"Work-based learning (WBL) is a fundamental element of Vocational education and training (VET) that promotes the individual employability and increases economic competitiveness. The VET's mission is to encourage students to acquire knowledge, skills and competences essential for their working life and it is considered a main asset to increase life standards by EU. In Europe there are 3 main WBL modes: 1) the apprenticeship, known as the ""dual system"", in order to realize integration of companies as training providers together with education/training institutes; 2) On-the-job training periods in companies incorporated as an element of VET programmes leading to formal qualifications; 3) the alternation integrated into the school curriculum that allows a ""real life” work environments simulation and presupposes a close collaboration with the labor market and local businesses. The last WBL model include a complex governance, involving schools and VET providers with the complicity of territorial stakeholders, in order to structure a training proposal ""on the job"". In Europe there are differentiated levels of integration according to the countries’ regulatory system: some Countries have an advanced stage, others are still struggling to improve new opportunities. The project aimed to enhance WBL standards in 3rd type of VET activities, integrated into the scholastic curricula, implementing an innovative and integrate model of different types of WBL experiences (ECLI): Expert, when experts go to school and helps students understanding specific production processes; Classroom, when classes visit companies in order to understand both production processes and professional profiles; Laboratory, when students learn in laboratories and/or companies’ laboratories; Individual Experience, when students have an on-the-job experience in a company. Its objective is to enhance WBL experiences already implemented by the partners and systematize them in order to achieve 3 learning outcomes: a) to define an effective governance between actors of education, training and labor market (IO#1); b) to define a shared ECLI model, apply it with students, validate it and implementing needed toolkits (IO#2); c) to train school staff about WBL management, tools and assessment; d) to enhance competences levels in the school curricula and VET courses through the definition, evaluation and certification of key competences adequate to national and international labor market; e) to disseminate ECLI model in a European perspective. The ECLI model, originally defined by Italian partner schools, is implemented in 4 Countries (Italy, Spain, Romania and Sweden) and integrates their WBL experience into a transnational dimension. For this reason, it was necessary to identify WBL transversal and common competences shared by the whole partnership (IO#3).The Project involved 7 schools from 4 Countries. Italy: IIS Marconi (Bergamo), ITIS Paleocapa (Bergamo), ITIS Rapisardi (Paternò); Sweden: ABB Industrigymnasium (Vasteras); Spain: C.I.P.F.P. (Valencia); Romania: Liceul Tehnologic ""Mihai Viteazul"" (Zalau), Colegiul Tehnic A. Papiu Ilarian (Zalau); 1 VET provider (Coordinator) Servizi Confindustria (Bergamo, Italy); 1 consultant agency Noviter srl (Milano, Italy). The following companies were deeply involved into the project: Tenaris Dalmine (Italy), Tenaris Silcotub (Romania), Michelin (Romania), ABB Dalmine (Italy), Dolfin (Italy), Confindustria Bergamo (Italy), ABB Sweden.The project lasted 36 months from September 2015 to August 2018.The main activities carried out are:- 5 International Meetings with partners: 3 days meeting each, 63 presences.- 1 Teachers training; 7 days in Bergamo (Italy), 24 presences.- 4 Mobility of VET learners: 7 days each, in Sweden, Italy and Romania, 55 students and 16 supporting teachers.- 5 Multi events lasting 1 day in each of the 4 partners’ Countries: 194 external presences (180 local and 14 international guests)- Project management: forecasted partnership’s activities were fully implemented- 3 Intellectual outputs finalized into the final report uploaded on the Erasmus Dissemination PlatformThe deviations from original project occurred only for 25 students and 1 additional teacher involved in the blended mobility. The dissemination outcome was wider than provided (see attached table).The Final Report aims to make available for all the VET stakeholders the innovative WBL model ECLI. The model was conceived, described, tested and validated by the project partners and its governance framework and implementation was disseminated through the Final Report, an educational toolkit composed by best practices for a WBL school-based program in a European perspective. In addition to the immediate impact of the project, achieved during the 36 months of dissemination, in the long run, the project forecast a wider diffusion of the ECLI model and its adoption by a greater number of operators in different European Countries."

Manufacturing represents approximately 21 % of the EU’s GDP and 20 % of its employment, providing more than 30 million jobs in 230 000 enterprises, mostly SMEs. Moreover, each job in industry is considered to be linked to two more in related services. European manufacturing is also a dominant element in international trade, leading the world in areas such as automotive, machinery and agricultural engineering. Already threatened by both the lower-wage economies and other high-tech rivals, the situation of EU companies was even made more difficult by the downturn. The Z-Fact0r consortium has conducted an extensive state-of-the-art research (see section 1.4) and realised that although a number of activities (see section 1.3) have been trying to address the need for zero-defect manufacturing, still there is a vast business opportunity for innovative, high-ROI (Return on Investment) solutions to ensure, better quality and higher productivity in the European manufacturing industries. The Z-Fact0r solution comprises the introduction of five (5) multi-stage production-based strategies targeting (i) the early detection of the defect (Z-DETECT), (ii) the prediction of the defect generation (Z-PREDICT), (iii) the prevention of defect generation by recalibrating the production line (multi-stage), as well as defect propagation in later stages of the production (Z-PREVENT), (iv) the reworking/remanufacturing of the product, if this is possible, using additive and subtractive manufacturing techniques (Z-REPAIR) and (v) the management of the aforementioned strategies through event modelling, KPI (key performance indicators) monitoring and real-time decision support (Z-MANAGE). To do that we have brought together a total of thirteen (13) EU-based partners, representing both industry and academia, having ample experience in cutting-edge technologies and active presence in the EU manufacturing.