VET for Western Balkan – Kick off meeting in Denmark

On September 28, 29 and 30 the VET 4WB – first kick meeting took at the SOSU Østjylland college in Aarhus.

The participants of the meeting were welcomed by the Director of SOSU Østjylland, Ms. Anette Schmidt Laursen and the Project Coordinator, Ms. Bodil Mygind Madsen, SOSU Østjylland, who shortly introduced each participant one by one. 

Ms. Anthi Gavriel, STANDO LTD presented the dissemination plan of the project together with the dissemination template to be used by all partners to report their dissemination activities. The project website was also discussed and it was agreed that Anthi will contact the Balkan partners and ask for photos for the website.

During the work in small workshops, the participants pointed out the need to adapt to the post-pandemic conditions as soon as possible and suggested a number of ideas to solve the new organizational problems. The need for better dissemination of the VET4WB project was also emphasized as well as financial and administrative management and planning of upcoming mobilities. 

After lunch, the participants split in two groups and had a guided tour at SOSU Østjylland. This was followed by a presentation of the Danish VET system by Mr. Bjarne Lauridsen and Mr. Michael Jacobsen, both representing Tradium.  

After this presentation a new session with bilateral meetings took place. This time the topic was the second mobility of students and teachers and the meetings were held between the Dutch partner and the Bosnian/Herzegovinian partner, the Danish partners (Tradium + SOSU) and the Albanian partner, the Slovenian partner and the Montenegrin partner and Spanish partner and the Kosovo partner. 

While these meetings took place, representatives from SOSU, STANDO and EfVET had a meeting about dissemination. They brainstormed on new ideas for activities for dissemination of the project results and also discussed the conference for representatives from Ministries. 

The second day of the meeting took place at Tradium Technical Campus and Tradium City Campus, Randers.  The participants of the meeting were welcomed by Mr. Michael Jacobsen, who also showed a welcoming video with the CEO of Tradium Mr. Lars Michael Madsen.

The participants were then split, again in two groups and had the opportunity to visit the following workshops and to talk to students and teachers: Building Construction, Metal Department, Auto Mechanic, ICT, Automation and Electricity, Logistics and Transportation, Hotel, Kitchen and Restaurant and Hairdresser. At Tradium, education for life means education for both youth and adults – but it also means education targeted and tailored for modern life, technology, and skills.  

The third day of the meeting all partners visited “Fregatten Jylland” – the the longest wooden war ship in the world. A presentation of the project was given by Ms. Karen Louise Juhl Christensen Head of Content, Fregatten Jylland, followed by workshops where pupils from local primary schools were fulfilling practical tasks related to the building of a catamaran.  

The next transnational project meeting will take place in Montenegro on the 10th and 11th May 2022.