The CLOVER project is a renewal since we have been working in collaboration with our partners from Galway in Ireland , for 7 years now. Each year it concerns a group of 16 students, from our ‘European section’ either studying in a Commerce or a Retail class. 16 first year students (“classe de seconde professionnelle” in French) have been thoroughly chosen by the English Teacher and the DNL Teacher. They have enrolled in a 3 year European Section curriculum which will lead them, in their final year, to take part in a professional placement in Galway. However, some of them cannot go to Ireland , mainly for personal reasons (family death notice, health problems…) while others neglecting their work or showing a lack of personal commitment, will not be allowed to take part in the internship. That’s why only 25 students went to Galway over the past two years (14 in 2015 and 11 in 2016). Thanks to the birth of our European section in September 2005, the students concerned had the opportunity to pass two extra diplomas: a ‘European section’ certificate officially registered in their “Baccalaureat professionnel” degree, but also the ‘Europro certificate’. Since 2016 our students have been registered for a new mobility certificate named “the Euromobipro”. Our experience in the field of ‘opening’ onto Europe has allowed our school to expand, and we are dedicated, with the help of the ‘Erasmus+ program’ to strengthen this European vocation and be able to provide our students with all the help they need in order to achieve a training period in Ireland towards validating their ‘European section’ exams. This project took place in 2014 and 2015, and involved 25 students from our ‘European section’ in English specialized in the fields of sales, retail and commerce. Within the framework of their curriculum and for their last internship, these students spent 4 weeks in Galway. Goals: - The completion of a part of their training linked to their diploma in Ireland, with various retail outlets in Galway, in order to carry out the tasks having to do with merchandising and the sale of products. - The discovery of a specific commercial concept, in a European country, differing in its structures from the French model. - To observe and get used to the local ways of working. - An interesting cultural awareness, both on the professional and everyday life levels. - The immersing of the students in an English-speaking country in order to improve their English. - Developing their capacity for autonomy and adaptation in a new professional environment but also in a different social and cultural background in their everyday life. Our students benefiting from this program were in placement either in supermarkets or in traditional retail shops. They were hosted in a youth hostel, and were always supervised by 2 teachers over the whole period, be it for the monitoring of their training or to avoid any problem (illness, staffing of under-age students, visits and outings …). Our Irish partners are now used to working with us, and their involvement has allowed us to improve this project over the years, and also to set up a preparation which is quite suitable for the students, but also for our partners’ needs. The outcome of this project are various: at the local level, they enhance the opening of our school onto foreign countries, through our European section: indeed, at the end of the school year, we invite our local partners, the local press and the students’ parents to a reception, which is the best way to be familiar with the project that has been fulfilled. At the regional level, the Internet publications of our school attract young pupils willing to integrate Europe in their curriculum. Finally, as an overall and instant impact, we have created a relevant Facebook page named “Découverte de l’Irlande et stage à Galway”. Indeed, for those interested in the project, it is much easier to follow all our activities with the following link: https://www.facebook.com/D%C3%A9couverte-de-lIrlande-et-stage-%C3%A0-Galway-899769610121159/ The page allows the next students (at school or from home) to be aware of the various expectations and turns out to be a very efficient way to advertise the project. Long term benefits are significant. Here are the main ones: long term benefits are significant. Here are the main ones: this opening onto Europe allows our students to develop their future professional mobility (a lot of them wishing to work abroad later on), our school fosters the learning of foreign languages and attracts young people enrolled in a vocational curriculum (very few vocational schools in our ‘Académie’ with a European section have a project of such magnitude), in our school more and more teachers are interested in the concept: we are pleased to announce that 3 months ago, 2 teachers successfully passed the DNL exam and are now fully entitled to teach their subject in English and Spanish.