KEYS! From Migrant Education to VET - Developing Key Competences

We applied for the KEYS project because we saw a crucial need to develop tools that would help migrants integrate more effectively into education, employment and society. With the increasing number of migrants and refugees, coupled with global uncertainties like the wars and economic instability, our goal was to create, test and implement user-friendly tools to enhance migrants' basic skills and key competences, essential for their successful integration. We also wanted to equip educators with practical tools for their curricula and training programs. We had identified a gap in collaboration between integration/language training providers and vocational education and training (VET) providers. By bridging this gap, we sought to create upskilling pathways that would facilitate smoother transitions from integration and language training to VET or employment. We also wanted to promote inclusion, equality, and non-discrimination by highlighting the broader social challenges faced by migrants to various stakeholders.

We had four main goals for the KEYS project. First, we aimed to support and increase migrant enrollment in vocational education and training (VET) programs by giving them tools that would help them develop the skills needed for succeeding in VET and this way improve their likelihood of being employed. We also wanted to create pathways to make it easier for migrants to move from language and integration training into VET levels 1–4. Our third goal was to develop tools that would improve the chances of migrants finding work, helping them secure sustainable employment and integrate more effectively into society. Finally, we wanted to create tools and support systems that would help them develop skills that our society considers as essential work-life skills, enabling them to adapt to different work environments and maintain continuous employment.

During KEYS’s lifespan, we held 5 transnational meetings (TPM), with partners participating in person or online, to work on creating content for the tangible results of the project. There was also 1 LTTA, and online meetings for project administration. Partners organized national multiplier events and actively participated in national and transnational conferences to share and promote the project. The LTTA, MEs and dissemination events provided opportunities to collect feedback on the relevance of the project and the usability of the results created. Our TPMs focused on developing deliverables like a toolbox with exercises, a learning portfolio, , tips, Virtual Support system. We also wrote a manual aimed at stakeholders involved in migration and education. All meetings aimed to strengthen collaboration between VET providers and intermediary organizations and create tools that would support migrants develop the key competences they need to succeed in education and work. The LTTA was a learning experience where we working with the project were able to share our knowledge and the tools under development to integration/language trainers and VET teachers providers. The event allowed us to pilot the tools and collect feedback and make improvements to them together with the participants of the LTTA.

The KEYS project produced several concrete outputs and results. One of the main outputs was an online toolkit designed for second language and vocational teachers. This toolkit includes materials and exercises to develop key competences such as mathematical, literacy, learning-to-learn, digital, and cultural skills. It helps teachers support migrant learners in transitioning from integration/language training to vocational education and training (VET). Two other useful tools are the learning portfolio and virtual support system. These tools allow migrant learners to document their existing skills, evaluate areas for further development, and receive personalized feedback and tips for improvement. The learning portfolio is based on the content of the toolkit and can be used both with trainers and independently by learners. We also wrote a manual of best practices and recommendations for stakeholders in migrant education. This manual provides guidance on developing key competences, supporting learners in their educational paths, and facilitating smooth transitions from integration or language training to VET. The manual aims to raise awareness of the importance of basic skills and key competences among all actors in the field of migrant education One of the best intangible results was the raised understanding of how to support migrants in developing their key competences in a way that encourages them to succeed in education and work.