UK Train: Learning Mobility of Students for Successful Professional Realization in Engineering and ICT Sectors

Project summary:

The current project aims at sending 90 students from three vocational technical schools on a two-week practical training in Plymouth, South West England. The practice will take place in real working conditions in companies operating in two of the priority economic sectors in EU member states, namely the engineering and ICT sectors.

Participants must be students from 10-11th grade with basic educational training in the field of mechanical/electrical engineering, on the one hand, or ICT, on the other, depending on what they study at school. These are young people who need acquiring new skills and qualifications in order to facilitate their professional development and enhance their employability.

To ensure the principles of transparency, equality of treatment and objectivity, beneficiaries’ selection process will consist of two phases. The first selection phase will include the presentation of a letter of motivation, preparation of on a topic related to one of the two focal sectors of the project – engineering and ICT, as well as a filling in a number of supporting documents. The first stage of the selection will be completed by conducting individual interviews to verify the motivation and attitude of candidates, test verification of knowledge of English and an interview with a psychologist. The final ranking and selection of beneficiaries will depend on the results from the preliminary pedagogical, linguistic and inter-cultural preparation, which is essential for mobility actions, since it gives participants the opportunity not only to improve their language skills, but also to broaden their outlook on culture, traditions, work habits and practices of English society.  Beneficiaries of the project, who will be sent to a two-week placement in England, will be selected according to the results of the pedagogical, linguistic and inter-cultural preparation in combination with other criteria and evaluations of candidates.

Practical training will help raise the qualifications and competence of participants through acquisition of new knowledge, technologies and best practices in engineering and ICT sectors. Placements in the engineering sector will focus on the acquisition of skills, knowledge and know-how in mechanical and electrical engineering services, design, planning and installation. On the other hand, participants involved in the ICT sector will be introduced in web and graphic design, branding, mobile web applications, etc.  As a result of the skills and experience gained the employability of beneficiaries will be enhanced, meeting the needs of professionals in the targeted sectors. Europass Mobility Certificates will be issued to attest the acquired practical skills and knowledge in the targeted sectors, which will significantly expand career opportunities for participants.

Project partners:

• European Center for Quality Ltd. (ECQ) – Bulgaria (ecq-bg.com)
• Europa Training UK Ltd – Plymouth, United Kingdom (europatrainingltd.com)
• Professional Mechanoelectrical High School “General Ivan Bachvarov” – Sevlievo, Bulgaria (pgmet.com)
• Professional High School of Electrotechnics and Technologies “Georgi Rakovski” – Stara Zagora, Bulgaria (pgetstz.hit.bg)
• Professional High School of Electronics and Chemical Technologies “Prof. Asen Zlatarov” – Pleven, Bulgaria (pgeht.net)