received certificates from the German companies, in companies authorized for servicing German cars. We accomplished the aims and expected results of the project, some even exeeded our expectations. The mobilities took place in Thuringia, Germany, from 1. September 2014 to 30. June 2016.
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