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“COMPETENCES for COMPETITIVENESS”

Desk and Field Research Report

"C4C - European Research on Competences for Competitiveness"with the support of The Lifelong Learning Programme

Transversal Programme

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“Competences for Competitiveness”

Desk and Field Research Report

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein

Project number: 143790-LLP-2008-IT-KA 1-KA1SCR

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© European Communities, 2010 © for edition: Architekt Małgorzata Kuchciak & INNOVA Jarosław Osiadacz, 2010 Photos purchased from dreamstime.com For further information visit our website: www.c4cresearch.eu

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Table of Contents 1. Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................5

1.1. Lifelong Learning Programme / Leonardo da Vinci sub-programme ...........................................5 1.2. “Competences for Competitiveness” – C4C Project Description .................................................7 1.3. Project Outputs, Aim and Goals ....................................................................................................9 1.4. Consortium Organisation & Description ..................................................................................... 11 1.5. Research Methodology ................................................................................................................ 13

2. Project Results .................................................................................................................................... 25 2.1. Desk Analysis Country Reports – Structure of Vocational Education System in Partner Countries ............................................................................................................................................ 26 2.2. Field Analysis Country Reports – Studies on Competences for Competitiveness ...................... 32

3. Conclusions and Recommendations ................................................................................................... 51 3.1. General Conclusions ................................................................................................................... 53 3.2. Recommendations for Policymakers ........................................................................................... 61

4. Appendix 1 – The Best Stories ........................................................................................................... 63 4.1. Emilia Romagna – Story ............................................................................................................. 63 4.2. 1. Whistle Project Liceo Scientifico “Belfiore” Mantova - Story ............................................... 66 4.2.2 Neptuny – (Lombardia) ............................................................................................................. 69 4.3. Poland – Story ............................................................................................................................. 72 4.4. UK - Story - SME innovation: hardware products ...................................................................... 74 4.5. UK – Story of Further Education – Engineering ......................................................................... 76 4.6. Spain – Story ............................................................................................................................... 78

5. Appendix 2 – Consortium Partners .................................................................................................... 80 5.1. Partner 1. Co-ordinator ................................................................................................................ 80 5.2. Partner 2. ..................................................................................................................................... 81 5.3. Partner 3. ..................................................................................................................................... 82 5.4. Partner 4. ..................................................................................................................................... 83 5.5. Partner 5. ..................................................................................................................................... 84 5.6. Partner 6. ..................................................................................................................................... 85 5.7. Partner 7. ..................................................................................................................................... 86 5.8. Partner 8. ..................................................................................................................................... 87 5.9. Partner 9. ..................................................................................................................................... 88

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1. Introduction

1.1. Lifelong Learning Programme / Leonardo da Vinci sub-

programme

The European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme enables people at all stages of their lives

to take part in stimulating learning experiences, as well as helping to develop the education and

training sector across Europe. With a budget of nearly €7 billion for the years 2007 to 2013 the

programme funds a range of actions including exchanges, study visits and networking activities.

Projects are intended not only for individual students and learners, but also for teachers, trainers and

all others involved in education and training.

There are four sub-programmes which fund projects at different levels of education and training:

• Comenius for schools

• Erasmus for higher education

• Leonardo da Vinci for vocational education and training

• Grundtvig for adult education

Figure 1. Sub-programmes of Lifelong Learning Programme

(budget allocation on the base of EC proposal 2006)

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Other projects in areas that are relevant to all levels of education, such as language learning,

information and communication technologies, policy co-operation and dissemination and exploitation

of project results are funded through the “transversal” part of the programme. In addition, the

programme includes Jean Monnet actions which stimulate teaching, reflection and debate on European

integration, involving higher education institutions worldwide.

As part of the European Commission's Lifelong Learning Programme, Leonardo da Vinci sub-

programme1 funds many different types of activities of varying scales. These include ‘mobility’

initiatives enabling people to train in another country, co-operation projects to transfer or develop

innovative practices, and networks focusing on topical themes in the sector. The people able to benefit

from the programme range from trainees in initial vocational training to people who have already

graduated, as well as VET professionals and anyone from organisations active in this field.

