The project we are applying for is a three-week educational stay for future Euro Industrial Business Management Assistants (EURO-Industriekaufleute) of the Staatliche Berufsschule II Bayreuth. The course will be conducted exclusively for the 11th form of our students in Ubeda, Andalusia (Spain). Starting in 2008, we have been organizing that stay every year. Since 2012 the destination has been Ubeda, before that we had courses in Barcelona. The “Regierung von Oberfranken” ( district government of Upper Franconia ) - in cooperation with our school - offered the traineeship as “EURO-Industriekaufmann” for the first time in 2007 as a pilot project. The participants are only students with university entrance qualification. The traineeship combines the common industrial business management assistant with a comprehensive training in English and Spanish language. This innovative traineeship is a major incentive to increase the attractiveness of the Dual System of Vocational Training for people mainly interested in university education. Moreover, it helps to increase the willingness of well-trained young employees to stay in our structurally weak region “Oberfranken”. All these aspects are very much appreciated by the export-oriented companies of our region. What is more, the traineeship offers our students a chance for further vocational qualification. That enhances their labour market position significantly. Through the three-week mobility the students should: - improve their Spanish skills by attending a two-week intensive language course (39 hours) - get to know the Spanish economy and culture more deeply - do a one-week practical in a Spanish company - be encouraged to work abroad - develop and sharpen their European consciousness The mobilites will take place in three flows: 1. from 28 September to 18 October 2014 with 22 participants 2. from 27 September to 17 October 2015 with 20 participants 3. from 24 April to 14 May 2016 with 10 participants All participants are older than 18 at the day of departure. The three weeks stay is divided into two main parts: 1. Language lessons 2. Practicals in Spanish companies The content of the language course by euroMind covers two main areas: everyday language (conversation etc.) as well as business communication (business letters, business Spanish etc.). The total length of the course will be 39 hours. Additionally two full-day field trips (to Granada/Alhambra and Cordoba) will add a cultural component during the two weeks of language training. As above mentioned, the second main part of the project will be a one-week practical with Spanish companies picked by our Spanish partner on site. Our students are expected to work for these Spanish companies for one week and to get to know Spanish specialities. Ubeda is a very rural area and the business community is characterized by rather small family enterprises. However, students are warmly welcomed all the more and will gain an insight into Spanish business life right from the boss's desk. The tasks allocated to our students will be widespread and demanding. Positive effects on our participants: Our students will a) improve their Spanish and gain more fluency as well as self-confidence in oral and written communication b) be motivated to further their language skills and to practice lifelong learning c) be sensitized professionally and privately to cultural differences of other countries within the EU by getting to know the Spanish industrial and cultural area d) enlarge their competencies by practicals in a foreign and foreign-language company personally as well as professionally. - Personally by increasing readiness to assimilate and compromise - Professionally by comparing foreign processes with those of their companies at home e) expand their social competences because living in groups requires self-organisation, subordination of individual needs, capacity for teamwork as well as management of conflicts. f) gain higher qualification by further professional training courses and social maturation g) will become aware of the idea of European citizenship In the long term we expect a reinforcement of the apprenticeship „Euro-Industriekaufmann“ (Euro Industrial Business Management Assistant) through the execution of this project as well as a stabilization of our effective internationalization strategy by participating successfully in multiple European projects. We want to meet the rapidly changing personal requirements of local companies (high export rates) through the international and highly skilled positioning of this qualified apprenticeship. Furthermore we would like to work against the migration of young well-skilled people from this region due to the lack of alternatives. In addition the European awareness of the participants will be strengthened by the intense experience of a different culture in the internship companies and in everyday life.