Structured Program for Enhancing Employability by Developing Future Ready Skills

<< Background >>The SPEED project was driven by several key needs:1.Enhancing Employability: We created a digital training platform (GEMS-mATP) to help VET students develop transversal skills, improving their job prospects.2.Addressing Skills Mismatch: We aimed to bridge the gap between VET courses and employer needs by focusing on skills like innovation management, design thinking, and emotional intelligence.3.Supporting VET Teachers: We empowered VET teachers with digital tools and techniques, enhancing their readiness and resilience in using gamification for teaching.4.Responding to Economic Challenges: We addressed the decline in youth employment due to the pandemic and the Ukraine war, which led to job switching and limited opportunities.5.Sustained Use and Dissemination: We ensured the results were shared among VET schools for sustained use beyond the funded cycle.These needs were identified through feedback from VET teachers and a brainstorming workshop with various stakeholders, highlighting the urgency to enhance VET education’s relevance to job market needs.<< Objectives >>We aimed to empower VET teachers by providing them with digital tools and techniques through an innovative microAPPs training platform (mATP). This platform helped them develop their digital readiness and resilience, especially in using gamification methods for teaching.For VET students, we created edutainment-based, visually rich content to boost their cognitive skills and innovative thinking. This content was designed to help them generate new ideas and approaches, making them more employable in their chosen fields and building their competence for cross-sector employability.We also focused on sharing the project’s results with VET schools to ensure that the benefits would continue to be used and exploited even after the funding period ended.<< Implementation >>In the SPEED project, we carried out several key activities:1.Kick-Off Meeting: We started with a meeting in Croatia, where all the partners came together to set things up, clarify procedures, and make sure we all agreed on our goals.2.Developing GEMS-mATP: We created the Global Employability Master Skills microAPPs Training Platform, featuring 48 microAPPs in English, Croatian, German, and Danish. This platform focuses on essential skills like Innovation management, Design Thinking, Emotional Intelligence ,Global cultural effectiveness, Concentration and Focus, Negotiation and Conflict Resolution3.Dissemination Conference: in Denmark, we presented our results, including the GEMS-mATP, and facilitated networking and discussions on best practices and future collaborations.4.Final Meeting: In Denmark, we reviewed our progress, finalized the project results, and discussed how to sustain the project’s impact beyond its funding period and by integrating the feedback from VET stakeholders who participated in the conference.5.Project Management: Throughout the project, we made sure everything was coordinated well, quality was assured, and tasks were completed on time. all tasks were implemented as per proposed budget<< Results >>Global Employability Master Skills microAPPs Training Platform (GEMS-mATP): Developed a digital training platform with 48 microAPPs in English, Croatian, Danish, and German. These microAPPs covered key skills such as innovation management, design thinking, emotional intelligence, global cultural effectiveness, concentration and focus, and negotiation and conflict resolution. The GEMS-mATP is available as an Open Educational Resource and is compliant with GDPR gudelines as it does not capture any personal data of the VET students/trainees. The multilingual versions of the GEMS-mATP can be accessed on the project website: https://www.speed-erasmusproject.eu/