Transnational Placement Programme for Young Workers. Attainment of new qualifications through practical experience at work.
The project
Business today transcends borders of language and politics. Even SMEs have international ties which continue to increase. A characteristic of the southern German economical region is the multitude of SMEs that sell their products world wide, suppliers to the automobile industry are just one example. These enterprises in particular demand workers in commercial areas who possess such qualifications as openness for new and unusual work methods , intercultural competency and above all, practical foreign language skills. In the face of internationalisation of the labour market the Kolping Foreign Language School would like to offer its’ students not only solid theoretical instruction but also practical experience in a foreign country. These were the motivations for our submission of a Leonardo da Vinci proposal to the support area “Mobility” which was approved.
This enabled alumni, subsequent to the courses European Secretary or Business Correspondent, to take part in a 3 to 6 month practical training in either France or Spain. They were placed in SMEs which were selected by our teachers, partner institutions or by the alumni themselves. Locally, they were supervised by those responsible in the respective enterprise. Additionally, close contact between the alumni and our teaching personnel was maintained.
The practical training served to deepen and expand work and language skills and allowed alumni to gain knowledge of the cultural conventions of the country. The participants gained professional experience in different cultural contexts and intercultural competence. With this occupational broadening the Alumni were prepared for the challenges of the European labour market.
Project Executing Organisation
Kolping Training Centre Heilbronn
Partner Organisations
Institucio Cultural del CIC, Barcelona, Spain
Institution St. Louis, France
Eurocentre La Rochelle, France
Institut Rue Monsieur, Paris, France
Paris Langues Paris, France
Contact person
Helena Strüman, Head of Foreign Language School Heilbronn
helena.struemann@kolping-bildungswerk.de
European Funding Programme
Leonardo da Vinci – Mobility
Sum of Funding
129.452,-- €
Period of Funding
01.10.2005 – 31.05.2007
