Introduction

This chapter provides information on the role of an SME regarding long-term mobility in the VET sector as a hosting company.

This section also describes the responsibilities that this choice entails. It will also provide a general overview of the other parties involved, including the role of intermediary agencies.

Aim

This chapter’s main goals are:

- To understand the role of a hosting company

- To understand the responsibilities behind it

- To learn more about and to understand the actions of all the parties involved

- To understand what an intermediary agency does and how it interacts with the other parties

Description

When talking about long-term mobility opportunities abroad for apprentices, we first need to identify all the parties involved (or potentially involved):

- Apprentice

An individual student or an employee who is willing to participate in a mobility opportunity abroad for training and work experience. This role is a central part of the exchange

- Sending Organisation

The organisation, public or private, to which a learner/staff members undertaking the long-term mobility opportunity belong. In the context under analysis, it includes vocational institutions or VET centres, public or private, which have a strong connection to the apprentice participating in the mobility opportunity.

- Hosting Organisation

In the VET context, this is often a private company located abroad where participants in the mobility opportunity experience an apprenticeship.

- Intermediary Agency

These organisations, which are often specialist training or mobility agencies, are the intermediary between the sending and the hosting organisations and are able to provide significant support in the preparation and supervision of the mobility opportunity abroad.

- Funding Organisation (external to the project consortium)

This is the public entity or private organisation which funds the mobility programme, either through a grant or an individual scholarship. The European Commission is the most common provider of funding (see the chapter on financial inputs). The responsibilities that come with a mobility opportunity abroad are shared among the various involved parties across the three phases that define the long-term mobility opportunity abroad: before the apprentice’s departure, during their stay, after their stay.

The Sending Organisation, knowing the apprentices much better, will be able to select the most suitable person for the hosting companies available, and will be able to identify the learning outcomes and support apprentices, especially during the “before departure phase”.

Hosting companies (SMEs) will be in contact with the apprentice but will be mostly involved in the “during phase”, introducing apprentices to the work situation, helping them, providing personal tutoring and, without intermediaries, easing them into the new environment. SMEs will need to prepare a report on the achievements reached and assess each apprentice during their apprenticeship.

As mentioned before, there is the possibility of working alongside intermediary agencies; their role is to help sending and hosting organisations as well as apprentices (and students in general) with administrative tasks, managing the mobility opportunity and reporting progress.

An intermediary agency is also crucial in finding the right funding.

Resources

Websites

Introduction

This chapter presents the sources of information that SMEs, who want to learn more about, or who are considering participating in, a long-term international mobility opportunity process, will find useful.

To this end, this document offers the most representative sources of information in the different stages of the participation decision process: first contact with the process, learning more about the process and specific information if the company chooses to participate.

Aim

This document is intended to help SMEs in their search for the most relevant information when considering the options of participating in an international mobility opportunity. For this, the most useful sources are provided for the first stages of the decision-making process: an introduction to international mobility of apprentices, learning more about the various aspects, and specific information in the event that the company decides to participate.

Description

When SMEs consider participating in an international mobility opportunity for apprentices, they need to have some basic information in order to form an initial impression of this process. Below are some information sources that provide the potential host company with a first look at this process. The contents have been organised as follows:

Firstly, information sources are provided that help answer the initial questions about international mobility of apprentices:

- Erasmus+

- European Knowledge Center for Mobility

Once the initial questions have been answered, sources are provided that offer more information on specific issues, such as how to identify a good candidate, how to assess the skills and qualifications awarded in other countries, what procedures to use to recognise foreign qualifications and professional/vocational experience.

- EURES

- Europass

- ENIC-NARIC Networks

Finally, other sources that might be of interest in the event that the company decides to participate in an international mobility opportunity:

- EuroApprentices Network

- Dual VET

Resources

Websites

European Knowledge Center for Mobility

• The European Knowledge Center for Mobility is a “one-stop shop” for high-quality mobility projects, offering information that every party involved (beneficiaries, sending organisations and hosting organisations) will find useful in order to achieve a worthwhile, meaningful experience. As a future hosting organisation, the European Knowledge Center explains, in a step-by-step way, how to manage successful mobility projects. Available languages: English, Italian, German, Spanish and Dutch.

