Enhance and adapt in-company tutors' competences to face the challenges of today in dual education

The importance of dual education for a smooth transition from education to work and the economic relevance of skilled crafts and trade professions are widely recognised at political level. Yet, SMEs find it more and more difficult to get suitable apprentices. Today, an increased number of apprentices makes part of marginalised groups, such as school dropouts, refugees and youngsters with learning disabilities. This presents in-company and full-time trainers with the challenge of involving young people with very different needs in their lessons. The purpose of this train-the- tutor programme is to offer in-company tutors and VET trainers in dual education the opportunity to acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and competences to successfully address, motivate and accompany apprentices from highly diversified backgrounds in the course of their apprenticeships. So marginalised youngsters are given the chance to accomplish their apprenticeships successfully and training companies the possibility, to benefit from the qualified apprentices they trained.

The project takes up the changes in the labour market in dual education, particularly in the skilled trades. Profound changes on the labour market in dual vocational training in the skilled trades, particularly with regard to the available workforce, make it necessary for training companies to adapt in order to avoid skills shortage The aim of the project was to respond to this need by developing and implementing a blended learning training course for the further training of in-company trainers/ VET trainers in dual education in DE, AT, SI and IT. The blended learning approach facilitates the integration of the learning process into the daily work and routine of the in-company tutors and trainers. The digitally supported learning process together with the planned blended learning module on digital competences contributes to the horizontal priority of fostering digital readiness and capacity among the in-company tutors and trainers. Conveying innovative contents also improves the attractiveness of the dual training in general.