Work-based learning has proved to be of great importance for students globally, offering a real connection between education and the professional world. It comes as an answer to the severe issue of employability and provides the familiarisation of students to a working setting. In our rapidly changing society young people often find themselves unprepared not only to adjust in a professional environment, but also choose the right path for them.

The unexpected event of the pandemic, that took the world by surprise might prove to be the landmark of a new era regarding working conditions, teleworking and the importance of safety and health guidelines in the working environment. Obviously, companies and employees all over the globe faced the consequences of Covid-19, and gradually adjusted to these newly discovered circumstances. The hit on the economy has been extremely severe, and for a long period of time, the world was, and still is in a way, in total shock. From health to psychological and financial level, everyone suffered in various degrees and tried to find ways to bounce back and achieve a sense of normality.

Distance learning to slow down the spread of Covid-19

From 16 March 2020, Croatian learners at all levels of education, including VET and adult education, are being taught in virtual classes in their homes, as per government decision and guidelines from the Ministry of Science and Education. Three weeks after the first registered case of the Covid-19 virus in Croatia, and upon the declaration of a national epidemic, the education community in Croatia organised virtual teaching in only five days.

In order to improve the quality of apprenticeship in Croatia following the good practices from European countries, the Croatian Government has introduced several changes in the Crafts Act starting from January 2020. One of changes includes the introduction of programme for educating mentors in crafts and companies. The ministry responsible for economy, entrepreneurship and crafts is responsible for the development of the programme, and the Chamber of Trades and Crafts and the Chamber of Economy will be responsible for its implementation.

For over 20 years, the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts nourishes the quality of vocational education and training for trades and crafts. For a very long time, the Chamber had numerous public authorities while craftsmen were actively engaged in implementing and promoting the quality of vocational education and training for trades and crafts.

The Simulated Company (Impresa Formativa Simulata – IFS) is a teaching method that combines problem solving, learning by doing, cooperative learning and role playing by reproducing a simulated environment that allows the student to learn new skills from an operational point of view, strengthening those knowledge and skills learned during the studies.

On the 1st of July 2020 the Commission adopted a Proposal for a Council Recommendation on vocational education and training (VET) for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience.

“E&E FASHION - Education - Employment Partnership for iVET in the fashion sector” (2016-1-RO01-KA202-024710) was a two-year European project aimed at developing a European teaching and training toolkit for supporting the implementation of work-based learning (WBL) in all stages of vocational education and training (VET). Moreover, the project supported the implementation of Quality Assurance mechanisms for WBL in VET in the fashion sector with a specific focus on feedback loops between initial (iVET) and continuous VET (cVET) systems.

In a rapidly changing world, education and training are called upon to play a key role in the acquisition of skills and competences useful for managing future societal and economic changes.

Fourth partners meeting for the project Erasmus+ Bequal.app was held in Rome, Italy, from 20th to 21st February 2020. The organizing partner was EFFEBI. Partners from Croatia, Slovenia, Germany, Greece and Italy were present at the meeting. The partner from IDEC, Greece made a presentation of the future platform and all the partners had the chance to do Beta testing and proposed improvements and additions. It was agreed that platform will be active by the end of the March 2020 with national versions.

Third partners meeting for the project Erasmus+ Bequal.app was held in Zagreb, Croatia, from 23rd to 24th September 2019. The organizing partner was Agency for VET and Adult Education.

The second meeting of the Bequal.app project took place in Slovenia on the 8th and 9th of May 2019.

The opening meeting of the European project Bequal.app took place in Piraeus on the 12th and 13th of November 2018.