Dual VET project

• The objective of the Dual VET project is to implement a real transfer of experienced knowledge on dual training systems from experienced Germans and Austrians to their counterparts in Spain and Portugal who are focused on training company trainers on transversal skills and competences. Workers, who will become the educators and trainers of the future apprentices and trainees, need to learn to teach and need to be trained on communicative, methodological and personal skills. Available languages: English, German, Portuguese, Spanish.

Relevant Articles

Introduction

This section presents the main programmes, the procedure to follow to become a sending or a hosting organisation and the procedure to use when applying for a longterm mobility apprenticeship at the European level.

Aim

The main aims of this section are:

- To understand the programmes that enable long-term mobility apprenticeships at the European level

- To understand the procedures to follow in order to become a sending or a hosting organisation under the apprenticeship abroad programme

- To understand which supporting organisations can help in the application process

Description

At the European level, apprenticeships abroad are mainly organised within the framework of the Erasmus Plus Programme (Action: KA1 – Field: VET sector) and through the EURES Targeted Mobility Scheme (TMS).

1) Under the Erasmus Plus Programme, sending organisations can receive a budget for sending apprentices abroad. Here are the steps to follow:

- Gather information on the Erasmus Plus Programme (KA1 – Sector: Vocational education and training - VET) by visiting the official website and/or by contacting your National Agency.

- Apply for a mobility project by yourself. If you want to apply by yourself, you should first register your organisation and get an EU Login account.

Then you can apply for funding in two ways:

- Short-term projects: applicant organisations can organise various mobility activities over a period of six to eighteen months. Short-term projects are the best choice for organisations experiencing Erasmus+ for the first time, or for those organisations that wish to organise just a limited number of activities.

- Accredited projects: only open to organisations holding an Erasmus accreditation in the field of vocational education and training. This special funding strand allows accredited organisations to receive funding regularly for mobility activities that contribute to the gradual implementation of their Erasmus Plan.

- Apply for a mobility project on behalf of an organisation: you can join an existing Erasmus+ mobility consortium led by an accredited consortium coordinator in your country that is accepting new members into their consortium.

Under the Erasmus Plus Programme, hosting organisations need not submit a mobility project. You need to contact an intermediate organisation or a placement agency in your country and provide your availability to host apprentices. This is a valuable experience and a good way to learn more about the Programme before applying by yourself.

2) Another EU initiative is the EURES Targeted Mobility Scheme (TMS). This helps SMEs, in particular hosting organisations, find the workers (or apprentices) they need for their hard-to-fill vacancies. Here are the steps to follow:

- Gather information on the programme by visiting the official website and/or by contacting your local EURES Adviser.

- Register your organisation on the EUJOB4EU Platform and publish your job vacancy. The EURES Adviser will support you through the recruitment process.

3) In the local context, a variety of national and regional programmes can be found, depending on the scheme and the legal framework applied in that specific country. Outside this, you may organise an apprenticeship abroad through a voluntary placement. In this case, the procedure is not well formalised and you may need an intermediate organisation (or placement agency) that can help you find a sending or a hosting organisation and help with the logistics and administrative procedures.

Resources

Websites

ERASMUS +

• The EU programme supports education, training, youth and sport in Europe. Each country has its own National Agency.

EURES

• The network of European Employment Services and the European Job Mobility portal

Enterprise Europe Network

• A network to help SMEs make the most of business opportunities in the EU and beyond

Relevant Articles

Introduction

This chapter is intended for SMEs and provides an overview of the preparatory activities connected to the arrival at a new SME of one or more apprentices for a long-term mobility opportunity.

Aim

The main aims are:

· To provide a general overview of the “before” phase of a long-term mobility opportunity

· To provide the tools to gather and provide the necessary information

· To provide a series of steps to take in order to begin a successful apprenticeship

Description

Preparing a series of preparatory activities is mainly done by the sending organisation or an intermediary agency (if there is one). The sending organisation will select the participants, organise agreements with parties, prepare the apprentices, make the practical arrangements and provide any linguistic support.

