Study visit group report

Group 342 Title VET as a meeting point for economic progress and personal empowerment Theme Increasing adult participation in education and training City, Country – Puglia – Type of visit Mixed Group reporter

COOPERATIVE GROUP WORK ROLES OF PARTICIPANTS:

Role Name and Surname N.

Teacher/guidance councellor 1. Malgorzta MALYSKA Zespół Szkół im. Piotra Wysockiego POLONIA Coordinator - Horito Centrum 2. Wim VOLDERS BELGIO

Bruno Alexander OLIVEIRA Project manager/guidance advisor 3. Profisousa - Associação de Ensino Profissional do Vale COUTINHO do Sousa - PORTOGALLO 4. Managing Director - Longden Co. UK Ltd. Carole LONGDEN GRAN BRETAGNA Projects coordinator - EU Relations Office Ministry of National Education General Directorate of 5. Halis YESIL Apprenticeship and Non-Formal Education TURCHIA

6. National Centre For Supporting Vocational And Marta KOTARBA Continuing Education in Warsaw - POLONIA Managing Director 7. Frank VOS Stichting Vakopleiding Carrosseriebedrijf - OLANDA Final Report

THE PROGRAM OF THE STUDY VISIT INCLUDED

a) Visits At schools: Secondary school for Commerce,Tourism and Publicity “C. De Marco”, Brindisi; Scondary school for Catering Services “S. Pertini”, Brindisi. b) Territorial research centres: University of , Facoltà Beni Culturali (Faculty of Cultural Heritage), Lecce; Cittadella della Ricerca (Technological park): CETMA , CEDAD. c) Other places of cultural and institutional interests: Palazzo Nervegna, Municipality of Brindisi, , Torre Guaceto (protected area and site of high interest for the EC) d) Meetings with: o Regional Educational Authorities; o Local Authorities; o Universities; o Press; o Research Institutes

THE PROGRAM IN DETAIL:

Monday, October 6th 2008, Brindisi Tuesday, October 7th 2008, Brindisi

Morning 09.30 – 11.30 10.30– 11.00 Quality work at School Welcome to Italy Visit to IPSSAR ”F. Pertini” Introduction of participants Presentation of the programme Coffee break Visit report Visit of Ostuni- Ceglie Messapica - Torre Mr Francesco Pagano, Headmaster of IPSS “C. De Guaceto Marco”. Lunch at a typical restaurant 11.00-11.10 About Adult training at IPSSC De Marco 16,00 Torre Guaceto 11.10-11.30 Group Discussions Access to information about job and education Preparing the Visit Report opportunities: statistics of Sportello Informagiovani – Municipal Administration

11.30-12.00 Presentation of local authorities and School partners; Greetings from Mr. Chiantera, Deputy Mayor of Brindisi Plans of local development as measure of VET Mr Mauro Dattis, Local Coucillor for Economic Programming and Development at the Tow Hall of Brindisi

12.10 – 12.30 The Provincial School Office: the Educational Field within the Province of Brindisi Mr Fernando Cocciolo, responsible for the educational sector at the Provincial School Office of Brindisi Visit of Palazzo Nervegna, Arch. Maurizio Marinazzo

13.00-14.20 Welcoming lunch at the Restaurant “Cantina ti l’Artisti”.

15.00- 15.20 Transfer to Nettuno Hotel - Orange Room 2

Final Report

Work Resumption Staff : Marinora Piciocco, Rita Sardano

15.00- 15.20 Industrialists’ Organization: the Company System and the Training on the Territory Mr Vincenzo Gatto, responsible for Adult Education at the Confederation of Industry

15.20 -15.40 Self-entrepreneurship as VET reserved lane: Trainer – entrepreneur, an experience of great worth Mr Fabio Mollica, trainer, export manager

16.00-18.00 Group Discussions (at hotel lobby) Preparing the Visit Report Dinner at restaurant Nettuno Hotel

Wednesday, November 8th 2007, Lecce Thursday, October 9th 2007

09.45-12.30 9.30-9.45 Interaction IFTS - University CETMA, between training and research. Venue: Chirico Halle, Monastery of the Olivetans, Presentation of the Centre for the technology of Faculty of Cultural Heritage, University of Lecce advanced materials. IFTS: Growing Steps and Professional Development Arch. Michele Lastilla, responsible for the Mrs Marinora Piciocco IPSS C. De Marco Brindisi Institutional relationships at the Cetma The role of University in IFTS projects Mr Massimo Guastella, Professor of Modern Art at the 9.45-10.00 University of Salento The De Marco – Cetma partnership within the IFTS projects 12.30 -13.30 Lunch at the “Taverna degli Spiriti” Dott. Eugenia Chiddu Showing of stereoscopic multimedia works 14.00 – 16.00 Sightseeing in Lecce 10.00-12.30 16.40 > Group Discussions (at hotel lobby) Visit of the Virtual Reality Centre Preparing the Visit Report 12.30 – 13.30 Lunch at the Cittadella della Ricerca, Technological Park

