<< Objectives >>The main objective of the READY4I5 project is to increase competences of entrepreneurs as regards transformation towards Industry 4.0/5.0. The acquired competences will directly contribute to the design of a strategic plan oftransformation towards 4.0/5.0 to be used by the beneficiaries in practice in their present or future enterprises.<< Implementation >>(1) A survey with dedicated target groups and dissemination dissemination of the results of analyses of case studies concerning successful implementation of Industry 4.0 and plans as regards the implementation of Industry 5.0, selected by target groups (at least 5 case studies per country)(2) Exchange of good practices<< Results >>(1) Comparative analysis from enterprises from Poland, Italy and Estonia concernig the level of transformation towards Industry 4.0 and competences which are necessary to make this transformation a reality(2) Compendium containing the results of good practices dedicated to Industry 4.0/5.0 and its implementation in the companies.(3) Raising awareness of the necessity to carry out the Industry 4.0/5.0 transformation in companies which want to be competitive on the market.

The EU is currently facing a paradox: while the youth employment rate stands at 16.1%, there are around 2 million unfilled vacancies across Europe. It has been elaborated that this paradox might be attributed to the fact that “a high number of employers cannot find the right mix of skills in the job market, especially with regard to e-skills.”(Eurostat, 2017, app.1,pt.5). The explanation has been supported by employers themselves who when recruiting young people, look first and foremost for the right attitude and aptitude to enable young people to be effective in the workplace. In particular, 5 key competences are foreseen: - Communication - Adaptability / flexibility - Creative thinking - Problem Solving - Teamwork In order to overcome this skills mismatch, better VET provision is needed to include those soft skills and better prepare the youth entrance on the labor market. The main objective of STRATAGAME is to support young people in acquiring and developing key soft employability, developing an effective open and innovative education through the use of ICT and contributing to professional development of the VET teachers by including common methodologies for introducing soft employability in curricula. These objectives were achieved by providing VET teachers with specific tools enabling them to include soft skills teaching in their professional activity, by developing an online diagnostic test to assess the soft skills of young people such as communication, adaptability/flexibility, creative thinking, problem solving and teamwork; by creating an online game to let young people and VET leaders develop the above mentioned soft skills and by providing to VET teachers electronic guides, equipping VET teachers with digital guides on didactic methods for incorporating the diagnostic test and the online game on soft skills within wider classroom activities. Partners are 7 entities from 5 European countries including Romania, Spain, Italy, Poland, and Turkey. All of them are educational providers and or stakeholders working for territorial development and labor insertion thanks to better adequation of skills to the market demands. The working team created for the implementation of STRATAGAME work under the leadership of the Romanian partner CDA: Arad Development Center. Then, STRATAGAME involves in the project activities two main target groups: VET teachers, including I-VET and C-VET formal, non-formal, and informal providers from all kinds of subjects and specialization to integrate soft skills among their activities. At least 140 VET teachers were planned to be directly involved in the development of project products. As the second target, STRATAGAME addresses young people understood as VET learners and potential VET learners facing the need for soft skills to facilitate their labor market integration. Again, at least 140 young people were planned to be directly engaged during the development of the project outputs. Finally, STRATAGAME also works with educational stakeholders such as VET institutions and teachers associations, youth associations, business associations, employment services, among others, with the aim of widening the outputs diffusion and impact. Description of activities STRATAGAME developed three main products: 1) A Diagnostic test, made of a set of psychometric questions and which aimed at drawing an evaluation of the youth level of competences in the 5 key soft skills addressed. This tool is helping teachers to assess their students' level of knowledge and provides young people with a deeper self-understanding. 2) An online game, which has the form of one building with 5 rooms, each one presenting a new challenge corresponding to one of the 5 competencies. 3) Electronic guides, which are supporting tools given to the teachers with teaching notes related to the online games, new scenarios for classroom implementation, sources of information and references on soft skills theoretical contents, best practices, etc. The methodology used for the development of STRATAGAME products relies upon educational gamification theory. The idea behind it is that learners are motivated and remind better the knowledge while entertaining. Also, it is participative and interactive, based on real cases and a contextual approach. Results and impact The project brings important impact on VET teachers by providing them with a selection of innovative didactic tools to apply within current methodologies and the daily classroom while getting increased teaching effectiveness, an increased understanding of the employer's’ requirements, and higher overall job satisfaction and motivation for Continuous Professional Development- The project has a positive impact on youth by developing their soft skills with the use of online tools resulting in an increased professional potential, an increased level of awareness of their own soft skills, increased confidence in their employability potential, and higher chances of getting a job. Soft skills are crucial not only in the workplace but also in daily life. By developing soft skills in the classroom, young people increase their chances of success within such fields as completion of assignments (time management), peer relationships (teamwork), and job hunting (networking). As long term benefits, partners expect to contribute to a better-trained youth generation able to be more efficient at the time of answering to employers expectation, thanks to an overcome of soft skills mismatch.