Leonardo da Vinci enables organisations in the vocational education sector to work with partners from

across Europe, exchange best practices, and increase their staff’s expertise. It should make vocational

education more attractive to young people. By helping people to gain new skills, knowledge and

qualifications, the programme also boosts the overall competitiveness of the European labour market.

1 More about Leonardo da Vinci actions: http://ec.europa.eu/education/leonardo-da-vinci/doc1021_en.htm

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1.2. “Competences for Competitiveness” – C4C Project Description

The idea of the project originated from the convincing hypothesis that the competitiveness of the

‘European System’ depends heavily on the ability to innovate and, above all, on the acceptance of the

technological innovation it produces.

The ability to innovate grows out of the technical competences and prototypical expertise of human

resources as well as technical thinking that develops over time as a kind of forma mentis constituting

solid roots on which the specialist knowledge that will be updated throughout life can be grafted.

There is a significant gap in the labour market between the demand for and the supply of high-profile,

technical competences, and this gap will tend to widen in the future if education and vocational

training are not able to supply production systems on demand with appropriately qualified personnel.

International statistical surveys (IEA, OCSE-PISA) also reveal alarming gaps in new European

generations: worrying indicators underline a dangerous loss of competitiveness of most of European

countries to new emerging markets that poses a risk of reducing employment opportunities for young

people and exposing most economic and productive systems in Europe to the threat of marginalisation

from the worldwide knowledge society.

The ability to innovate grows out of the technical competences and prototypical expertise of human

resources as well as technical thinking that develops over time as a kind of forma mentis constituting

solid roots on which the specialist knowledge that will be updated throughout life can be grafted: the

“technical-scientific emergency” that has an impact on a country’s development concerns now several

European economic systems, and so the “European System” in general.

In the recurring interpretations of the current negative situation of the “European economic system”,

the ‘lack of competitiveness’ is frequently underlined. “Europe must renew the basis of its

competitiveness, increase its growth potential and its productivity and strengthen social cohesion,

placing the main emphasis on knowledge, innovation and the optimisation of human capital.”

(European Council conclusions, March 2005)

In order to bridge the gap in competitiveness found in many European countries, the dynamics that

lead to improvements in productivity and, with that, in GDP, have to be identified. This, in turn, is

strictly tied both to the ‘level of learning’ in technical and scientific sectors and to the ‘capacity to

innovate’ which is essentially generated by the ‘critical mass’ of technical expertise available to drive

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the country’s socio-economic development. In other words, the dynamism of the European economy is

crucially dependent on its ‘capacity to innovate’.

The motivation for the C4C research arose from the fact that technical skills as well as linguistic skills

have been identified as a key factor in achieving the Commission’s Lisbon strategy (2000) goals to

stimulate countries’ economic growth, competitiveness and employment through innovation and that

the early identification of skills needs is fundamental for the economic growth and development of a

country. Especially the “capacity to innovate” of a country has to be considered one of the strategic

priorities for its development and welfare. It is also one of the most important factors in international

competitiveness, to the extent that the European Parliament has recently created the EIIT – European

Institute of Innovation and Technology – to boost Europe’s innovation capacity.

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1.3. Project Outputs, Aim and Goals

The main aims of the research project were to analyse the qualitative and quantitative needs of

technical personnel in each country involved in the project, to build survey tools to identify the

expectations of technical/technological competences of employers, job agencies and others to facilitate

development and innovation and provide information and results to local and national policy-makers

as a real-time input to the formulation of education and training policies that help to improve

understanding of links between VET, higher education and working life and also raise the

attractiveness of technical training paths, thus empowering the innovation capability at the European

level.

The project was also aimed at assessing whether the available VET/adult education systems in the

partner countries are organised to support, through qualification and the provision of education and

training possibilities suitable for persons planning to work in technical sector, the respective

innovation and competitiveness needs by means of recommendations to adapt the VET systems more

closely to these specific needs.

The principal output was a trans-national comparative research study, providing a system of data,

statistics, analyses, monitoring tools and mechanisms to facilitate the rapid transfer by policy-makers

of inputs/research results into training curricula at all involved levels. The research we conducted

concerned the identification of professional profiles, in terms of competences, skills and tasks, that are

able to generate and support innovation in productive systems at the European level, with a special

focus on the areas involved in this project proposal research.