Email and sharing tools, like Google Drive/Dropbox, are ideal in order to stay in contact with the sending organisation when reviewing candidate applications. Since you are hosting someone from a different country, who may know little to nothing regarding the living situation, prepare a country information kit in PowerPoint or Prezi that can be shared directly with participants or made available through the coordinator.

It is crucial that all parties establish, from the outset, a clear and understandable language and a transparent relationship based on trust and dialogue. The parties will need to draw up and agree with sending and hosting organisations (SMEs), together with the apprentice, a clear plan that establishes the objectives of the mobility opportunity, the expected outcomes, the learning goals and a series of assessment procedures (the learning agreement).

SMEs should provide a tutor who can ease the apprentice’s transition from their homeland to the new living and working situation. The tutor should be available and committed to the success of the mobility opportunity.

To summarise, the steps to be taken are:

- Make contact with the sending organisation and/or the intermediary

- Make contact with the potential apprentice

- Agree on a sharing tool to connect the parties

- Identify a specific tutor

- Discuss the risk assessment plan

- Draw up and sign the learning agreement and contracts

- Make contact with the apprentice regarding their arrival

- Introduce the apprentice into the SME

Resources

Websites

Introduction

In this chapter, we want to offer tools and actions to help SMEs assess whether an apprenticeship abroad is working, how it is progressing and to suggest corrections if needed.

Aim

The main goals are:

- To understand the meaning and importance of assessing a long-term mobility opportunity abroad

- To give tutors and SMEs the specific tools to make such an assessment

Description

SMEs are required to assess the apprenticeship during the long-term mobility opportunity abroad and immediately aer it has ended. Initially, the sending organisation, together with the apprentice, do a preassessment of the apprentice’s language level and knowledge.

The learning agreement, signed by all parties, starts with the apprentice’s initial skills and will require an assessment of the apprentice’s progress which is beneficial for both the apprentice and the SME.

The SME is required to assign the apprentice a tutor and this person will play an important role in the apprentice’s experience.

Indeed, tutors regularly assess apprentices to ensure the learning process is being followed so that apprentices are able to increase their knowledge, as defined by the learning agreement, and to gain a committed assessment, certification and recognition of the skills that will benefit them aer the end of the apprenticeship.

It is important for the tutor to meet apprentices regularly and to define specific moments for bilateral assessments. The assessment process is significant for the individual, since it leads to some form of recognition of his/her achievements and can be very empowering and stimulating for further development.

Resources

Websites

Introduction

Tutoring is a broad concept and, as such, it could be understood in different ways. Sometimes it can even be mixed with mentoring or coaching, depending on the perspective or the linguistic nuances. Going back to its linguistic roots, the word “tutor” comes from Latin and means guardian and protector. In practice it could mean informal support and help, oen but not only, in an educational context. The common thread is that the tutor is a key figure in the long-term mobility opportunity and involves a technical and a human aspect to be taken into consideration.

Aim

The aim is to provide host companies with specific information about the role of the company tutor as part of the long-term mobility opportunity, both in terms of a central actor in the mobility opportunity and in terms of engagement in the procedure.

Description

The company tutor is someone with specific job-related skills and a vocation/commitment to training. They are in charge of the intern’s development, in terms of both technical and professional aspects. That is why the company tutor needs to have the expertise at work but also an aptitude for teaching.

Some important features of the company tutor include:

- Professional knowledge in order to monitor the trainee’s work and to be able to teach new skills;

- Dedication to the role: they should be willing to transfer their knowledge in terms of technical skills and behaviour within the company and with supervisors, to set an example for the trainee, to involve the student in the social life of the company;

- Motivation: they should be patient with the trainee, available to give additional explanations, feedback and support.

The role of the company tutor is, therefore, crucial to the success of the long-term mobility opportunity: company tutors are strategic when it comes to welcoming the trainee in the company and in the trainee’s subsequent integration into the company; they are the ones who provide direct feedback about the acquired technical knowledge and so skills; their assessment can be a turning point in the trainee’s career path and they can be a model for the trainee.