<< Objectives >>Project aims to reduce the effects of disability,support people with disabilities through social integration in PL/HU as well as improvement of life competences and socio-professional skills,increasing opportunities for employment.Main objective is inclusion and strengthening participation in social and professional life of people at risk of social exclusion and development of active integration system through educational and integration activities,incl.the pro-health offer after the COVID-19<< Implementation >>Project aims to include and reinforce participation in social life and professional life of people at risk of social exclusion and development of active integration system through educational and activation activities.Undertaken activities will contribute to the development of education, culture and dissemination of physical culture and sport among people with disabilities. The equal access and social inclusion will be promoted by facilitating access for persons from disadvantaged backgrounds.<< Results >>Project contributes to increase of existing competences and to acquisition of new ones and will affect the development of key competences in information literacy (IO1-2 IO6);multilingual competences (IO1-2);digital competences (IO3-6-online workshops,preparation of publications);personal, social and learning competences (IO1-6),civic competences,entrepreneurship or cultural awareness and expression.It will increase the number of people with disabilities benefiting from adult education.

<< Background >>A receptionist in today’s thriving business world is so much more than someone who answers the telephone. She or he is the first person that customers meet, so the impression she or he makes represents the entire business. Faced with new kinds of systemic risks, like COVID-19, receptionist must also perform more demanding tasks for risk mitigation and they are the first persons that face the customers. They must always become ready for what comes next and safeguard the company’s guests and staff, in particular having the knowledge, skills and competences to respond to their safety, comfort and accessibility requirements. Fitch estimates that COVID-19 will cause a major drop in European hotels' occupancy and these will not recover until 2023. It is sure that when reopening comes, the demand for receptionists will raise. Taking into consideration the fact that many of the existing workforce was forced to select different career paths and the new challenges the recent pandemic revealed, the need for competent training will be apparent. WELCOME comes to address this need by developing and offering a modern online digital platform with training content in the form of 3D simulations (role play scenarios based on a service design mapping approach). The high-fidelity 3D realistic simulations that will be created with Unity (game engine) will offer advantages such as high user engagement, interactivity and feedback. Leading from the impacts of the coronavirus situation and prevention measures, the platform will include also COVID-19 management-related scenarios. Social distancing, sharing information about the virus, techniques and tools limiting person-to-person contact, techniques to identify and deal with risky situations and much more will be part of these scenarios. The platform will offer a fast and affordable way of training front desk officers, shortening learning curves. The trainee will run the scenarios interacting with virtual visitors at a hotel reception and at the end of each scenario will be able to see (in a form of animation with the same avatars) the proper behaviour and identify possible mistakes. The scenarios will be categorized under different topics that will be selected through the organization of focus groups in each country (taking into consideration existing qualifications in each country). It is expected that the platform will significantly increase the average recall rate of trainees compared with existing methodologies. The platform will be accompanied by an authoring tool where the scenarios would be easily translated and modified to address specific needs. Authorized users will be also able to create new scenarios according to their needs. The platform will consist of self-study elements in the form of 3D simulations as described above (accessible through the web and mobile devices) but will also offer an online assessment tool through real time interaction between the assessor(s) and the trainee inside the virtual environment of the reception (using cloud networking servers). A management tool will be dealing with the organization of the online assessments that will be taking place at set dates and times. Email notifications will be automatically sent to the trainees at set time before the assessment. The interaction during each assessment will be saved in a narrative form.