The Figure below explains the analysis process that was used during the project. It represents the

cause-effect relations that will enable us to understand and better explain the variables that favour or

obstacle the demand of competences coming from companies (manufacturing and tertiary; profit and

non-profit) to cross the supply of competences provided by VET systems.

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Figure 2. Project Scope and Boundaries.

In the chart two the flows underlined have opposite directions. The flow indicated with a dark arrow

represents the cause-effect relation through which knowledge and skills provided by the VET systems

(together with other components deriving from external environment or other professional learning

paths within the company) contribute to train and shape professional competences (thanks to

individual natural attitudes and capabilities along with external contributions) enhancing innovation

processes. The latter mainly contribute to reaching and keeping competitiveness within organisations.

The flows indicated in red represent the more or less explicit mechanisms of requirements and

expectations transmission addressed to the VET systems and proceeding from final users.

VET System

Higher Education

Competences

Staff

B.S.O. S.P.

Innovation

Competitiveness

Internal Trainings

Companies Demand

Policies

Strategies

Market

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1.4. Consortium Organisation & Description

The work programme was structured in 7 work packages: “Project management” (WP1) feeding into

all WPs and the “Research Quality Assurance and Evaluation” (WP 2) interacting with all WPs during

the project. After the “Research design and planning” (WP 3) a “Desk analysis” (WP4) and a “Field

research on Competences For Competitiveness” (WP5) were carried out. In order to have the most

effective impact, a specific WP “Dissemination” (WP 6) was devoted to disseminating results

throughout the life of the project and especially at the “Final Conference on Competences for

competitiveness”, while an “Exploitation of results” WP (WP 7) was carried out to present

recommendations to policy-makers at local level in each country investigated.

Figure 3. Project structure.

The 9 partners composing the consortium were from 8 member states: Italy, France, Sweden, Poland,

Spain, Austria and UK (Scotland). The partnership intends to operate on the basis of a multi-actor

approach: it will involve different types of organisation with different expertise in the field the

research intends to analyse. The consortium will involve organisations qualified in competence needs

recognition and evaluation, competence and skills assessments, promotion of transparency of

competences, who are able to facilitate the link between university researchers and the

commercial/industrial sector and/or public sector organisations qualified in the field of technology

transfer and innovation.

WP‐3 Research Design and Planning Lead Partner: FAV (IT)

WP‐4 Desk Analysis Lead Partner: Univ. Paris 13 (FR)

WP‐5 Field Analysis Lead Partner: INNOVA (PL)

WP‐6 Dissemination Lead Partner: CYBERALL Access (CY)

WP‐7 Exploitation of the Results Lead Partner: Cenetek (SE)

WP‐1 Project M

anagem

ent

Lead

Partner: FAV (IT)

WP‐2 Research Quality Assurance & Evaluation

Lead

Partner: A

uxillium (AT)

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Figure 4. Partner countries (red), consortium partners (dots) & meeting places (squares).

Partners meet at 6 trans-national meetings (TM) organised as follows: the Kick-off TM was held in

Bologna (01/2009) and hosted by FAV; the 2nd meeting was in 04/2009 in Spain; the 3rd in Cyprus in

09/2009; the 4th in Poland in 01/2010; the 5th in Sweden in 06/2010; the final session was held in

Bologna (11/2010).

The project partners formed (at the Kick-off meeting) the following Governance and Scientific bodies:

• The Steering Committee (SC) composed by each partner coordinator and by a member of the

administrative staff, and led by a Project Leader;

• The Technical-Scientific Committee (TSC) chaired by the Scientific Advisor (SA) to which the

Research Team will report (RT)

• The Research Team (RT) composed of researchers/experts.

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As the consortium originated from a common need and interest to anticipate and analyse competences

and technical skills able to support and create “excellence”, “innovation” and “competition” in a

productive system/territory, all the partners, excluding those from Austria and Cyprus, participated –

with different managing roles, but with the same kind of research – in all the WPs dedicated to the

analysis of “competences for competitiveness”. The Austrian partner was responsible exclusively for

the “QA&E” (WP2), but they provided consultancy about different statistical tools and methodologies

(e.g. SPSS and online survey instruments). The Cypriot partner was exclusively responsible for the

“Dissemination activities”, and so did not participate in the research at the country level.

