Celebrating National Women in Engineering Day
Posted: June 23, 2014 Filed under: Apprentices, Leonardo, Mobility | Tags: Apprenticeships, Leonardo Mobility, national women in engineering day, VET, vocational education Leave a comment“Education and experience with the correct attitude will unlock a world of choices for your career.” Jacqui Snow, apprentice.
Jacqui Snow is a mechanical engineering apprentice who took part in a Leonardo Mobility project in May. Jacqui and a group of five other apprentices travelled to Mannheim in Germany to do a two-week work experience placement with the German company MVV. Germany is one of the leading countries in the world for engineering and Jacqui was keen to find out where many of the “best products, vehicles or inventors have been created.” Whilst on her mobility placement, she took a leading role in the MVV apprenticeship workshops, developed her German language skills and helped to make a beach buggy.
Jacqui and her fellow apprentices with their beach buggy mid-build
The placement, organised by City College Plymouth, allowed Jacqui to build on her technical knowledge acquired through her qualifications: a BTEC in Mechanical Engineering and an Advanced Apprenticeship in Manufacturing, Technology and Science. Jacqui also felt that the project developed her communication skills, essential for employability such as team building activities and being confident with presentation skills.
Jacqui says:
“This programme has strengthened my CV and has given me experience of working in engineering across European countries… (It) has proven that I can work to a high standard within a team, as well as being a team leader… I have learnt a great amount about myself, including how to develop my workshop working techniques and I will be able to talk about this in interviews with future employers.”
Jacqui currently holds an unconditional place to study Mechanical Engineering at Plymouth University from September – a real success story!
If you are, like Jacqui, a female engineer taking part in a project funded by the Lifelong Learning Programme, don’t forget to get involved by tweeting us your stories @erasmusplusuk!
Four things we’ve learned from Adult Learners’ Week
Posted: June 19, 2014 Filed under: Erasmus+, Grundtvig, Social media | Tags: Adult Learning, Erasmus+, grundtvig, NIACE Leave a commentAdult Learners’ Week led by NIACE celebrates adult learning and its impact on social cohesion, economic vitality and social mobility. From events to inspiring stories there are many activities taking place this week. So here are five key things from this year’s 23rd annual event…
1. Remember the European perspective
NIACE is the UK national coordinator for the European Agenda for adult learning and aims to raise awareness of adult learning and give a higher profile to EU activities – such as the Erasmus+ programme. You can find out more about how to access funding for Adult Education mobility projects and Strategic Partnerships on the Erasmus+ website.
2. Don’t stereotype social media
Broadening horizons: the ETNA project
This year’s event hashtag was #ALW14 and learners have been using social media to share their Adult Learners’ Week activities, photos and news. Under the LLP the Grundtvig Partnership ETNA project has showed social media has no limits. Turner Contemporary Gallery worked with five partners to expand their work with the blank canvas group. Based in one of the UK’s oldest seaside resorts, Margate, it brought together participants of all ages to help tackle the town’s ageing population feeling isolated and suffering age stereotypes. The group took part in digital photography, social media and film making workshops alongside activities which boosted participants’ confidence and empowered them to communicate using IT.
VQ Day, Erasmus+ and One Apprentice’s Story
Posted: June 6, 2014 Filed under: Erasmus+, Uncategorized | Tags: apprentices, Apprenticeships, Erasmus+, leonardo, VET, vocational qualifications, vq day Leave a comment
Earlier this week was VQ Day, an opportunity to celebrate vocational qualifications and their impact on individuals and the UK economy. Lots of activities took place including an awards ceremony to mark great achievements in vocational education and not forgetting a digital message from the Skills Minister to VET learners across the UK.
There were also plenty of ways to get involved online, either by sharing your story in the VQ Day Yearbook, joining the Roll Call or tweeting using the hashtag #vqday. Here in the Erasmus+ UK communications team, we thought we would highlight some of the real life examples of those who have taken the vocational qualifications route to further their career.
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