The company tutor’s involvement in the long-term mobility opportunity is as follows:

Pre-Mobility:

- The sending organisation should involve the company tutor in selecting the future trainee

- Company tutors can be contacted by the sending organisation to ask that the Mobility documents, such as the Learning Agreement and Quality Commitment, be signed.

Neither action is mandatory and the involvement of the company tutor can be done later, in the actual Mobility Phase.

During Mobility:

- The company tutor welcomes the trainee to the company and is responsible for seeing to the trainee’s induction as well as for such documents as the working contract, the learning agreement, etc.

- The company tutor develops a work programme with the trainee based on the learning outcomes and the trainee’s previous knowledge;

- The company tutor should also be in contact with the tutor from the sending/intermediary organisation. The tutor from the sending/intermediary organisation should be in charge of organising meetings and the company tutor should be able to contact them in the event that anything related to the training programme arises;

- The company tutor should monitor the trainee, give him/her feedback and assess the trainee at different stages of the internship;

- The company tutor should assess the trainee and, for this purpose, the sending/intermediary organisation could provide useful documents. It is good practice to write a reference letter for the trainee at the end of the internship.

The company tutor should have an open communication channel with the sending organisation’s tutor and, if envisaged, with the intermediary organisation’s tutor, in order to fully support the trainee from different points of view

Resources

Websites

Introduction

This chapter addresses the opportunities offered by a long-term apprentice opportunity abroad. Apprentices and long-term placements are an important part of employee development, where, during the trip, they acquire new knowledge, skills and competencies. Despite the numerous benefits of this type of practice, a small number of employees and employers decide to invest in such opportunities in the workplace.

As far as the benefits of long-term apprentices are concerned, there are 3 levels where positive experiences happen:

a) Benefits to the departing employee;

b) Benefits to the company receiving workers;

c) Benefits to the company sending a worker on a long-term apprentice opportunity. This chapter discusses the benefits that arise for all groups of recipients.

Aim

This chapter highlights the positive aspects of a long-term apprentice opportunity abroad. Learning about the range of benefits for the individual employee, the host company and the company investing in this type of travel allows for a holistic view of apprentices abroad and fosters promotion. This chapter explains the value of work placements abroad at various levels.

Description

This chapter discusses the benefits for the company that hosts workers. In addition to the individual benefits for the worker going on a placement, attention should also be paid to the gains that the host company may experience.

The company welcoming employees from other countries has the opportunity to realistically promote its activities, to actively engage in corporate social responsibility and to acquire potential international partners for cooperation. An employee from another country who is accepted for a long-term apprentice opportunity, brings knowledge and practices from his/her home company, which may have a positive impact on the activities of the host company. International relationships and contacts could also be significant, which, under globalisation, might allow companies to enter new markets, to create a network of cooperation and to exchange good practices.

The second aspect in this chapter is to discuss the benefits for the company that sends an employee to a long-term apprentice opportunity. Companies whose employees participate in long-term apprentice opportunities abroad have a real impact on the development of their staff, create an environment conducive to the development of lifelong learning, and gain better qualified employees who are more adaptable to change. The company that creates opportunities for travel motivates its employees to take up the challenges associated with the trip and becomes, for staff, not only a place to work but also a space for self-improvement and selfdevelopment. Companies which invest in staff development also become places where potentially better trained people want to work. Nowadays, the labour market not only places demands on employees but also on employers, who must strive to attract the best candidates who are increasingly aware of their rights and opportunities related to improving their skills and competencies.

The numerous benefits of a long-term apprentice opportunity lead us to conclude that such trips greatly facilitate the individual development of employees and contribute to progress at various levels, both in home and host companies.

Introduction

If your company is considering participating in a long-term apprenticeship mobility opportunity, it is important that you understand the available financial inputs. There are a number of grants available to support your business in taking on an apprentice. The European Commission makes direct financial contributions in the form of grants in support of projects or organisations which further the interests of the EU and/or contribute to implementing an EU programme or policy. Interested parties can apply by responding to calls for proposals. A comprehensive list of them is given in this chapter.