14.30-16.00 CEDAD: the experience of high education on the territory Mr. Lucio Calcagnile, Physicist Professor., Ph. D., Director

16.40 > Group Discussions (at hotel lobby) Preparing the Visit Report

20.30 Dinner at the restaurant “L’Araba Fenice”- Brindisi

Friday, 10 October (9.30-17.00)

9.30 – 12.00 Workshop - IPSSC De Marco Coffee break 3

Final Report

12.30 – 14.00 Lunch and finalizing the Visit Report

14.00 – 15.00 Repeating and sharing lessons learnt, sharing viewpoints from the visitors’ national systems; asking further questions

15.00 – 16.30 Finalizing the Visit Report

STEPS: 1. Three key learning points • Work to a shared vision of outcomes with all partners and participants • Plan and prepare what is to be achieved and communicate this message • Be enthusiastic - with a team who can motivate others

2. Strengths and Good Practice • Make VET high on the political agenda • Give staff autonomy in how European Projects are run so that they may plan their own objectives • Use central exams/standards where all results are published • Have a Quality Audit system for schools which look at results and how programmes are run • Build on a long history of Vocational training where it is valued • Use IT systems to deliver the training • Have a dual programme in the workplace and training centres linked to competencies • Provide coaching and support to the participants • Have a clear shared vision by the policy makers • Spend money on the system • Make projects a part of the National system

3.1 Common Approaches 1. Partnership working which links employers, providers, Chambers of Commerce and the government agencies. 2. Accredit learning at different levels using a range of methods 3. Provide a supportive and focused learning environment with clear objectives 4. Appoint a board to make sure that quality is achieved and that good use is made of resources

3.2 Common Challenges • How to ensure programmes are sustained– where they are funded as a project • How to involve the policy makers so that they understand what is needed and the solution

3.4 Effective and Innovative Solutions 1. Using information technology as a tool to inform, help people learn and accredit competence

4. Ideas for future co-operation and partnerships • Research students from Turkey to work at the University of Salento • Exchange chefs • Exchange with other schools • UK to run a visit in 2009 • Joint EU like SIDART project, building on links between groups and college • Team events in this region (Puglia) -eco tourism+culture+gastronomy

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We learnt the following things from being in a group together:

Strengths of others’ projects such as: • the Euro Guidance Project in Poland (See appendix 1) • The way competencies are accredited in Portugal (see appendix 2) • The way traditional systems are built upon in Turkey (see appendix 3) • The quality control systems in the UK (see appendix 4) • The way the private sector is used in Holland and the UK (see appendix 5) • The balanced scorecard system used in Belgium (see appendix 6) • The way that the Cultural Heritage is being used to good advantage in Southern Italy

Culture and Tourism • The quality of the food and wine is excellent! • How the Italian system has connected with these areas • The quality of the links between high technology, science, art, tourism and education and how this may bring about employment opportunities

Partnership and team-working • The need to be positive and have connections between industry and education/training at high levels as well as low levels • How important it is to have an open mind and be willing to learn from each other • To respect the differences in cultures • The same solutions can be adapted in different countries

Clear objectives, planning and communication • Planning and preparation with clear objectives is so important in making VET successful • Communication with all people at all levels • The excellent example at CEDAD of partnership working, clear objectives, a business plan and a skilled and motivated team where they work to meet customer needs

Learning from experience • Sometimes you may need to change your mindset to get different results • That there are strengths in our current systems and it is useful to compare in order to reinforce what is working well • Listen to others’ solutions • How in Turkey you have to prove competence before you set up a business

When we get back to work we will try to: • Write an article about our experience • Share with our colleagues/students what we have learnt in order to motivate them • To share the opportunities with others • Disseminate information, ideas and organisational details • How to plan and prepare my own visits • I value both the positive and negative and will disseminate the information • To find a research assistant to connect with CETMA in Turkey • To meet with the people in authority in Poland • Two strategic things to discuss with my management board in Belgium: o Eg how the private sector will expand in our country and to focus on priorities o The recognition of competencies in Portugal • Exchanging chefs with a school in Brindisi (Belgium) • Balance work, life, culture and identify exchange opportunities

Final Report

Highlights

• The concept of the cultural course at LECCE – good mix of art, science and technology • CETMA presentation about St Francis of Assisi • The wonderful and motivating team at the Catering school – with lovely coffee and cakes • The AMS at the University and the enthusiasm of the professor • Fabio and his presentation about the exchange to China • Wining, dining and the lovely choice of restaurants • The flexibility and hospitality of all of the staff we have worked with • Many thanks to everyone involved for an enjoyable and informative visit

Thanks,

MALYSKA Malgorzta VOLDERS Wim COUTINHO Bruno LONGDEN Carole YESIL Halis KOTARBA Marta VOS Frank

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