Starting with Apprenticeship. Sustainable strategies for recruiting young people interested in in-company training

The project addressed the subject of recruiting young people interested in undergoing in-company vocational training (apprenticeships) in SME. Focusing on acquisition, selection and integration of young people in enterprises, it promoted a new concept of sustainable apprentice recruitment.Against the background of major social and economic challenges in Europe (youth unemployment, skills shortages, skills mismatches), the project reacted on a growing interest across Europe in in-company training and a need of more young people participating in it. Adequate strategies and methods of apprentice recruitment are hereby major facilitators of successfully creating access to in-company training. However, in this respect businesses do not fully exploit their potential. Poor recruitment policies have been identified as a key factor for difficulties in filling training positions.Thus, the project aimed at supporting enterprises, mainly SME, in optimizing planning, implementing and evaluating apprentice recruitment as to fully adapt them to current frame conditions. It thereby contributed to the improvement of strategic development of SME which provide training – improvements which eventually allow optimal access to in-company training for all young people. In more detail, the project tackled the following issues:• Encouraging companies, especially SME, to participate in high-quality in-company training.• Extending knowledge of companies as to the need of establishing adequate apprentice recruitment mechanisms.• Providing enterprises with practical instructions and information which allow or facilitate the development and / or adaptation of (new) recruitment procedures according to current frame conditions. • Providing enterprises with an overview on suitable tried-and-tested recruitment methods and instruments.• Providing enterprises with guidance as to ensure high quality of recruitment procedures.Those issues were elaborated in four intellectual outputs – high-quality guidance and orientation material, to be provided as online publications and paper brochures. They were targeted at and strictly tailored towards the direct use of SME. Outputs were disseminated towards target groups – mainly SME and enterprises but also other relevant stakeholders in the field of VET such as social partners, political decision makers, representatives of vocational schools and educational research – by means of various activities. Most important were several multiplier events (seminars, workshops, conferences) executed in each partner country with target groups. Thus, nearly 600 enterprises and another 400 other stakeholders across Europe were reached directly and introduced to the project output. Moreover, by means of the internet and other indirect ways of contact, around 71.800 stakeholders in partner countries and beyond were reached out to.The project thereby contributed to:• More enterprises provide young people interested in in-company training more high-quality apprenticeship positions.• Enterprises better manage the apprentice recruitment process and better deal with connected challenges.• Enterprises apply improved methods of engaging with teenagers from various backgrounds and with different levels of competences, of committing young people interested in in-company training as future skilled employees, and of attracting young people.• Other relevant stakeholders in VET promote in-company training and contribute to disseminating the project output.• Young people interested in in-company training including those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds have improved access to in-company training.