Aim

The main goal of this chapter is for the reader to understand the current, main financial inputs for companies that participate in long-term mobility of apprentices.

Description

In general terms, this section outlines the funds available for companies that participate in the international mobility of apprentices, and the current instruments for companies to search for them.

For this, firstly, two financing search tools are presented:

- Funding opportunities: Which gives closing dates and more information about EU funding opportunities for education and training.

- Eurodesk Opportunity Finder: Which provides information about funding to support youth projects, youth work and youth information from the EU such as Erasmus+, or Europe for Citizens calls for proposals and from private foundations.

Secondly, the list of specific funding instruments that could promote the development of international mobility projects is provided:

- Erasmus+: Offers funding possibilities for individuals and organisations.

- The European Social Fund: Supports setting up or improving apprenticeship schemes, though not for every EU Member State. Legal entities within the EU and associated countries can participate.

- Horizon Europe: this is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation.

- EURES axis of EaSI: Offers funding possibilities for individuals and organisations - European Investment Bank: Provides loan support to the private sector under different initiatives.

Resources

Websites

Where to look for financial inputs: funding search tools:

Funding programmes

• The EU offers a wide range of funding opportunities for education and training. You can find closing dates and more information about it here. Available languages: English, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish.

Eurodesk Opportunity Finder

• This provides information on the following offers: - Learning: programmes, funds and scholarships to learn and study abroad - Volunteering: programmes, funds and projects for volunteering abroad - Internships: paid internships and traineeships at international and EU institutions such as the World Bank, the EU, the Court of Justice, the UN, etc. - Participating: Open calls for participation in consultations, competitions, awards, prizes and games - Grants: funding to support youth projects, youth work and youth information from the EU such as Erasmus+, Horizon 2020 or Europe for Citizens calls for proposals and from private foundations Available language: English

Specific funding sources:

Erasmus+

• Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe.

European Social Fund

• The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) is the European Union (EU)’s main instrument for investing in people.

Horizon Europe

• Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation. This funding instrument does not specifically focus on the key activities of education, training and apprenticeship; yet they could be part of an integrated project. Available languages: English, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish

EURES axis of EaSI

• The aim of this axis is to strengthen EURES, a European job mobility network that provides information, guidance and recruitment/placement services to employers, jobseekers and any person wishing to take advantage of freedom of movement for workers. Available languages: English, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish.

European Investment Bank

• The European Investment Bank can provide loan support to the public and private sectors under initiatives such as the Investing for Youth programme. Available languages: English, French, German.

Relevant Articles

• Financing apprenticeships in the EU

• Database on financing apprenticeships in the EU

• Financing programmes for SMEs

• Find partners for EU funding opportunities

Tips – Major Notions

Introduction

This chapter presents useful information about some platforms. These platforms are useful for SMEs that want to collaborate with other organisations or that want to find apprentices who are thinking of participating in a long-term mobility opportunity. Tools providing services to jobseekers and employers, especially SMEs, make it easier to search for apprenticeships.

Aim

Finding apprenticeships, especially in other EU countries, is not such an easy task. This difficulty is exacerbated by the SMEs’ search for people with skills that match their business. This document describes the platforms used by SMEs to help them find apprentices who are willing to participate in a long-term mobility opportunity.

Description

From a practical point of view, searching for a job on the web is not an easy task, even for those who are experienced in using the IT tools available online. The basis of a successful job search depends on the information supplied by providers.

Both in the European and the national contexts, there are tools that can be used to find which SMEs have open apprenticeships. In order to facilitate matching supply with demand, the European Union has decided to set up a dedicated job mobility portal, EURES.

The solution is to provide services to employers, including SMEs, who are interested in acquiring new professional resources, making use of the principle of free movement of people within the EU. Specifically, the portal provides three types of service:

- Information

- Consultancy

- Matching supply and demand for collaboration/recruitment purposes.

EURES activities are based on the work of a network of consultants who are able to sound out the market and provide information on open positions, the needs of employers and professionals looking for jobs. This service is also essential for apprenticeships.

