1. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia Connect-VET (Vocational education and training connecting higher education and rural companies) Anne Matilainen University of Helsinki Ruralia Institute 1

2. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia Background for the project 2

3. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia Background for the project Challenges met in the partners’ everyday work (core group: 2 HE/R, 3 VET) Previous initiatives, e.g. ENVOLWE-project focused on SME- VET co-operation. Also other initiatives (VET-SMEs, HE/R- SMEs) Based on the previous pilots, sometimes also the link to HE/R needed. Problems to link the research to practice! The mediator in the vital role! 3

4. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia Why Connect-VET initiative? VET is an important link to the expertise esp. for small and micro companies in rural areas  potentially have skills both to understand the research information and implement it to the practice. In rural areas the VET’s role has also changed from the traditional educator to important regional expert organization and developer. New challenges to VET  necessitates sustainable links to both research and enterprise life. Need for new working methods and co-operation models to a) improve the expertise of VET staff, b) meet better the work life's needs in education c) respond better to VET sector’s role as regional expert. 4

5. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia The objectives of the project To support improvements in quality and innovation in VET systems, institutions and practices by systematically increasing and strengthening the co-operation between VET, rural micro enterprises and HE/R 1) to bring the needs/opportunities provided by rural companies and HE/R to the knowledge of the VET. 2) to build connections to the VET staff to both HE/R and rural companies to strengthen their knowledge base to act as teachers and regional experts. 3) to provide feasible and practical models for co-operation to cover the whole VET- HE/R and rural micro/SMEs chain by developing further the existing good practices. 4) to establish long term co-operations between rural micro companies-VET and HE/R in order to start a change in the VET working culture in practice. 5) to improve the connections between micro enterprises and students already during the studies and increase the students' readiness for entrepreneurship. 5

6. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia And how to do this? The project will focus on transferring and further developing organisational innovations in VET sector. 1)The existing good practices for SME-VET-HE/R co-operation will be collected together. 2)complemented by the models/tools developed by previous initiatives and modified to cover the whole micro enterprises- VET- HE/R knowledge chain. 3)Selected models will be piloted in 5 countries (In each country the aim is to form “a trinity” VET-SMEs-HE/R to carry out the piloting). 4)Based on the pilots long term co-operation plans will be made. 5)The experiences are disseminated by developing a “Multimedia toolkit” 6

7. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia And how to do this? 7 Rural SMEs VET HE/R VET Network HE Network In piloting countries: In addition: Dissem. & Evaluation partner (external form piloting countries)

8. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia Partnership 8 ASSOCIATED PARTNERS: Centro de Formación de Administración y Hostelería, S.L.U. Contact : María José Irastorza Lapland Naturals Contact : Katja Misikangas Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Agroalimentari e dell’Ambiente Contact : Francesco Ferrini Bath Spa University Contact : Susan Cherrett Estonian Rural Tourism Organisation (NGO) Contact : Raili Mengel EfVET Contact : Peter Hodgson EUCEN Contact : Carme Royo CORE PARTNERS: Helsinki University, Ruralia Institute Contact : Anne Matilainen Centro Studi “Cultura Sviluppo” Contact : Reelika Parve Norton Radstock College Contact : Rosaleen Courtney Rogaland School and Business Foundation Contact : Geir Ståle Sunde Estonian University of Life Sciences - Eesti Maaülikool Contact : Lea Sudakova / Dr. Roger Evans

9. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia Pilots in 5 countries Connecting HE, VET and rural companies in the Estonian Rural Tourism sector/EE Employer forums/UK Development co-operation to enhance work placement/ITA Marketing non-wood forest products/FIN Apprenticeship links with employers/NO

10. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia Apprenticeship links with employers/NO Aim: a) to decrease the number of VET school drop-outs of the youth with especially low school motivation by increasing the number of apprentices in small companies. b) to form close links between higher education and research and VET in order to enhance the knowledge of VET staff and host SMEs of the training approaches suitable for students with low school motivation c) to measure and analyse the results of the apprenticeships in preventing drop outs  increase the focus on evidence based training approaches in VET.

11. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia Apprenticeship links with employers/NO Godalen Vocational College: Communication and liaison with the small companies, students for piloting, follow up of students during the piloting Rogaland School and Business Development: Communication and liaison with the small companies, follow up of students during the piloting, monitoring and evaluation, designing template for long term cooperation plans. University of Stavanger: Guidance and training for the VET and SMEs in the field of behavioral research relevant for the pilot results. University of the West of England: Guidance and training for the VET staff and SMEs within the field of appearance research relevant for the pilot results Møllehagen Skolesenter and Unemployment office in Stavanger: support and consulting in connection with apprenticeships and work life. Rural SMEs: provide apprenticeships

12. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia Apprenticeship links with employers/NO Benefits: VET VET : less drop outs, new knowledge and skills to the staff, more successful apprenticeships, new knowledge based evidence of alterative teaching methods HE/R HE/R : research to practice, new research material and new knowledge based evidence of alterative teaching methods Rural SMEs: Rural SMEs: change to test out the potential workers (lower risk to hire), cheap labor, new knowledge and skills to the staff, more successful apprenticeships.

13. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia PILOT FINLAND: Strengthening the co-operation within non- wood forest products (NWFP) sector The aim is to develop more modern ways to market NWFP and the traditional knowledge based on them. 13

14. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia14 SME (Lapland Naturals) VET, 3D and Game based expertice Research knowledge on NWFP fracments Change in co-operation culture?

15. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia Marketing NWFP/FIN Benefits: VET VET : connections to companies, work placements/real life tasks for students, connections for the students with the companies during the studies. HE/R HE/R : research to practice, connections to the companies Rural SMEs: Rural SMEs: change to test out the potential workers (lower risk to hire), cheap labor/products, new knowledge and skills to the staff

16. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia Challenges/Successes The partnership structure challenging The role of core and associated partners The different types of partners, both a success factor and a challenge. Real life activities, piloting, some more successful than others. All core partners had a true (selfish) interest towards the problematic.

17. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia Lessons learnt from piloting Links between 2 operators relatively ”easy” Important how to transfer the case-based approach to long term strategic co-operation It is vital to understand the everyday work of micro and small companies. Create win-win (-win) situations and mutual benefits Think big – act small 17

18. www.helsinki.fi/ruralia Thank you for your attention! 18 Further information: Anne Matilainen, University of Helsinki, Ruralia Institute anne.matilainen@helsinki.fi www.connect-vet.eu