1.5. Research Methodology

Companies’ competitiveness is based on critical success factors that can also significantly differ from

country to country (or region). For example: in an area there can be mainly companies whose

product/market position might require excellence in product innovation or in product cost.

As the term “innovation” itself can refer to several contexts, we have conducted a kind of Delphi study

in order to share the meaning of innovation among the partners. Generally speaking, we can consider

“innovation” the introduction of new:

Materials (titanium dioxide used to reduce air pollution, microfibre fabrics, organic LCD,

etc.);

Products (e.g. MP3 players, hybrid engines car, …, );

Processes (e.g. industrial process automation, sales using IT and telecommunication aids,

etc.);

And we also could refer to organisational and management innovation as Lean Organisation (e.g. new

organisation and management model that contributes to a deep renewal of the way of designing and

manufacturing products and services).

As strategic positions differ in each

country/company, the requests to the VET systems

concerning skills and competences profiles are

different. Therefore, our research should explore

different educational competences and skills

acquisition models and, above all, a system of

coherence among companies and VET systems.

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Competitiveness in companies (profit and non profit) can result from a privileged access to strategic

resources or “unique” technologies or legislative conditions from the political-economic context in

which they operate. But it is widely accepted that companies’ competitiveness is stronger and more

sustainable when it is based on the “quality” of the people operating within the companies themselves.

Innovation aims to create value for the customer (or user) thanks to products/services that meet their

expectations and needs. Innovation is, therefore, what really impacts on the company’s ability to

compete. Innovation is a result of internal and external components; our research is focused on the

contribution that comes from the human resources operating within the organisation.

Innovation could be a continuous or a discrete process that realises a major change in a well-known

practice. Even though innovation is not / does not seem to be a competence that should be taught/

learned – this is a common opinion of most educators – nevertheless, it seems that innovations are

most frequent and effective in the organisations where people have more competences.

Human resources within an organisation

contribute to the innovating process

according to their available and shared

competences and skills and their

commitment to problem-solving with more

advanced solutions. A kind of innovation

skill corresponds to a given company

competitive position; consequently, the

required skills and competences for internal

resources will be specific.

Different VET systems need to be able to re-orientate different curricula according to companies’

needs and requirements. Each evolutionary phase of a company corresponds to a different structure of

educational learning paths in terms of contents, methodologies, learning paths and variety of VET

systems.

WP-4 Desk Research. WP 4 provided a kind of “reference scenario” for the WP 5. The outputs of the

WP4 included a quantitative and qualitative description of the most competitive industry/companies

operating in every country/region to be analysed by the project partners, a complete description of the

VET systems of the different countries involved in the research, and the characteristics of the demand

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side and the supply side of the labour market in terms of competences and skills (technical,

transversal, personal development).

Figure 5. Activities to be undertaken during WP 4, Desk Research.

The desk research was conducted through data and information acquired from three main sources: case

study publications at national and supranational level, access to specialised data bases, statistical data

acquisition and studies conducted by public and/or private institutions and associations (vocational and

educational institutions, companies, industrial associations, etc.). The relative non-homogeneity of

information available in the different countries and regions had to be taken into account in the course

of the project and in the design of the final report.

Competitive sectors and companies were identified along with competences required by the labour

market and competences provided by VET systems. The indications supplied in the WP 4 constitute

the “territory” from which examples relevant to the research focus were selected for in depth

investigation in WP5.

Within the activities of WP4 there was also a classification of competitive companies (market

positioning and types of competitive advantage), of competences required by companies (technical,

Report structure design

Access to specific database

Bibliography

Access to organisations

Identification of competitive sectors and

organizations

Competences requested

Competences provided

Classification of companies,

competences, VET system

Contry / region report

Final report evaluation

Field ResearchCoordination of Desk and Field

Research

Coordination among diff. countries/reg. research

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professional, transversal, behavioural and of personal development, etc.) and by the VET systems

(different kinds of learning paths, training and curricula).