However, finding workers from other European countries or SMEs can be a difficult task if it has not been done before, especially when the aim is to promote the long-term mobility of apprenticeships. So how do you start? What should be considered? Who can provide help and support?

In EURES, there is a section dedicated to employers, including SMEs, who are looking to recruit new staff, including apprentices.

Another important platform is EURES - Targeted Mobility Scheme (TMS). This is an initiative that promotes professional mobility in another EU country and in other countries too, such as Norway and Iceland.

EURES TMS offers EU employers, including SMEs, a range of dedicated services to find motivated, qualified workers, interns and apprentices.

The project provides SMEs with financial support for training and services that are offered to new participants recruited into the project in order to contribute to the costs of an “integration programme”.

The training programme must be started during the first 3 weeks of the employee’s/trainee’s employment. There are no specific duration requirements but a realistic training plan needs to be offered in order to achieve a participant’s expected learning outcomes. Financial support depends on the country in which the employer is based and on the complexity of the integration programme.

Over the years, the European Union has developed several programmes and initiatives to support the internal movement of workers and collaboration between enterprises, with a particular focus on SMEs.

It should be pointed out, however, that until 10 March 2021, there was no specific programme dedicated to supporting workers who go abroad to work in other companies to exchange skills. This shortcoming led to the creation of MobiliseSME.

- MobiliseSME is the first mobility programme specifically designed for SME staff. The main purpose of MobiliseSME is to encourage the internationalisation of EU SMEs, to improve their competitiveness and to establish a common EU methodology for a mobility scheme for SME staff. This programme is not the only one.

- SME2B – The Networking and Trade Platform for SMEs SME2B is a business-to-business platform that enables European small and medium-sized enterprises to find new business partners across the continent in order to better exploit the European single market.

This platform is also an excellent tool for VET providers and educational institutions wishing to develop their networks and improve cooperation with companies across the European Union. This platform is also of great benefit to members who want to develop and improve their collaboration with companies (e.g., for internships/apprenticeships) at the local, national or international level.

Resources

Websites

EURES Employers

• This platform contains a section dedicated to employers who wish to recruit apprentices. It lets you find candidates, view candidates, advertise jobs and get tips within the platform.

EURES Target Mobility Scheme

• This platform helps employers, especially SMEs, recruit people, including apprentices, with a specific profile. The network is innovative because it helps find staff in all European countries and beyond, and it also helps build a multicultural team.

SME2B

• SME2B is a business-to-business platform that enables European small and mediumsized enterprises to find new business partners across Europe.

MobiliseSME

• MobiliseSME is a programme initiated by the EU (EURES, EASI). It aims to help develop the skills of company staff (employees, managers and owners or co-owners) who wish to experience cross-border mobility in another company for a limited period of time, while maintaining the contractual link with their employer.

Relevant Articles

Introduction

This chapter will focus on the practical information that a company should receive before, during and aer the mobility period of the apprentice(s) they agreed to host. Specifically, SMEs will receive an overview of the various documents they will need to stamp and sign, information about the most common insurance policies the students are provided with, as well as other general practical aspects that are crucial for a smooth progression of the apprenticeship/mobility period. It is important to specify that the majority of mobility projects in the VET sector in Europe is funded by the European programme Erasmus +.

Aim

The aim is to provide host companies with specific information on the main steps to follow when hosting an apprentice from abroad for a period of time longer than three months. The idea is to give them a clear overview of which documents, which insurance policies and which practicalities are needed. The goal is to make things as clear as possible so that lack of information can no longer be a barrier to long-term mobility in the VET sector.

Description

Internships abroad are a great resource for both host companies and apprentices. Sometimes, companies think it might be too challenging for them to take on an apprentice from abroad and one of the main reasons behind that could be the lack of practical information.

Before the apprentice’s arrival in the company:

There are many ways to be part of an international experience: Either the company will be contacted directly by the VET/sending institution, by the apprentice him/herself or by an intermediary agency/work-experience provider that is in charge of organising the apprenticeship programme. The company itself, though, can actively initiate international mobility by contacting VET institutions in other countries or intermediary organisations. A good way to find contacts is to search for project partners, like VET schools, on online platforms like the Erasmus Plus Projects Result Platform or the websites of the National Agencies in their country.

