The project has been successfully completed. All intended and described project results have been delivered. Furthermore, an additional result was achieved in the form of a dedicated project website available in Polish, English, and German. The project was subject to evaluation at every stage of its implementation in terms of its relevance and the degree of achievement of the set objectives. The following section presents the evaluation conclusions for each of the specified project goals.

1. Introduction of an innovative, safe, and effective training method for glass industry machine operators

The IS (Individual Section) machine application for VR headsets is a tool that simulates the actual working conditions of a glass industry machine operator and serves as a modern, innovative educational resource. During the first project activity—the Mobility to the headquarters of Heinz-Glas Germany (November 2025)—it turned out that, unlike Polish law, German law does not prohibit minor apprentices from learning the trade directly at the machine in the glassworks under real working conditions. Despite this, the application met with great interest. Feedback regarding the mechanics and operational logic of the machine within the application was exchanged, and German translations for the instructions and interface were prepared.

As part of the evaluation following the initial presentation of the virtual tool, adjustments and remarks submitted by the German partner were implemented. German and English language support was integrated into the tool, and details were continuously refined in communication with operator training experts from Poland and Germany. During the return visit of the German group in June 2026, a group of four of the Partner's apprentices participated in an abbreviated operator course using VR headsets, thereby subjecting the application to final testing and evaluation.

We gathered exclusively positive feedback regarding this innovative tool, which, combined with the training curriculum (a result of this project available in three languages), constitutes a complete training module for young operators within the safe environment of immersive reality. For Polish minor apprentices, this represents the only opportunity for practical training on an IS machine before they enter the production hall of a glass packaging plant as adults. It is indisputably an essential, effective, and safe educational tool in Poland, and currently remains the only such innovative tool in Europe, and likely in the world. The Center of Vocational Skills (VSC) for the Glass Industry in Malinowo has introduced this innovative tool for use by the glass industry on both the Polish and international markets and stands ready to conduct training in this field. We consider this objective fully achieved.

2. Establishment of an international partnership for the development of vocational education and training in the glass industry

Crucial to the partnership was the evaluation conducted at the stage of identifying and understanding the vocational education processes within the glass industry occupations of both partners. In both Germany and Poland, there are patron classes run with the active participation and commitment of the enterprise and employer—in this case, the HEINZ-GLAS glass packaging factory. A major difference and challenge is posed by Polish law, which strictly prohibits minor employees (in this case, glass industry machine operators, and similarly in other occupations) from being present in difficult or hazardous working conditions (e.g., due to noise) for work or practical training. In Germany, such restrictions do not exist, especially since the employer in both Poland and Germany applies rigorous protective safeguards against harmful and strenuous working conditions. Nonetheless, these difficulties significantly impact the recruitment of young people interested in working at the glassworks, particularly for the German partner.

During the visit to Poland at the VSC in Malinowo, the partner's apprentices—who participated in the VR headset course as well as the hot glass shaping and stained glass workshops offered in the itinerary—considered these forms and methods of education experienced at the Center of Vocational Skills to be highly attractive and useful during the evaluation of these activities. They rated their entire stay in Poland very positively and recommended internships and practical training at the Center of Vocational Skills as an important element of their education. This prompted discussions regarding the partner's future projects and their application under Erasmus+ KA121-VET and KA122-VET. Partnership talks are currently underway to continue this multi-level cooperation. We consider this objective fully achieved.

3. Raising the level of vocational, linguistic, and digital competences of teachers, trainers, students, and employees in the glass industry

The mobilities were a highly significant element in raising the competences of the project participants. Mutual visits between the partners prompted an upgrade in language competences, where German and English were used on equal terms. The knowledge of professional and technical vocabulary related to glass industry machinery expanded particularly well, as the project directly concerned this area; its results include the application's interface in English and German, as well as the Training Curriculum and Development Strategy translated into these languages.