WP-5 Field Research. The aim of the WP 5 was to conduct an applied research on skills and

competences supporting excellence, innovation and competitiveness in 6 of the 8 countries involved in

the project (IT, FR, UK, SE, ES, PL) through analysing in each country previously (in the WP 4)

detected competitive sectors/organisations/“places” in which these dimensions are generated.

WP 5 activities were focused on the following items:

identification of a reasonable number of companies/institutions (5–7) for each partner

area/region/country involved in the research basing their competitiveness on their human

resources innovation skills and competences;

professionalism and technical skills demand characterizing companies according to the

classifications defined in the Desk Research;

analysis of skills and professional profiles deriving from schools, universities and VET

institutions operating in the areas of the sample companies;

collection and organisation of documents concerning technical and professional training

systems with reference to:

educational training models focusing on reaching a higher level of competence in terms of

technical and technological Know-How;

educational training models enhancing creativity, pro-activity, entrepreneurship, etc.;

educational training models having an impact on the cultural and behavioural dimension to

facilitate motivation, sharing, participation, cooperation, etc.

The sequence of activities undertaken during WP5 and the connections between those activities are

represented in the following figure.

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Figure 6. Activities undertaken during WP 5, Field Research

The field analysis was based on three distinct elements: structured quantitative and qualitative

information retrieval, the visits to companies and VET institutions, case histories drafting to better

illustrate some of the best practices. The questionnaires used during the preliminary survey aimed at

obtaining structured information from companies that were focused on the field analysis – the

information was easy to be obtained within the organisation itself. Such information enabled

researchers to have a more efficient visit to the organisations.

In order to obtain useful information (and comparable outputs for all countries) questionnaires were

designed according to the process indicated in the FAF. Interviews and on-site visits of the companies

were referred to the “expected output structure” activity that has been completed in the previous phase

(sample of companies and VET systems)

Sample of companies and VET systems

Final report

Survey i ti

Desk Research Coordination of Desk and Field Research

Proceedings from Desk Research

Interviews of Experts

Structure of expected output

Structure and guideline for questionn.

Aligment among the partners

Report (identified companies)

Coordination among diff. countries/reg

Preliminary survey

Visit and Field Interview

Preparatory interview

Structure design output

Questionnaire design and planning

Pilot test Case History Elaboration

Companies, competences and VET systems analysis

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As for the characterisation of companies, competences and skills were based on questionnaires

distributed to the companies of the panel ; interviews with operators, both public and private, that are

operating as “facilitators” allowing demand and supply crossing; interviews were focused on:

• demand intensity;

• variety of professionals’ profiles requested (mix), etc.

• interviews with selected agencies and service companies offering services like: professionals

search and selection, temporary work, etc.

• information related to the demand side could be deduced from the offer side of the

competences analysis (if needed).

The supply analysis (VET systems and others) provided two kinds of information – VET systems’

consistency with the market demand (if in the area there are few other training and education

institutions, that could mean VET systems are tightly aligned with the demand; and on the contrary,

the presence of many different institution could indicate that the market is requiring technical and/or

professional profiles that the VET systems are not ready to provide).

(i) Consultations with industry experts2.

Table 1. The outline of the interview with the experts:

Q1 In your experience, which companies in industry X are particularly good at understanding the market and having the right innovation in their products, services or processes at the right time?

Q2 In what ways do they stand out and why?

Q3 Which companies, in your view, are expected to continue to provide innovation in the short to medium term?

Q4 Which companies have the best workforce in terms of ability to identify, develop and adopt new ideas?

Q5 In what way do they stand out and why?

Q6 How have they achieved this level of workforce performance?

Q7 Can you identify any parts of the education and training system that are doing a particularly good job with respect to the needs of forward-looking, innovative companies in this industry?

Q8 If so, what are they doing that is especially significant?

Q9 If not, what are the fundamental issues VET providers need to address and how should future course development be shifted to take these factors into account?

The companies analysed in the field research were identified through a procedure aimed at identifying

competitive companies within the business sectors selected through the desk research (WP4), hence

likely to provide information relevant to the research questions. Experts of proven competence were

2 Q1 and Q2 are based on factors in firms’ innovation success of an innovation survey conducted by MORI for CBI/QinetiQ in the UK.