<< Objectives >>The objectives of the project are to: -develop an innovative online platform for the training of hotel receptionists on communication skills. -create a number of simulation scenarios that will be role-played by the trainee inside the platform - develop an online synchronous 3D assessment tool that will be used in order for the trainees to interact with assessors as if they were customers and receive a certification. -train tutors to use the platform in order to be able to translate and customize the scenarios to specific needs (different cultures, circumstances, etc).-train assessors to be able to organize and perform online assessments -disseminate the results of the project through tourism associations, professional communities, VET networks, EPALE, etc.<< Implementation >>The project will start with desk research on existing qualifications for receptionists in each country. The communication modules of these qualifications will be identified and the learning outcomes will be categorized. Additional learning outcomes as revealed due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be added to the previous ones. ENAT will assess if these learning outcomes include social inclusion and disability issues and corrective action will take place (addition of more learning outcomes or update of the existing ones). Upon the learning outcomes will be finalized, focus groups will be organized in each country to provide further input relevant to receptionists training, existing barriers in online and in class training and the envisaged functionality of the 3D training platform and assessment tools. A final list of learning outcomes will be produced along with national reports presenting the work in Result 1 (including platform requirements). The list of the learning outcomes will feed the narrative scenarios writing process. The technical partner will provide templates for the scenario writing process in order these scenarios to be easily transferred to the 3D platform. In parallel with the scenario writing, the development of the 3D training platform starts [Result 2]. The requirements as documented during the focus groups and the previous experience of the technical partner will lead to a development of an easy to use and intuitive 3D platform that will be putting trainees in the shoes of receptionists receiving guests at the hotel reception. The development of the scenario editing tools will also start and the scenarios will be transferred online. The assessment tools will also be developed along with management tools for planning the online assessments (3D sessions). After the completion of the tools in Result No 2 and the scenario uploading to the platform, the pilot trainings will start. The certification of the trainings will take place [Result No 3] using a certification scheme that would have been developed after the completion of the 3D training and assessment tools. Finally, after the evaluation, the platforms will be fine tuned to the final requirements and the development of a training and assessment guide (replication guide) will take place that will enhance WELCOME's sustainability as it will contains all the necessary information to use the tools and provide certifications. Trainers will be trained in each country to use the guide, support their trainees in their self directed development and enhance the offering through the addition of more scenarios. Multiplier Events in all countries will disseminate project results.<< Results >>The outcomes expected from WELCOME project include: A. during the project: -A list of narrative scenarios and service design maps, presenting proper behaviours covering the communication skills needs of the modern receptionists, based on a body of knowledge developed by professionals, users and stakeholders. -An online 3D platform offering game-based learning to receptionists through simulation scenarios (for receptionists). -An online platform for editing existing and creating new scenarios (for tutors). -An online platform for organizing and performing synchronous assessments along with a certification and assessment guide (for assessors) -100 certified front desk officers that will follow the project's pilot trainings -25 trainers trained in how to run WELCOME training and assessment sessions. B. on the project's completion: - To have raised awareness on the project results, offering a fast and competitive way for training hotel receptionists. - Open Educational Resources in 3-D Game-based learning for further development by the hospitality industry and VET providers. -To have ensured sustainability by (a) proving the added value of the developed platform, (b) having convinced decision makers through dissemination and communication activities and project results, and, (c) by creating an easy to use authoring tool and a trustworthy assessment tool with which assessors will be able award certifications (increasing their profitability and reducing assessment costs).

