Title: "To Be a Pro - Foreign Apprenticeships as a Step Forward” Location: Portugal (the place of stay: Barcelos) General objectives: to improve the practical skills as well as professional and language competence of 48 students of Centrum Kształcenia Zawodowego i Ustawicznego w Pionkach (Centre for Vocational and Lifelong Education in Pionki) through participating in apprenticeships in Portugal. Beneficiaries: 48 students of technical in our school: • 16 students of mechanics • 8 students of cooking and catering • 8 students of hospitality and hotelkeeping • 8 students of logistics • 8 students of digital graphics processes. Total worth of the project: 103 902 euros Specific objectives: - Improving the quality of education and vocational training, - Improving students’ knowledge of English for vocational purposes, - Increasing the mobility of students on the European labour market, - Fostering openness and intercultural sensitivity, sensitivity to cultural and mental differences, - Familiarizing students with the requirements of the European labour market and its structure, - Gaining experience, skills and developing social skills by the project participants, - Developing the ability to adopt to the conditions of life and work in different European countries, - Stimulate project participants’ creativity and entrepreneurship. Activities description: I Preparation activities (before departing to Portugal): • English classes- prior to departure. They will raise the students’ knowledge of vocabulary and phrases for professional purposes thus influencing their greater mobility on the European labour market. • Culture and customs- familiarizing students with Portuguese history, present day, traditions and customs. • Integration- will be aimed at strengthening the participants’ psyche. II The main activities (mobilities) in Portugal: • Travel – by plane to Lisbon and staying there for one day, next to Fatima and then to Barcelos for three weeks of apprenticeships. The return journey – from Barcelos to Lisbon by coach, then a flight back to Warsaw. • Apprenticeships- allowing students to learn different methods of working, different ways of managing companies and the latest technologies being applied there. • Free time activities (weekends) – trips to the city of Braga with its beautiful architecture, to Guimares by the Atlantic Ocean and Porto. A fado music concert has been plamed for the last weekend. III Follow up (after completing the mobility phase): • Holding a school event "Day of Portugal" • Arranging “ The corner of interesting apprenticeships” at school • Placing the project archives, on the school’s website • Publishing a film by computer graphics technicians participating in the project • Publishing articles, reports and interviews about the project in the local press, websites and in social media • An additional issue of the school paper, dedicated to the summary of the project • Participation in various events like Education Fairs, School Open Days, teachers’ and parents’ meetings, school advertising campaigns etc. The methodology used in the project During the project the following methods will be used: • Evaluation questionnaires carried out after completing given phases of the project, especially after the preparation activities and the mobilities • Individual interviews with students - participants of the project • Observations made by teachers- caretakers • Interview – discussions with project partners • Analysis of the project’s documentation Results and impact The direct results (benefits) of the project include: • Developing students’ competences and practical vocational skills • Improving project participants’ knowledge of English for vocational purposes • Increasing the level of students’ acceptance, functioning and ability to mobile, flexible behaviour on the European labour market • Confirming and reassuring students’ attitude of tolerance, openness and strengthening their positive behaviour towards social and cultural differences The added value is: • Increasing the teaching standards and training quality at CKZiU in Pionki • Boosting the appeal of and strengthening the positive image of CKZiU in Pionki • Inducing greater interest in vocational education and training among youth from the area of Pionki and surrounding municipalities Long term benefits Our students’ participation in the European mobility will allow Centre for Vocational and Lifelong Education in Pionki become even more attractive place for studying for our prospective students. Completing the project will anchor our positive image among students, parents and other inhabitants of Pionki and the local area. Thanks to taking part in the foreign apprenticeships project, as well as to the skills acquired and the experience gained there, our students will easily find employment on the local, national or European labour market. Our success is always and only marked by our students’ successes.