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asked to indicate companies that best matched the criteria defined in the Desk Analysis (WP-4).

Information in the public domain on companies in the selected industries was also used.

(ii) Company case studies – company data

A structured table was used to record in a consistent way relevant information about the companies

that participated in the field research. Some data was in the public domain and the companies

themselves were requested to provide the remainder. As far as possible this was done before the

research interviews as part of the preparation proicess and to ensure the interview time was used as

efficiently as possible

Table 2. Demand side questionnaire (factual information).

Q1 Interview

1.1. Interview date

1.2. Name of person to be interviewed

1.3. Their position in the company

1.4. Their responsibilities relating to product innovation and marketing

Q2 Company data

2.1. Date company was established

2.2. Industry sector

2.3. Products/services provided

2.4. Most recent products/services launched

Q3 Turnover

3.1. Turnover

3.2. Turnover trend (last 5 years)

Q4 R&D and innovation expenditures

4.1. R&D expenditures as % of turnover

4.2. Total innovation expenditures as % of turnover

4.3. % innovation expenditure spent on external products and services

Q5 Employment

5.1. Number of employees

5.2. Employment trend (last 5 years)

5.3. Number of employees by occupational category3

5.4. Number of employees by educational attainment4

(iii) Face-to-face interviews with companies (a semi-structured interview).

Competences analysis process was performed using:

• information requested from companies with a preliminary questionnaire

3 Simplified 2010 Standard Occupational Classification 4 CEDEFOP categories

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• information collected during on-site company visits - interviewing companies’ management

Information obtained with questionnaires and on-site visits allowed us to define the companies’

competitive position and the related “source” of innovation.

In order to obtain useful information designed questionnaires/scenarios were used for interviewing

companies.

Table 3. Company interview outline (del. 15).

Q1 Critical competences

1.1. Thinking of the company/division as a whole, what do you see as the attributes and competences critical to its performance?

Q2 Innovation performance

2.1. What is most critical about how you organize your innovation effort?

2.2. Who is responsible and which part of the company drives it?

2.3. What part is played by different categories of staff?

2.4. What are the competences in these staff categories (above and beyond subject and technical knowledge) that are most critical and why?

2.5. In the context of innovation, which of your company’s recruitments have been outstanding?

2.6. What in particular made these people such important assets to your company?

2.7. To what extent are these skills and competences the product of the VET system?

Q3 Future skills/competence requirements.

3.1. In the future, will there be any change to the attributes/competences you will seek from different categories of staff? If so, what and why?

3.2. Do you anticipate recruiting directly from universities and FE colleges or use vocational training schemes?5

3.3. If so, which ones are doing a particularly good job in preparing people for work in your industry and in innovation teams in particular?

3.4. If not, what employment/career track will you look for in people playing the most critical roles in your innovation effort?

Q4 Relationship between the post 16 education and training system and the innovation effort/competitiveness of your company

4.1. To what extent are the skills and competences you look for in your staff the product of the VET system?

4.2. On a scale of 1–10, how important to your company is the formal VET system?

Q5 Future education provision

5.1. What more do you think universities and colleges should be doing, or doing better:

5.2. To prepare their students for employment in innovative, competitive companies in your industry?

5.3. To provide industry-relevant retraining and continuing professional development (CPD)?6

5 An example of a vocational training scheme should be given. In Scotland this would be the Modern Apprenticeships scheme. 6 i.e. further professional formation or additional training in specific required skills

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Table 4. Company interview outline (staff category – skills and attributes matrix).

How important on a scale of 1–10 are the following skills and attributes (A) for the following categories of staff:

Uns

kille

d an

d de

fine

d

deci

sion

mak

ing

Sem

i-sk

illed

and

dis

cret

iona

ry

deci

sion

mak

ing

Ski

lled

tech

nica

l and

aca

dem

ical

ly

qual

ifie

d w

orke

rs, j

unio

r m

anag

emen

t, su

perv

isor

s, f

orem

en

and

supe

rint

ende

nts

Hig

h-sk

illed

tech

nica

l and

ac

adem

ical

ly q

uali

fied

wor

kers

, ju

nior

man

agem

ent,

supe

rvis

ors,

fo

rem

en a

nd s

uper

inte

nden

ts

Pro

fess

iona

lly q

ualif

ied

and

expe

rien

ced

spec

iali

sts

and

mid

dle

man

agem

ent

Sen

ior

Man

agem

ent

Top

Man

agem

ent

A1. Formal education

A2. Technical skills

A3. Experience (general)

A4. Experience (defined field)

A5. Social (soft) competences

To compare outputs for all countries we used the following table to report them:

Table 5. Table summarising company interview findings.

