Developing the employability and problem-solving skills and competences of VET students through the Design Thinking methodology.
Context
Nowadays, problem solving skills play an important role in coping with complexity and change in today’s society. These skills can respond to the growing needs of individuals to develop personally and handle obstacles and change. Problem solving skills apply prior learning and life experiences, with the look for new opportunities to learn and develop.
Objectives
- To develop problem solving competences and design thinking mindset for upper secondary and higher VET students through an apprenticeship model;
- To develop problem-based learning through an apprenticeship model that will follow a design thinking methodology;
- To create VET-company partnerships, in order to experiment and validate the apprenticeship model;
- To spread the idea of problem-based learning in apprenticeship by organizing seminars for trainers in VET schools and companies that are interested to apply the apprenticeship model.
Activities
- Identification of good practices will be on how to develop problem solving skills through apprenticeship and design thinking methodology;
- Organization of focus groups in each partner country, with different experts in apprenticeship, design thinking, stakeholders, policy makers, VET trainers and companies’ owners;
- Development of a model for apprenticeship: a model for apprenticeship implementation oriented to the acquisition of problem-solving skills and competences which will be based on the design thinking methodology. The apprenticeship model will consist in the development of a sustainable business solution and based on real problems companies face in their daily life;
- Seminars for trainers in VET schools & companies: each partner will organise a one-day seminar, addressing a minimum of 10 trainers from both VET centres and companies that are involved in apprenticeships;
- Creating network of VET schools and companies: networking and partnerships are the key in the new job market for success. In the VET sector, having VET centre-company partnerships are of most benefit to ensure the quality of the apprenticeship for the student.
Resources
- IO1: Apprenticeship model for the acquisition of problem-solving competencies and design thinking mindset: the apprenticeship model will consist in the development of a sustainable business solution, based on real problems of the company that host the apprenticeship.
- IO2 Trainer’s guide: a guide for trainers to support the design, implementation, management, evaluation and validation of the apprenticeship model, in VET providers and companies. The guide will prepare and train the trainers from VET providers and companies to apply the apprenticeship model and to integrate innovative learning approaches (problem-based learning and design thinking).
- IO3 VET – company partnerships guide: the guide will present practical support for the creation of partnerships between VET providers and companies for the successful implementation of the apprenticeship model.
Impact
- Awareness raising on the importance of apprenticeships for the development of soft skills of students;
- Development of VET – company partnerships for the promotion of apprenticeships and the acquisition of problem-solving skills for students;
- Capacity building of VET trainers and companies’ trainers, to organise problem-based learning and design thinking learning, to support the acquisition of problem-solving skills by students who are involved in apprenticeships;
- Development of problem-solving competencies of vocational education and training students, during their apprenticeship, through the piloting of the apprenticeships model.
Partners
- Colegiul Economic “Ion Ghica” (Romania, coordinator)
- IDEC (Greece)
- Antalya Il Milli Egitim Mudurlugu (Turkey)
- ZBB (Germany)
- KISMC (Bulgaria)
- Magenta (Spain)
- CESIE (Italy)
