PROJECT “EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE – FIRST STEPS TOWARDS PROFESSIONAL REALIZATION”

Project: European experience – first steps towards professional realization

Project number: 2020 – 2020-1-BG01-KA102-078535

Description:

“European experience – first steps towards professional realization” provides internships in Spain for 45 students from economic and commercial high schools in the country. The project was approved for funding by the Center for Human Resources Development, under the Erasmus + program in activity KA102, Vocational Education and Training Sector.

The project, representing a consortium of educational institutions, includes the high schools:

• National High School of Finance and Economics – Sofia
• National Trade High School – Gr. Plovdiv
• Trade High School “Knyaz Simeon Tarnovski” – Gr. Stara Zagora

The project consists of a 3-week internship for 11th and 12th grade students of the respective high schools. The internship will be performed in companies offering commercial services in Zaragoza, Spain. The project is implemented in close partnership and cooperation with the Associacion Mundus, Spain.

Project goals:

• To help students to consolidate what they have learned so far in theory at school, mastering basic practical aspects in the fields of economics and trade through work experience abroad
• To provide an opportunity for training in an international environment for students, in order to satisfy their high ambitions and aspirations for development in the chosen economic profession
• To promote better targeting of vocational training in economics and trade, in accordance with the real requirements of employers and the needs of the labor market, through sustainable partnerships between educational institutions and business
• To develop lasting cooperation for the transfer of good practices in the VET sector, in connection with the targeted career guidance in economic professional fields, thus becoming a real prerequisite for facilitating the transition processes from the education system to the labor market.
• To guarantee the high achievements in education through regular international activity in the represented high schools

The project contributes to the more active implementation of practical assignments in economic high schools in general, and this will lead to an easier transition of students to a realization that meets their ambitions and expectations. As a result of the project activities, the improvement of basic practical skills of the participants will be achieved and the purposeful professional training in economics and trade will be stimulated, in connection with quality career guidance and integration of personnel on the labor market. The acquired new knowledge and skills in economic disciplines will be a prerequisite for increased competitiveness of students and will ensure their successful start after graduation.

The initiative will contribute to increasing the capacity of high schools for cooperation with employers, as well as expanding their scope of action at the international level, in order to increase the overall quality in the VET sector. During the project students will study the organizational and management structure of the company, standards in international trade, such as import and export from and to EU member states, will practice administrative activities, work with databases and information products. They will develop skills for planning and quality performance of work assignments in the profession, will make progress in understanding the basic concepts in the fields of economics and trade, which they study.

The planned internship abroad will help to improve the language skills of the participants and their ability to communicate in English in a work environment. Participants will learn to work in a team and communicate with officials and employers, will gain confidence in the actions they could perform in their future jobs. Upgrading of their personal qualities will be achieved, as well as satisfaction with their ambitions for realization after graduating from high school, either on the labor market or when continuing their education at a university.

Thanks to the practice in a real work environment, the specific results that will be achieved are:

• Acquired new knowledge and skills regarding the studied professional fields, therefore better suitability for employment after graduation
• Better competitiveness and improved prospects for professional realization, thanks to the international certification of the acquired knowledge, skills and competencies
• Increased desire for realization in the profession, thanks to the improvement of the capacity for participation in work processes in international aspect among the participants and as a result of the acquired work experience

The results of the project will be clearly measurable through the achievements that students will demonstrate in school in the next school year before graduating from high school, as well as through the number of students enrolled in universities or realized in the profession immediately after high school.