The question Responses

Company #1 Company #2 Company #3 Etc…

Q1

Q2

Q3

Etc.

To support the Field Analysis of the demand side, interviews with company employees were also

sought in addition to the senior personnel interviewed. However companies varied I terms of the time

and access they were prepared to provide. The aim was to select people with position in the company

structure considered “important” for competitiveness, and who displayed high levels of technical skills

and other attributes important to business performance.

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Table 6. Employee interview outline.

Q1 What is your role in the company and type of knowledge/skills/competences that are most important in your current and potential future jobs?

Q2 When you joined this company, what sort of learning curve were you on? How did you and the company deal with it?

Q3 What are the most important development activities that you have undertaken since and why?

Q4 Were these employer-initiated or self-initiated?

Q5 Who paid for them?

Q6 Were they undertaken during the working hours or in your free time?

Q7 Where were they based on site/off site (including colleges and universities)?

Q8 Are colleges/universities relevant/useful to your continuing professional development (CPD); if not – why?

Q9 Could any of it have been included in your prior education and training courses?

Q10 Thinking back to when you joined the workforce,

Q11 What did you need to know that was not in the curriculum?

Q12 What could your college/university have done to prepare you better for the world of work?

Q13 With hindsight, could you yourself have made more of your time at college/university in terms of getting started in your occupation/industry?

(iv) Case studies – VET institutions

VET systems and other education and training institutions were depicted by:

• classification of different training and education institutions operating in the area

(country/region);

• companies’ interactions with the VET systems (intensity and frequency of structured activities

such as: traineeships, projects, etc., speeches or lessons made by companies managers and

professionals);

• VET systems orientation by policy makers (goals and guidelines definition; coordination and

evaluation mechanisms, …, frequency of policies issuing and implementation).

Each institution of the panel was analysed in terms of:

• supply of qualitative characteristics (e.g. relevance of teaching units dedicated to technical-

scientific contents, …, the same for teaching units related to “soft competences” such as:

interpersonal skills, communication, organisational behaviour);

• consistency with the market requirements both in quantitative and qualitative terms (e.g. n° of

hours/days of training spent by companies to qualify new employees, n° of new learning paths

introduced by the VET systems in the last 3-5 years, …, n° of new organizations offering

professional training in the last 3-5 years);

23

• internal indicators (if any) adopted by the VET systems in order to evaluate the “perceived

quality” of the profiles provided by their institution.

Table 7. VET interview outline (del. 16).

Q1 In your experience, what knowledge and skills sets are companies in industry “X” demanding from your students?

Q2 What interaction do you have with industry which allows you to ensure that your institute produces students who are prepared for work in innovative companies?

Q3 What activities are built into your curriculum to ensure that your institute produces students who are prepared for work in innovative companies?

Q4 Do you employ any particular teaching strategies to develop innovative thinking, problem solving and team working ability in your students?

Q5 What strategies does your institute have in place to ensure that future graduates are able to meet the demands of future employment markets?

The output of the C4C field research illustrated different aspects of the model (Figure 2) describing the

virtuous interaction between company competitiveness degree, innovation of its products/processes,

quality of the human resources operating within the company (skills and competences), technical-

professional educational systems able to shape such competences and skills.

A documentation of some “best practices” and underlying interaction mechanisms that enable VET

systems and organisations to be effectively synchronised were added to national reports as the “key”

final results of the project. Those “best practices” we used to validate the conceptual model described

above and to produce and submit interesting results to policy-makers.

24

25

2. Project Results

The project is intended to realize an applied research study which is to identify – through a desk

analysis and a sample survey of “places” in which innovation, excellence and competitiveness are

generated – the indispensable technical skills and transversal competences which can support the

creation of the aforementioned qualities and the positive correlations with socio-economic, productive

and VET systems in which they are present.

