Brussels – February 28 to March 2
The aim of the project is to examine experiential learning practices in partner countries with a view to developing communities of practice among our educators. A comparative analysis of all the partners will lead to the development of a guide outlining a European “ApprEUnance” framework which will provide the outline of a professional frame of reference for work-based educators.
The important tasks of exploring the concept of “learning”, finalizing the survey strategy and methodology and planning future activities.
The context of VET in Belgium
Visit to the CEFA Don Bosco Institute in Liège. Through valuable discussions with former apprentices, we discovered the concept of strength-based pedagogy. This approach is used by the CEFA: former apprentices maintain close ties with the CEFA throughout their career thanks to the excellent apprentice-tutor relationship maintained throughout life. CEFA graduates have become owners of their own business and now take on apprentices, thus completing the cycle.
Visit of the EFP-BXL. It is a work-study training center for SMEs in the Brussels region. VET offers a wide range of training, apprenticeship, business management, entrepreneurship, as well as continuing education for those already in employment. They offer a wide range of programs to over 200 professions. Major brands in Belgium supply their products to the apprentice training center for their training. For example, Yamaha provides its motorcycles and BMW provides its cars so that apprentices can work during their training. Graduates are snapped up by these companies once they are qualified.
Focused on sustainability, one of their new programs launched this year is an urban agriculture apprenticeship that capitalizes on the growth of rooftop farms and rooftop gardens in Belgium. The training center is currently developing several hanging gardens for this program.
