Young people and adults enhance their employability due to relevant vocational education and training.

Outcome: Centers of Excellence provide qualified assistance in launching and delivering CVET courses or EAs for VET institutions, so that trainees gain relevant skills for the labor market.

The project will continue supporting the partner VET institutions to focus on developing and offering demand-driven training programs, services, and/or products tailored to meet the specific needs of private companies and individual customers. Embracing an entrepreneurial mindset, these institutions will adapt their offers to ensure relevance and appeal to their target markets. To scale up the institutional changes and achievements from phase 1, CEDA will provide support to four strategic Centers of Excellence (CEC – Center of Excellence in Construction; CEHTA – Center of Excellence in Horticulture and Agricultural Technologies from Taul; CET – Center of Excellence in Transportation; CEVV – Center of Excellence in Viticulture and Vinification) willing to act as system facilitators and resource centers for developing and launching CVET courses or EAs.

The selected partner Centers of Excellence represent the most important sectors of the economy: construction, transportation, horticulture, viticulture and winemaking.

The above-mentioned Outcome will be achieved through the following Outputs:

Output 1. An Entrepreneurial Expert Hub established at CoEs, providing qualified assistance for affiliated/partner VET institutions to create and launch relevant to labor market needs CVET courses or EAs.

The output is centered around the establishment of a HUB, involving the four Centers of Excellence (CoEs) which participated in phase I and their affiliated/partner VET institutions. This HUB is foreseen as a collaborative platform, dedicated to enhancing the delivery of innovative and sustainable VET practices. Its primary function includes mentoring/coaching VET institutions in developing demand-driven courses and entrepreneurial activities. This will involve the guidance of effective financial management, innovative business strategies, and best practices in sustainable entrepreneurial activities. Great capacity development efforts will be made to enhance the capability of the CoEs on entrepreneurial leadership, fundraising and sustainability, strategic planning, and market analysis. Additionally, the CoEs will receive €70,000 to advance their own entrepreneurial projects, thereby enriching the HUB’s resources and exemplifying successful models for replication across the VET network.

Output 2. 8 CVET courses or EA developed with the support of the Entrepreneurial Expert Hub.

This output seeks to underpin economic growth within VET institutions through the nurturing of entrepreneurial ventures and the provision of demand-driven training courses. This involves conducting comprehensive market research to identify viable entrepreneurial ideas and in-demand training courses (CVET). For each promising entrepreneurial concept, comprehensive business plans will be developed and funds will be made available of up to €40,000 per entrepreneurial activity. The grant amounts will be tailored to the individual institutional needs, as detailed in the business plans, ensuring that funding is efficiently allocated to support the most impactful activities for each institution. The project intends to form a consortium among the CoEs and their affiliated/partner institutions, developing continuous training courses that, once accredited, will be delivered in each of the affiliated institutions. The courses will be short-term and designed to offer partial qualifications (micro-qualifications). This approach will ensure the sustainability of continuous training courses and expand their reach across multiple regions. Additionally, affiliated VETs will independently develop CVET courses or EA initiatives with the support of the Expert HUB.

Output 3. 4 targeted networking events for VET institutions organized, leading to at least 20 new collaborations.

The output focuses on expanding the network and collaboration among VET institutions through targeted networking events, which will bring together representatives from the private sector, public institutions, project partner VET institutions, and NGOs/projects active in the VET sector. By involving a broad spectrum of participants, the events aim to capture diverse perspectives and expertise, fostering a rich environment for sharing experiences, discussing challenges, and exploring potential partnerships. The emphasis on networking aims to strengthen the VET community by fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.

The networking events will be organized by each Center of Excellence, taking turns to host an event. This rotation ensures that each CoE actively contributes to the initiative, leveraging their unique strengths and resources to enrich the overall program.

Output 4. One Digital Resource Center/Library for VET Institutions developed

The Digital Resource Center/Library for VET Institutions aims to consolidate and share key resources, including guides, legal frameworks, and best practices, across the VET sector. Its aim is to support the development and management of CVET and EAs, providing a one-stop-shop for resources that align with market demands and legal requirements. These resources will be developed collaboratively with the partner CoEs to ensure that all stakeholders have a reliable and comprehensive source of information. The library will be integrated into CEDA’s website, ensuring widespread accessibility and periodic updates, thereby serving all VET institutions, not only those involved in the project.

The digital resource center will also be linked to the project partners’ websites, which will be updated and improved as part of the project. Thus, the websites of the 12 institutions (4 CoEs and 8 affiliated VETs) at the request of the Ministry of Education and Research will be enhanced.

Output 5. 12 packages (4 CoEs and 8 partner VETs) on marketing and visibility tools for CVET or EA developed.

This output aims to enhance the promotional and communication strategies for each participating VET institution. The objective is to elevate the profile of the developed CVET programs or EAs and make the VET institutions more attractive to potential students, business sector, and other interested stakeholders, thus increasing enrolment and generating income. VET students will be trained and involved in developing promotional plans, particularly in areas like digital marketing and social media. This approach will empower students to participate in promoting EAs, leveraging digital platforms for broader outreach and engagement.