The project with the theme "The promotion of social skills and competences in children up to the age of six within diverse European settings for education and care" was an integral part of the course leading to the state certified qualification as educator (staatlich anerkannte Erzieherin/staatlich anerkannter Erzieher) and included a five-week work placement in a setting in either the United Kingdom, France, Finland, Spain or Denmark. The Mathilde-Weber Vocational College in Tübingen promoted the said project and has been engaged in annually implementing mobility projects since 2003. The aim was to improve the quality of early childhood education and care through gaining insight into settings in other european countries. The promotion of social skills and competences is a key subject in educational work with children. The project theme was put into practice through observation within the allocated setting, conversation and discussion with the trained staff there and activities specifically designed to promote social skills in those taking part. Participants were involved in all aspects of procedure within the partner setting and took on responsibility for their own personal activities and for tasks within the group. The project was planned for 46 participants and realized with 43 participants who from 14th September to 16th October 2015 (21 participants) or 12th September to 14th October 2016 (22 participants) travelled abroad as members of two separate groups. At the time in question, they were in their third year of training and had already gained practical experience during work placements and also had a grounding in professional skills which were enhanced by the mobility project. Inter-cultural experience gained during work placement abroad also promotes an improvement in the quality of early childhood care and education. Immersion in a foreign cultural environment strengthened the receptiveness of the participants for new things and tolerance of anything different. Personal experience of being foreign made them more sensitive to children and families with a history of migration and qualified him or her for educational work within a diversely ethnic society. Improved language skills and an understanding of educational settings in other European countries encouraged European thought and strengthen solidarity within Europe. The comparison of individual experiences gained within diverse settings in different countries led to a recognition of and reflection on differences and similarities; personal attitude was examined and the approach to the profession strengthened during the placement. The participants were prepared for their work placement abroad over a one-year period. During the ‘Education in Europe’ lesson, they dealed with various aspects of cultural diversity, prejudice and the experience of foreignness. They researched other European countries and their corresponding educational systems and also addressed the curriculum for children under six in diverse countries. In further lessons, they learned songs, games and finger rhymes in other languages and experienced picture books from the country to which they traveled. They studied the importance of social skills to successful life within the community, received encouragement in and exercises for observing individual social skills and developed ideas and methods with which to promote social competence. In addition, they are prepared for the placement abroad through conversation sessions held in the relevant language and through the OLS language course. Every participant was visited in the partner setting by a teacher from the Mathilde-Weber College. In addition, an assessment was made in small groups of participants in the host country together with the teacher from the Mathilde-Weber College. It is a matter of principle that regular contact was sustained between student and College during the entire work placement. Upon return, experience made was assessed and evaluated in a number of ways (questionnaires, discussion groups, in-lesson conversation, documentation). The results were then presented to other College classes, members of staff in early childhood settings and at external information events, both locally and regionally. As a result the participants increased personal competences such as independence, trust in oneself and self confidence, furthermore openness, tolerance, the ability to reflect and deliberate and flexibility, all of which will have a positive effect on further studies and future work placements. The participants gained insight into the educational system in a different european country and explored the educational work and new methods. Long term, impulses originating in the experience made whilst on work practice abroad will result in later working life in an high sensitivity towards children and families with a history of migration. Evaluation two years after work placement abroad has so far shown this.