The project idea is a natural initiative which stems from the needs identified at first by the coordinating school and then subject to discussion with the other partner schools. The analysis has shown that most students are not properly equipped to launch and promote their trades in the virtual space, which often results in their inability to reach the target audience they need in order to sustain and develop their small enterprises. It is also worth mentioning that some of our graduates do not find a workplace soon after their graduation, which is why they often switch to other domains, thus making the years of specialised training almost worthless. As most of the schools in this partnership come from socially and economically challenged areas, lack of job or business opportunities also contribute to the insuccess of our graduates later on in life. It is why a great number of students choose to go to richer regions of our countries or even abroad to search for workplaces, which was also a common practice among their parents. However, the schools in Macedon, Italy and Turkey are near in attractive tourist regions, which would benefit from the establishment of flourishing business and a young workforce.

The students in the partnership cover a wide range of specialisations - cookery, hospitality, tourism, agriculture, catering and services, transports or sports. We intend to include knowledge of all these specialisations in the project face-to-face activities, by simulating business start-ups and development, so that students learn from each other's area of expertise in order to become more prepared to step into the world of business or even employment. Students will also learn about the existing tools and platforms on which they can promote themselves and/or their businesses to make them longer lasting and successful.

The project addresses students from all these specialisations, in their pre-terminal years, which is at the age of 17-18. The target group is a mixture of genders, religious beliefs and levels of achievement in class. We are intent on supporting lower achieving students, or students at risk of dropping out, by offering them equal opportunities and supporting their application for the selection process.

The purpose of the project is to facilitate the insertion of students into the labour market or business world after graduation, through a learning by doing approach which is meant to give them an idea about the requirements, limits and possibilities of the real business world. As such, we intend to bring real life into school life and try to create an authentic learning environment. This is why we will involve professionals in the above-mentioned fields who can present their businesses and share their experience with our students.

Objectives:

- at least 70 % of the students in the TG will gain knowledge of how to set up a business

- at least 75 % of the sts will create an online CV, a cover letter, a business card and a portfolio

- at least 60% of sts will use the online tools presented in the project meetings by professionals in order to access workplaces

- at least 40 % of sts will develop entrepreneurial skills

- at least 50 % of sts will make use of some of the online tools for marketing purposes

- at least 80 % of participants will improve their foreign language skills

- at least 60 % of students and teachers in the partnership will improve their organisational skills

- all participants will improve their knowledge of other European countries, customs and traditions

- all participants will improve their communication, team work and social skills

We believe that the project should be carried out transnationally so that students can gain knowledge of similarities and differences between European countries, exchange good practices in their areas, improve their foreign language competences and become more aware of their own place within the European community. Since all their domains have an international dimension, we think that the project will offer them the chance to improve their ESP vocabulary.

We have planned 4 LTTAs

C1 - HU - Mar 2018: professionals in the business field will lecture students about how to identify business opportunities, what to take into account and what to avoid when starting an enterprise, European funding and co-funding opportunities for new enterprises, creating business plans.

C2 - IT - May 2018: professionals in the hotel industry will lecture students about the requirements in this area, as well as specialists in online marketing. Students will simulate business initiatives based on knowledge acquired during C1 and C2.

C3 - MK - Oct 2018: Getting employment in the specific domains - CVs, cover letters, portfolios, online platforms

C4 - BG - Mar 2019: Online brochure for promoting the touristic potential of their areas, economy, job and business opportunities, cultural life, entertainment, hotels, restaurants and pubs, transport facilities, sports centres.