-
Home
-
European Projects
-
SERC European Experience
SERC European Experience
Start date: Aug 1, 2016,
End date: Jul 31, 2018
PROJECT
FINISHED
'SEE' proposes to offer invaluable industry traineeship programmes of 2 weeks duration to 20 Performing Arts, 20 Early Years, 20 IT, 24 Sport learners and 1 Gas apprentice with experienced receiving partners in Italy and Malta and an enterprise in the Republic of Ireland over a 2 year period. The project builds on SERC's previous mobility programme in construction and current programme in sport. The receiving partner in Italy, Uniser, will source and secure traineeships with local theatres and children's nursersies using their extensive network of placement providers. The receiving partner in Luxol will deliver the Sports traineeships using their own coaching staff and will secure traineeships in IT using established local placement providers. The Gas apprentice will complete their traineeship with an enterprise specialising in gas equipment.The total budget requested for 85 learners and 17 accompanying staff is €212,620.00The project objectives are based on the learners' needs and the College's strategic plans for European development and internationalisation which complement the partners' aims and purposes:1. Develop and consolidate an increased number of strong and effective European partnerships with relevant organisations and enterprises in order to develop learning and teaching practices. This will build the capacity of SERC's internationisation policy and underpin the development of a European/International curricula in time;2. Widen learner participation in European mobility opportunities with a view to:•Further develop vocational and technical skills•Increase exposure to diverse cultural experiences•Improve language competences•Further develop personal and social competences including team work, communication, problem solving, and confidence•Enhance employability3. Widen staff participation in European mobility opportunities for professional development purposes - upskilling staff in technical areas, and education and industry developments to expand their teaching capabilities; gaining knowledge from learning and teaching pedagogies; and developing personal competences associated with collaborative projects such as organisational and communication skills. This is a key focus of SERC's Staff Development Policy.The key results expected for the learners include a meaningful industry experience with increased technical knowledge and professional skills in their chosen sector - working with professionals applying and improving upon what they have learned on their course and learning new techniques and methods. For Performing Arts this will be in backstage skills, for Early Years it will be in carrying out activities and reflecting on their own practice, IT learners will develop skills in using IT for communications and applying software and hardware, sport learners will develop skills in coaching and team sports, and in gas the apprentice will develop knowledge in gas appliances and regulations. Further to the skills relating to their qualifications and industry, the project aims to develop other personal, social and employability skills valued by employers that a traineeship, and particularly a work experience abroad, offers such as self-management, teamwork, leadership, communication, problem solving, decision making and organisational skills. It will provide the learners with a better understanding of the workplace skills needed and how to learn from the placement to set career-related goals.'SEE' will also impact on the professional development of staff through the upskilling of staff in all partners. Each flow of 10 or more learners will be accompanied by 2 staff members per week. As well as personal skills and enhanced cultural awareness, the staff will be able to access industry information which will help to update their knowledge in an EU context; and improve technical ability which will all contribute to curriculum development in terms of content, delivery and introducing an EU dimension.In the longer term the project will allow the College to develop its capacity to deliver a quality curriculum and European opportunities for staff and students. It will contribute to the College's main objectives as set out in the College Development Plan - "To improve the quality and relevance of education and training by providing a curriculum that will inspire, transform and enrich", and "To tackle the skills barriers to employment and employability".