The I-CAREER training pack piloting in Bulgaria took place in the period April, 2nd – June, 6th 2024 at the National High School in Finance and Business in Sofia, Bulgaria. I-CAREER training pack was tested with 27 students in the 11th grade and 1 teacher. The students went through the 20 learning sessions and evaluated them regarding personal and professional development in terms of overall satisfaction with the course and modules, challenges experienced throughout the training, and their experience using the online platform.
All of the face-to-face learning sessions were led by at least 1 teacher from the school and 2 representatives of ECQ.
At the first meeting the students were introduced to the project and course and were given a factsheet with information about the project, aims results and activities. For each session a special set of training materials and hand-outs in accordance with the lessons which were to be taught during the respective training session was prepared and each student received one set.
The entire course as well as the face-to-face sessions were based on the “learning by doing” model. Each session started with a very brief presentation of the theory related to the respective lesson at focus, followed by practical and interactive exercises, interview simulations and case studies, illustrating the applicability of the theoretical material presented. In order to motivate the students to participate more actively in the practical part of the training during sessions, during some sessions there were prizes for the most active participants.
During all of the sessions special focus was placed on the presentations and discussions. Students were required to work in teams and then to present the results of their work in front of their classmates, the teacher and the ECQ experts. Furthermore, group discussions were also encouraged, as students need to learn how hold their ground and to not be afraid to express their opinion
At the end of the course, all participants received certificates of successful completion of the I-CAREER training course.
During the face-to-face sessions students were regularly sharing their opinion regarding the training materials and the interactive exercises done in class. Here are some of the opinions shared:
“Very interesting and enjoyable.”
“Much more interesting than the regular classes.”
“I learned a lot of new things and for me it was interesting.”
The general impression on the materials and the I-CAREER project idea is that they’re beneficial and interesting. The modules that received the highest satisfaction scores were also considered the most challenging, in particular “Time Management” and “Goal setting”. 81% of the students reported that the course has contributed to them being better prepared for the labour market.
The integrated training program achieved a remarkable recommendation rate of 96%. This strong endorsement from students signifies a high level of satisfaction with the program’s effectiveness. This positive outcome suggests the I-CAREER program successfully delivers valuable learning experiences that students find beneficial and would recommend to others.
Link to I-CAREER learning platform: https://icareer.projectsgallery.eu/
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the National Agency for the Erasmus+ Programme (FRSE) and European Solidarity Corps. Neither the European Union nor (FRSE) can be held responsible for them.
