Toolkit for professional integration in the sector of
TECHNOLOGY
Introductory note
Reader’s guide
Carried out from 2014 to 2016, and funded by the European programme Erasmus+, the project “Apprenticeship for NEETS” (ANEETS) aimed to promote innovative forms of apprenticeship for vulnerable young people “Not in Education, Employment or Training” (NEETs) in the metallurgical, hospitality and new technologies sectors. ANEETS was carried out in four European countries: Belgium, France, Ireland and Spain.
This toolkit has been developed in the framework of the ANEETS project. The objective of the project is to share innovative practices and foster mutual learning. The consortium followed the approach that the experience with NEETs can be more successful if their accompaniment is put in place by the company, in synergy with professional inclusion actors, and in accordance with both the job needs of the company and the NEET’s best fitting professional project.
The innovative approach of the project consists in promoting the development of educational productions and innovative business methods in the professional field, as well as in contributing in the creation and reinforcement of innovative synergies between companies, training centres, public bodies and all other actors of professional integration.
In this framework, each partner set up and managed a local network of partners and coordinated local experimental actions. Those workshops and/or meetings brought together the opinions and comments from: young NEETs, companies, professional integration structures, guidance and training structures, public bodies as well as associative partners. Implementing such networks and co-constructing was a key component of the ANEETS process.
The integration process of apprentices within companies is the particular attention of the project: it meets not only the needs of companies but it also brings new competences for NEETs. In order to raise chances that the apprenticeship leads to a working contract, the project places strong emphasis on innovative apprenticeship methods developed within companies, adapted to companies’ needs and employment opportunities.
In the course of the project, the consortium has notably identified a number of pathways for learning deemed essential for the purpose of integration of the young NEETs. Those are set out in the project diagram entitled “Pathways for learning”. It has also been stressed by local experts that the essential period to successfully integrate the young NEET is the intensive work prior to the first path in the diagram pathway. Once the young person comes to ask himself-herself “Do I wish to acquire a specific skillset and enter the workforce?”, the probability to achieve the successful integration becomes very high.
Apprenticeship Up to now, there is no one agreed and accepted definition for apprenticeship across Europe: they are different from one Member state to another.
The European toolkit contains two project publications:
The common definition of apprenticeship agreed and shared by all ANEETS partners is that apprenticeship is a form of teaching which aims to learn through the constant articulation of a general training ( theoretical and practical ) in the training place, and of a practical training in the workplace.
* Integration booklet: this publication provides potential employers, training agencies professionals and all interested organisations with a set of useful information and keys of success to help them in ensuring an efficient integration of NEETs in apprenticeship. Three sector-specific integration booklets have been elaborated, for: metallurgy, hospitality, and new technologies. Each sector-specific integration booklet also contains a selection of the sector-related practices from the four project countries. Each practice is presented in the form of a summary sheet with the following elements:
NEETs Various definitions of NEETs can be found in the literature. For the purpose of the ANEETS project, the definition agreed to be used is based on Eurofound’s definition: The NEETs are a very heterogeneous population of young people from 15 to 29 years old. They represent both early leaving school young people and having difficulties to enter the labour market.
www.aneets.eu
o Presentation of the organisation o Overview of the apprenticeship methodology developed by the organisation o Contact details for more information. * Apprenticeship passport: a tool destined to young people, aimed to promote and valorise their skills and competences acquired in the course of their trainings and life experiences.
The NEETs are divided into 4 categories:
Tests of the project outcomes were put in place so that everyone’s freedom of expression and active participation would become reality. This approach enabled consortium to identify a range of innovative apprenticeship methods across Europe, a set of key recommendations from professionals and experts to identify, accompany and integrate the NEETs, and to elaborate the project outcomes of which the present toolkit.
Funded by Erasmus+ Program of the EU
“The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsi ble for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.”
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Unemployed: Long or short term Not Available: ill, disabled, young people ensuring the care of a relative Disengaged: not looking for work or training with an antisocial and dangerous lifestyle Young people looking for opportunities: young people seeking training or employment but only considering opportunities that meet their skills and status
The needs of the NEETs are considered as follows: efficient employment integration with appropriate support, personalised education and upgrading of skills.
The toolkit is interconnected with two other publications of the project: * European guide of good practices: selection of good practices in the three sectors (metallurgy, hospitality and new technologies) in the four countries (Belgium, France, Ireland and Spain), and a set of project recommendations aimed at promoting and carrying out apprenticeship for NEETs in Europe. * European guide for sourcing and identification of NEETs: Overview of needs for the young NEETs in the three sectors, and a set of recommendations for the sourcing, identification and integration of NEETs in apprenticeship. Readers are encouraged to also consult these two publications, to get the complete picture of the project’s results.