<< Background >>EU countries are facing the problem of practical skills for sustainable implementation of Waste Management as well as lack of knowledge on how to implement the requirements of the established legislation. Among the problems that municipalities face is the lack of sufficient education of its staff, in order to understand the economic, social and environmental benefits of reuse and recycling and the existing solutions. Moreover, the pandemic has significantly affected society, the economy and millions of people around the globe. International consortium composed of EU-VET organizations from Cyprus, Greece, N.Macedonia, Poland and Slovenia will develop, within the ENCOURAGE project, the Courses for Sustainable Waste Management for Municipalities as well as for VET education. According to the assessment in the project partner's countries, there is missing or insufficient WM educational programs integrated and offered to municipalities and public companies in the partners’ countries which would allow employees to acquire the needed competencies and increase their productivity while enabling sustainability for their local community. In accordance with the above mentioned the contribution to a higher level of education/training in the field of waste management is insufficient and calls for an urgent reaction, to build up capacities and match both short-term and long-term needs for WM experts.The project will help to change their attitude, embrace the concept of waste management and act as influencers for the encouragement of other members of their communities. One of the most important priorities of this project is to encourage and educate the municipal employees how to manage wastes appropriately, in order to enable proper management of wastes generated within the municipalities. This will be made possible by building relevant and high-quality skills and competences through the development and implementation of Courses for Sustainable Waste Management for Municipalities. These courses will support the setting up and will provide access to upskilling pathways on sustainable waste management, which is the most relevant priority of the Project.Building an innovative, resource-efficient and diversified economy requires using the potential of the regions for the development of new economic specializations; growth of innovation and digitization of the economy; creation of conditions for maintaining and creating stable workplaces; increasing the use of information and communication technologies in enterprises and in the public sector the use of existing industrial specialization for the creation of innovative products; development of entrepreneurship; implementation of a closed loop economy. Therefore, the developed within the project e-training materials will provide opportunities for using innovative learning methods,as well as possibility to have e-courses. The most important is to provide unique support across EU to students,entrepreneurs and innovators dedicated to developing innovative solutions to societal challenges. In response to the pandemic crises, there are needed extraordinary initiatives to provide immediate and emergency support to green economy and to support selected activities needed to regenerate and reboot our economies. Due to the ENCOURAGE development, there will be the promotion of the VET sector, including dual education system and cooperation between vocational education and training institutions and employers. In practice, both VET providers and the VET institutions will have a solid basis for organizing education, acquiring and training teachers and making investments in the infrastructure of practical VET training.<< Objectives >>The implementation of developed courses for sustainable waste management will provide recognition of knowledge and skills for appropriate handling with all waste types by the participants. Additionally, the developed courses will be transparent and the analyzes that will be carried out within the project will contribute to the development of required qualifications for sustainable waste management. Therefore, in the frame of the project is planned and will be developed Qualification profile for Waste Managemant specialist with the use of NQF/EQF levels.Therefore, the development of such VET educational programs would be essential in order to improve the capacities of employees within the environmental or waste sector within the pilot municipalities as a target group and to contribute to their better performance consequently for higher environmental protection and residents they work for. Moreover, the project output will possess the elements of innovation like the development of Curriculum and syllabus for Courses for Sustainable WM with the elements of validation and certification based on concrete competence requirements, which serve as clearly defined and agreed reference points for building curricula for trainers and for assessing the competences gained at work.The project objectives are:- To develop and implement new and innovative professional courses for the waste sector in line with EU Waste Framework Directive.- To improve the level of competencies and skills at municipality level in the field of sustainable WM. - To close the gap between the needs for new knowledge, lack of educational programs and challenges of target groups in sustainable waste management.The aim is the education of the target groups: representatives from waste or environmental department within municipalities, VET schools/teachers/trainees and decision makers, for sustainable WM in line with the national and EU policies, and in long-term contributing to the development and management of waste resources on both a local and global scale.Development and implementation of this project is sustainable investment for the future, because it will be highly effective program developed according to the needs and possibilities of the partner countries in the field of waste management. By implementation of the project in other municipalities in the project partner countries will be achieved sustainability of the project.The Covid19 forced on millions of people in the EU to acquire new skills and the need to upskill in order to lose the job, income or to find a new source of income. Entry in the labour market will be very challenging. The rapid shift towards a digital transformation can serve different educational purposes and mobility opportunities for learners, teachers and educators across the EU. Project responses for the EU needs regarding the digitalisation of such sector like education which is the heart of the EU’s climate leadership. Project IOs allows for the connecting educators/learners with each other when in separate locations accessing information and environments not usually available in every home or institution supporting continued professional development of educators in a flexible way.