School-Enteprise Model

Organisation and country where the good practice has been implemented: Cometa Formazione

Title: School-Enteprise Model

Main Theme/Area of intervention: Entrepreneurship

Main objectives: This training model is based on the activity of real enterprises inside the school environment where learners have a job experience during training. Real tasks for students and real challenges boost an overall education and training.

Target groups addressed: All learners and trainers attending the Cometa VET centre are involved in the model, on the basis of a personalized pathway.

Main activities necessary for its realisation: Cometa learning process model is based on a production process, where learners are supposed to deliver real products/services for real customers. To this extent, workshops act as real enterprises where learners work with their trainers. At the same time, also foundational skills are included in the process: general subjects teachers arrange and develop their programs according to the product learners have to realize, providing them with the needed competences in communication, math, economics etc., to complete their curriculum and empower their skills in finalizing the product. Tutors are in charge of coordinating the process and support learners on transversal skills. Real tasks and real challenges boost an overall education and training.

Results achieved: Regular analyses on results (outcome and social impact) are carried on with the support of Politecnico di Milano. Results in terms of foundational, transversal and professional skills are impressive. Some data: – 95% of students recognize their soft skills increased; – 94% of dropout students completed their new career at Cometa; – As an example, since 2012, more than 80% of former students in the catering branch got a stable employment and are no longer completely dependent from their families (average wage 910€ per month); – Former students have an employment rate 8% higher than other VET schools in Italy.

Innovation:

• A contribution to innovate TVET, enhancing its impact: quality of the training is proved by high placement rate
• Effectiveness of the training, focusing not only on professional skills but also foundational and transversal
• Continuous upskilling and reskilling of trainers and tutors: working on real market implies a regular training needs analysis

Transferability: The School-Enterprise model can be introduced by schools on their own or in partnerships with enterprises, combining training activities and education. The effectiveness of the training, including also foundational and transversal, is crucial. Continuous upskilling and reskilling of trainers and tutors. Support for Sustainability. Investment in assets is relevant, in particular in terms of machineries for production. Legal conditions: labour, fiscal, education policies should be reviewed. In some countries in Europe this model is not yet allowed due to the involvement of minors’ labour.

Impact: National