About Us
Vocational Education and Training (VET) plays a crucial role in a country’s social and economic progress. It provides an alternative educational path for young people and adults who want to advance professionally, while also supplying qualified workers across various sectors of the economy. The inclusion of vocational pathways in schools, work-based training, and career guidance is essential for enhancing youth employability, particularly for disadvantaged individuals.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on young people, both economically and socially. Even before the pandemic, many young individuals faced uncertain and precarious labour market conditions. With the closure of sectors that traditionally employ young workers, they often face the brunt of job cuts, increased job insecurity, and limited job opportunities. Informal employment, inactivity, and job instability have all witnessed a surge.
In 2020, global youth employment declined by 8.7%, compared to a 3.7% decrease for adults. Within middle-income countries, young women have been particularly affected in terms of employment decline. The COVID-19 pandemic has added further challenges for young individuals entering the VET system. Marginalized young people face multiple complications due to their limited financial, material, social, and digital skills. This increased social exclusion can negatively impact their physical and mental well-being.
The “Enhancing VET practices and capacities through Transformative Learning (VET PACT)” project aims to enhance the quality, perception, and capacity of VET in three European countries (Romania, Hungary, Spain) and three Latin American partner countries (Argentina, Colombia, El Salvador). The project adopts a transformative learning approach and aims to develop a curriculum for 1,800 VET students and a training module for 180 VET teachers to become trainers. The project integrates digital and green practices, focusing on environmental, social, and economic sustainability. By supporting the lifelong learning of individuals involved in VET, the project aligns with the general objectives of promoting sustainable growth, quality jobs, social cohesion, and active citizenship.
Additionally, the project fosters cooperation between VET and the labour market at both the European and local levels. It supports the professional development of VET teachers and trainers, enhances the key competences and entrepreneurship skills of VET learners, and promotes the development of green and digital skills to address the twin transition. Through capacity-building and educational activities, the project establishes a network of experts comprising teachers, company CEOs, and youth workers to empower VET learners in Latin America and Europe. It conducts needs assessment research in all six countries to better understand the current state of VET and collect best practices related to cooperation with companies, as well as digital and green practices within VET. The project employs a transformative learning approach, utilizing non-formal education methodologies such as Experiential Learning, Philosophy for Children, and Digital Landmark Stories to help youth in VET better cope with their studies and improve their chances of entering the labour market. It also focuses on enhancing the knowledge, technical, managerial, and pedagogical skills of VET teachers in the six countries to meet the needs of their students and develop their soft skills, including interpersonal communication, teamwork, leadership, entrepreneurship, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
Furthermore, the project ensures the visibility and dissemination of its activities, results, and outputs through the expert network, online Moodle platforms, international meetings, a final conference, and social media. The European project partners possess extensive experience in youth education, sustainability, project management, capacity building, and cooperation with VET
providers. They work directly with youth, teachers, youth workers, social workers, and decision-makers, implementing innovative techniques and education programs for skill development and capacity building through non-formal education methods and digital technology. The partners have established networks with public and private stakeholders, as well as policymakers at local, regional, and European levels.
The project’s objectives align with the European Youth Strategy (2019-2027) and the EU Youth Goals of “Quality Employment for All” and “Quality Learning.” It embraces the core areas of the European Education Area initiative by supporting the development of competences, soft skills, digital skills, and entrepreneurial skills among VET teachers, trainers, and learners. It promotes collaboration and exchange among VET teachers, peers, and relevant stakeholders locally and across borders. Additionally, it expands knowledge on sustainable and green practices among VET institutions, VET teachers, VET learners, and labour market actors involved in dual education. The project’s actions are in line with the second strategic priority of the Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027) to enhance digital skills and competences for the digital transformation. Leveraging the professional knowledge and expertise gained from online education, the partnership members, VET teachers, and VET learners will acquire and apply digital skills that can be used in education, learning, and job search.
