LOTUS: Resilience in VET Education

By implementing LOTUS, we wanted to achieve a measurable improvement in the digital readiness, resilience and employability skills of the VET community. For VET professionals, the goal was to stre...

By implementing LOTUS, we wanted to achieve a measurable improvement in the digital readiness, resilience and employability skills of the VET community. For VET professionals, the goal was to strengthen their capacity to design and deliver high-quality digital pedagogy, create engaging digital content and build confidence in navigating the digital transformation of education. For learners, we aimed to modernise career guidance provision by equipping them with practical tools to prepare, search and secure employment in a changing labour market, while also supporting the development of transversal skills such as adaptability, teamwork, problem-solving and critical thinking. A further aim was to promote resilience and well-being among both educators and learners. The project set out to provide strategies for coping with stress, managing change and maintaining motivation in uncertain times recognising that these qualities are as essential as technical and vocational skills for long-term success. LOTUS sought to create a set of open-access, practical and innovative resources that would have lasting impact beyond the project lifetime embedding them in everyday VET practice while also contributing to European policy priorities.

LOTUS delivered a comprehensive set of activities across five work packages. In WP1, the Project Management Committee coordinated activities through regular meetings, financial reporting, risk reviews and structured QA and impact assessment ensuring smooth delivery. WP2 focused on the digital readiness of VET professionals: we designed and piloted an in-service training programme aligned with DigCompEdu, used the SELFIE tool for evaluation, trained 128 teachers and held a transnational activity with 12 first adopters. An Open Badge framework was created to recognise competences. WP3 developed and piloted a Toolkit of interactive infographics to support career management tested with 133 learners and validated by Local Stakeholder Panels. WP4 produced a MOOC on resilience with three themes and six units, tested with 60 stakeholders and later reaching 962 active users. WP5 implemented the dissemination plan, establishing six Local Stakeholder Panels (67 members), publishing newsletters and press releases, engaging 213 stakeholders at multiplier events, contributing articles to EPALE and reaching more than 38,000 people overall.

LOTUS delivered all of the core outputs originally promised. In WP2, partners produced the LOTUS Competence Framework, developed through a Training Needs Analysis and validated against DigCompEdu. Building on this, we designed, peer-reviewed and implemented the In-Service Training Programme for VET Professionals, delivered through a modular structure addressing digital pedagogy, hybrid facilitation and media-rich content creation. The first pilot was held at a transnational training workshop in Portugal, combining 36 hours of blended instruction and marking the launch of the LOTUS Community of Practice, followed by local implementation in all partner countries. In WP3, we created 18 Interactive Infographics for Career Management each with embedded QR codes linking to bespoke mobile learning environments. These were complemented by a Tutor Handbook with lesson plans, case studies and methodologies for educators. In WP4, we developed the LOTUS MOOC on Resilience, comprising 12 hours of self-paced learning with units on personal development, social skills and lifelong learning. The MOOC also integrated innovative features such as a journaling tool for reflection. All resources are freely available in partner languages as OERs.