<< Implementation >>Substantial institutional reorganizations and strengthening of the human resources within the governmental institutions shall be required in order to implement the National waste management strategies within the partner countries. Sustainability requires new forms of organizing, involving diverse stakeholders; new and diverse leading and organizing skills, understanding and knowledge for waste managers and Representatives of local government; new way of considering sustainability within municipalities; new business models to be developed; methodological and methodical knowledge and understanding how to make a sustainable waste system. All these issues will be affected by the ENCOURAGE project activities. This project sets up a new framework of courses for integrated sustainable waste management systems in order to implement the established waste management legislation. Subject of courses will cover topics that will provide implementation of waste management legislation, realization of the obligations of the local self-government (municipalities), establishment of sustainable waste management system, reducing of waste quantities and proper waste management in general, as it is already established in the developed EU countries. This will be achieved through learning from the project partner countries that are EU member countries and which have already established and implemented sustainable WM systems. The trainings will be adapted to the national legislation and possibilities, as well as tailored towards European standards and EU WM policies. The training concept consists of face-to-face lessons and e-learning modules (blended learning) and will therefore also increase the ICT skills of participants.The Courses in Sustainable Waste Management will provide multi-disciplinary and high-quality adult and VET education in the field of waste management. The learners within municipalities and among decision makers will be trained with technical and managerial knowledge and skills to:- successfully plan, design, operate and manage integrated waste management projects and implement waste management legislation;- understand institutional, socio-economic, and policy issues related to waste management;- deal with issues related to the waste management;- manage activities related to the existing municipal waste dumps;- enhance the safe exploitation and re-use of waste;- analyze and interpret amounts of waste generated at the municipal level;- provide adequate waste composition analysis and adequate sustainable way of handling all generated wastes;- Interact with other relevant science domains and integrate them to come up with sustainable solutions, supporting the implementation of Integrated Waste Management system.Knowledge from the courses will be implemented on a real case study, and this result will be ready to be used by the pilot municipalities, proposing the path for the municipality toward overall planning for long-term sustainable waste management in order to implement the established waste management legislation. Also, project activities are focused on supporting the European waste strategies and policies, especially the Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC that sets the basic concepts and definitions related to waste management, such as definitions of waste, recycling, recovery.<< Results >>The project assumes development of high quality innovative IOs in reference to the potential and resources at the disposal of the Partnership. Conscious and purposeful selection of Partners was the first condition of accomplishing that objective. Project partners operate in a range of VET and adult education context, ranging from not for profit organisations to the university embracing formal, nonfromal and informal education. A criterion of complementarily of a personnel’s competency potential and experience and material resources of partners required to performance of measures foreseen in the project. Specific profiles of 6 institutions from 5 countries and purposefully selected personnel involved in the project implementation constitutes a guarantee of accomplishing assumed objectives and outcomes. The wider aim of the project is the education of local self-government and the decision makers in the project partners in sustainable WM in line with the national and EU policies. The specific objectives are expected:*Improvement of the level of competencies and skills at municipality level in the field of sustainable WM.*Development and implementation of new and innovative professional courses for the waste sector.*To close the gap between the needs for new knowledge,lack of educational programs and challenges of local self-government and the decision makers in sustainable WM.*Creation opportunities for continuous professional development of employees in the budding WM sector through realization of relevant training courses.*Development of qualifications for waste management specialist with the use of NQF/EQF levels.*Creation of interactive e-learning platform and integrative approach with real live scenarios,guidelines and good practices.This will promote access to and learning through open and innovative practices in digital era and in addition to support for ICT-based trainings.Developed solutions for qualifications and quality assurance will contribute to improving the adaptation of employees' competences to the needs of the labour market. A key condition for flexible response to the challenges of the labour market is the creation of a universal and attractive LLL system. To achieve this,it is crucial to disseminate learning, especially in the most effective forms of e-learning which will require recognition of learning outcomes achieved through non-formal education and informal learning and will allow you to respond quickly to the needs of lifting qualifications. The project will use attractive teaching e-tools to promote and use flexible learning pathways, which will also contribute to equalizing access to LLL.