Technical discussions, the observation of production processes at HEINZ-GLAS Kleintettau, debates, and the evaluation of tools and educational processes in this field contributed to raising the vocational competences of project participants on both the Polish side (VSC trainers and students) and the partner's side. For the partner, the visit to the VSC allowed them to broaden their knowledge and especially their digital skills regarding the operation of VR headsets. Furthermore, the hot glass shaping and stained glass workshops enriched the competences of the students and glass industry employees. Verbal feedback on the quality of the workshops was exceptionally high, and the competences of the VSC trainers, along with their substantive knowledge and practical skills, were met with admiration from the participants. The VSC trainers also had to rise to the challenge of conducting workshops and training sessions in a foreign language, which significantly boosted their competences in this area. We consider this objective fully achieved.

4. Increasing the organizational and competence potential of the Center of Vocational Skills (VSC) for the Glass Industry

This objective is complementary to the implementation of the three aforementioned and evaluated goals. The execution of the entire project has allowed the VSC to be certified as a credible leader and partner for cooperation within Erasmus+ and similar programs. Thanks to this project, the VSC possesses a potential that is already visible and will be even more recognized after the project is closed and its results are disseminated on national and international markets. This includes the potential to be an equal industrial partner, to organize training sessions, courses, and internships for foreign entities, and to host conferences, events, and competitions of international scope.

The evaluation of project activities—ranging from simple surveys determining the relevance of the actions taken to the needs of the participants, to detailed talks and discussions with project participants—showed an increase in the sense of confidence and professional identity among the trainers, students, and employees of the VSC. This directly translates into how they view their own professional careers in alignment with the mission carried out by the Center of Vocational Skills for the Glass Industry—a mission that extends beyond the borders of Poland.

The Glass Festival was an extraordinary project activity and experience. Organizing such an enterprise required the commitment of many trainers, staff members, and students of the institution. The event proved to be a resounding success and resonated widely within the local community, social media, and among labor market institutions, educational bodies, universities, and industry entities. We consider this objective fully achieved.

5. Promoting glass as a completely recyclable and eco-friendly raw material on Earth

The glass segregation and recycling campaign was carried out as a core element of the Glass Festival, which saw the participation of primary and secondary school students, adults, and families with children. The campaign included a series of posters and roll-ups focused on glass recycling (visualizations can be found in the project results tab). Students also participated in a survey where they encouraged the choice of glass packaging and justified the reasoning behind such a choice. In the survey database, we have gathered many interesting answers and endorsements for choosing glass.

Here is one of the more comprehensive responses:

"It is worth using glass packaging instead of plastic because it has a positive impact on ecology and environmental protection. Plastic packaging takes many years to decompose and causes environmental degradation. That is why choosing glass packaging over plastic in everyday life is so important, because it can be reused multiple times and is recyclable; such packaging can be turned into another container, avoiding littering the environment as is the case with plastic packaging. Glass packaging contains no harmful substances, including the microplastics we ingest when drinking water from a plastic bottle, especially on a hot day. Products in glass packaging usually stay fresh longer and retain their flavor, allowing us to enjoy our favorite beverage for longer. Glass packaging is simply sturdier, looks elegant, and protects the product better from moisture or air," wrote Krystian.

Among the co-organizers of the Glass Festival was a company responsible for waste segregation and collection in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, which set up a stand promoting pro-ecological attitudes and waste separation. We consider this objective fully achieved.

6. Increasing the potential of the Działdowo Powiat region, the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, and Poland in the field of vocational education for the glass industry

Barely a month has passed since the last project activity, yet workshops, open-air art sessions, showcases, training sessions, and courses are still taking place at the VSC in Malinowo, even during the summer vacation months. Entities and individuals associated with the glass industry from both the country and around the world are continuously contacting the VSC. This is the best evidence of how recognizable our VSC is becoming within the world of the glass industry.

For a region at risk of marginalization, to which the Działdowo Powiat belongs—located in the eastern part of Poland within the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship—this is definitively a highly positive impulse for development. Everyone who arrives at the Center of Vocational Skills in Malinowo, which is situated in a rural area of the district and the Działdowo municipality, is incredibly surprised by the charm of this place and by the fact of how resourcefully, architecturally beautifully, and modernly an old farm building was revitalized for the needs of a state-of-the-art development and training center. We look forward to the further development of this location on a regional, national, and international scale, and we consider this objective fully achieved.