We were pleased to be invited, as one of only two UK participants, to take part in the 6th “Do Your MOB” (mobility) event in Verona. This was held as part of the ErasmusPlus 30 years celebrations, and coincided with the 27th edition of Job & Orienta, the biggest exhibition in Italy on orientation, schools, training and work.
Marcus Miller, Director of REY Europe delivered a presentation, sharing his experience of using the ECVET framework to recognise and validate transversal skills, which was very well received. This included a case study which explained the value of soft skills and transnational mobility, and the connection between pre-departure preparation and soft skill development on placement. We were also able to use the opportunity to share the headlines of our work to date on the SEPLO project, and it was great to get feedback and input from the range of stakeholders present at the meeting.
The event was held over two days…
The First Day focussed on “Work-Based Learning and Transnational Mobility” to add value to experiential learning. The workshop was led by Marcus Miller and Maria Concetta Bottazzi, an expert in the field of transnational mobility and soft skills. The discussion included a consideration of the soft skills which are most connected to work based mobilities, activities which would enable VET learners to recognise their own skills, actions for companies to support learners to improve or gain soft skills, and the development of tools to assess them.
The Second Day looked at European experiences and future perspectives of transnational mobility of people with special needs. The workshop outlined the mentoring of online work based learning presented by Miika Kekki, an expert of learning processes and international competences. The need to promote awareness of work based learning in VET learners through specific tools and methodologies was explored. The role of the mentor in transnational mobilities was defined, considering accompanying tutors of mobility programmes, intermediary partners,and host organisations.
It was a pleasure to have had the opportunity to share our knowledge with delegates from all over Europe, and to also learn from their experiences. We came away inspired, with lots of ideas for future project planning.