To be able to choose the right candidate that meets the company’s profile and needs, it is important to match the apprentice’s professional background and his/her hard and so skills. Language skills are also very important. Since most apprenticeships are carried out in the context of a specific learning curriculum, it should be clear to all participating parties which learning outcomes the apprentice should have aer completing the international experience. For this, it is highly recommended that work-placement and learning agreements be prepared between, at least, the apprentice and the hosting company. For more information about the documents involved, see the dedicated section below.

This initial selection phase can be organised by the sending or the intermediary organisation, but also by the hosting company as well. Once the company has agreed to take on the apprentice and has defined the training period with a start and end date, it should be decided internally who is going to be the apprentice’s responsible tutor and what tasks will be assigned to the apprentice during his/her internship.

For the host company, this means they will not have to worry about paying for extra employee coverage. European apprentices can use their European health card for any type of emergency. Additional coverage may or may not be present. The type of insurance policy that will be provided can also vary depending on the length of the mobility period. If this period is long (more than 3 months), there may be additional policies needed compared to shorter mobility periods.

Travel and accomodation

Travel to the mobility destination is, in most cases, organised by the VET institution or the school, whereas accommodation is oen provided by the intermediary organisation. Travel costs are mostly paid by the mobility funding programme as an allowance, depending on the travel distances. At the mobility destination, local public transportation services, like buses or metros, can be used. It is oen cheaper to buy a weekly or monthly ticket rather than a one-day ticket each day. Some cities even have special discounts for apprentices.

As regards accommodation, apprentices usually stay in a hostel (for shorter stays) or in a flat or shared flat or with a host family. They are usually either provided with meals or they take care of themselves. Also in this case, the type of accommodation will vary depending on the duration of the trainee’s stay and the calculation of costs.

For long stays, there is also the possibility that students will have to look for a place to stay by themselves. In this case, the company might, on a voluntary basis, help the trainee with their search for suitable accommodation. Useful platforms for finding accommodation are local community housing groups on social media like Facebook or temporary housing listings on websites or in local newspapers.

Resources

Websites

Introduction

Despite the numerous benefits of long-term apprentice opportunities, a small group of employees and employers decide to invest in this type of venture. The relatively low involvement by employees in apprentice opportunities abroad is due to a number of barriers and difficulties that we can consider both in individual and group terms. One of the most significant barriers discouraging employees from leaving is the language barrier, as a result of poor knowledge of the destination language. Especially the English language, which is, nowadays, required in many workplaces. This chapter focuses on the barriers - especially the language barrier - that discourage people from participating in long-term apprentice opportunities and on solutions that can help break down the language barrier in the workplace.

Aim

The aim of this chapter is to underline the importance of creating a friendly environment in which employees can improve their language skills. In doing so, the consequences of failing to do this will also be pointed out: the language barrier and thus the early abandonment of long-term apprentice opportunities abroad.

Description

In order to reduce barriers to communication, employers should implement opportunities to improve language skills. One good solution is to offer free language courses and training, which will allow employees to practise.

The language barrier can also be eliminated by taking on foreign workers for internships. A company with English speakers creates the conditions for gradual “familiarisation” of its employees with a language other than their native one. The employer can also encourage employees to use freely available online courses (e.g. the Navoica platform) allowing people to work on language content and materials at their convenience. The employer can also create space for improving language skills by organising regular meetings with international guests. A useful tool to support the language skills of trainees could be preparing a dictionary of the most frequently used terms and phrases in the host country’s language within the scope of the planned work placement. Such a “language phrasebook” will help in communications with professionals from the host institution in the initial phase of the apprenticeship.

Another suggestion is to use translation applications that are common and freely available for smartphones and that could be useful in everyday communication. Overcoming the language barrier can also be started with short-term, pilot apprenticeships, during which the employee will gain self-confidence, overcome any initial fears and be encouraged to consider a long-term apprenticeship. Another good solution is to invite employees to participate in conferences or industry training, which are not always held outside the country and which require knowledge of a foreign language.

Resources

Websites