Improving students’ employability: work-based learning

In a world where young people often confront themselves with a tough job market and the threat of unemployment, it is important to provide children still in school with what is called a “dual education”. The dual education system combines both apprenticeships in companies and vocal education at school, so that pupils can learn in an environment that encourages work-based learning. By applying work-based learning into more traditional education methods teachers will be able to provide their students with real work experience and technical skills that will enhance their future employability.

​The new edition of the course “When school and labour market meet: dual education and work-based learning​” took place in Bologna from 8/05/2022 to 14/05/2022. The participants came from Spain: Eva Cumbau Empar Monzó from IES LA Patacona, Carmen Nadal Ferrandiz from CIP FP Batoi, Aida Marin Lopez from IES POETA JULIÁN ANDUGAR, Ibán Alcántara Muñoz and Isabel Maria Umbria Rojas from IES Fuente Nueva, María Higuera Pinillos and Antonia Anastasio Funes from IES Luis de Lucena; and Hungary: Ágnes Bózsóné Szabó from Heves Megyei SZC Bornemissza Gergely Technikum, Szakképző Iskola és Kollégium.

After a cultural tour around the city centre of Bologna, participants immersed themselves into dual education and work-based learning. First of all they presented themselves and explained the role they have in their schools, so that the course could be adapted to their necessities. Afterwards, they were able to learn what dual education is. They discovered its history in Germany but also the differences with the education system in Italy: two different ways of dual education and work based learning, and so many more opportunities!
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During the week they also learnt about the different models in which dual education can be implemented and the role of the companies, as well as creating together a checklist to find new partners for their schools. They took as an example two Bolognese schools that have been collaborating with Ferrari and Lamborghini for almost 10 years to give students the opportunity to learn and practice in a big company, improving their employability at the end of the course. ​

The group then got to find out for themselves how to implement dual education, through a visit to Ecipar Bologna.

Finally, they could work together on a plan to implement dual education in their schools with a new and bigger network here in Italy to send some students for their internships. 
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We were happy to see how the participants left full of inspiration, ideas and tools to start implementing these new methods in their own schools.

Discover more about this course at: https://www.erasmustrainingcourses.com/dual-education-and-work-based-learning.html