The study was conducted in 6 of the 8 countries involved in the Project: Italy, Spain (particularly

Catalonia), France, Poland, Sweden and UK (particularly Scotland) in order to provide local, national

and European policy makers with data, results and recommendations (guidelines) to design and

implement educational and training paths and curricula able to anticipate evolutionary trends in terms

of the new jobs, qualifications and competences required, and to help to close the technical gap

between the demand for and the supply of high-profile technicians in the future.

The outputs we intend to generate are: a quantitative survey (Desk analysis) focused on a

macroeconomic level of analysis to collect and systemize data and relevant information concerning the

technical skills and qualifications necessary to generate and support creativity, planning skills,

innovation, excellence and competitiveness in particular economic frameworks (territorial and

productive).

The “Field analysis of Competences for Competitiveness” was conducted with various different

research tools: distinct personal interview models – one for each interlocutor (general manager,

personnel manager, specialised technicians in the “excellence/best enterprises”, significant testimonial,

special interlocutor and researchers for the territory surveyed and for research and innovation

technology transfer centres).

The data from the Field analysis in each of the 6 countries investigated was compared and together

with other results from the Desk Analysis was collected and organised to realize the current

Publication, which also contains recommendations for Policy-Makers to be disseminated at local,

national and European level.

26

2.1. Desk Analysis Country Reports – Structure of Vocational

Education System in Partner Countries

The “Competences for Competitiveness” project is aimed at realizing an applied research study

consisting of a desk analysis and a sample survey of places in which innovation, excellence and

competitiveness are generated by the identification of the technical skills and transversal competences

apt to support their creation as well as the possible correlations with the VET systems (offer) and

socio-economic background (demand).

Of the eight partners of the project, six conduct the research activities in their respective countries, and

more precisely in the regions where they are located. They are private or public education providers,

all having an interest in VET: FAV (Italy) is the promoter of the project and studies more precisely

Emilia Romagna, together with ALINTEC, the second Italian partner studying Lombardia, Fundacio

Eduard Soler in Spain: Catalonia, Université Paris 13 (FR) is in charge of the Paris region (Ile de

France), and this desk research leader, Glasgow Caledonian University (UK) Scotland, CENTEK

(SW): Norrbotten Region, and INNOVA (PL): Lower Silesia.

The purpose of the desk research presented in this report is to collect data and information from

statistics, surveys and reports already existing in each country involved in the research activities and

compare them in order to create the basis for the next WP and further outputs. The partners have,

therefore, focused their research on:

• the situation/state of the art in each country concerning its international position in terms of

“excellence”, “product innovation”, “process and organisational innovation capability”

according to official data and statistics at European, national, local level;

• technical/professional skills and transversal competences required by the job markets of the

country involved in the research (IT, FR, ES, PL, UK, SE) and highlighted as capable of

supporting innovation and competitiveness (demand side);

• the qualitative supply, in each of these countries, in terms of school and university technical

and scientific programmes and paths (technical and scientific schools, universities and

vocational training systems) (supply side)

• data concerning technical profiles and qualifications “offered” by VET systems in these

countries (supply side)

A Methodological Research Plan was drawn up by the Scientific Advisor of the Research Team with

the help of the research team leaders. Based on a Delphi study carried out with all partners, it contains

27

the rules of the methodology to be followed by the research group. Decisions were made at plenary

meetings concerning the structure of the national reports and the type and field of research. In

particular, the partners decided to give an overall view on national rules and data and then apply the

same type of information to the “regional/local” environment.

Issues concerning the consistency of data and statistics were raised at plenary meetings. It was decided

that:

• in order to avoid misunderstandings due to different use of vocabulary the group would adopt

the vocabulary defined in the CEDEFOP glossary7;

• concerning statistics, in view of the impossibility to obtain consistent data from the various

countries (different statistical rules, different years…) and in order to avoid difficult

comparisons, the partners would use official statistics, mainly from OECD or Eurostats. When

not available, government statistics would prevail.

The structure of the national reports would be similar, but local adaptations would be acceptable when

a specific item justified the discrepancy. National reports follow a similar structure, but with local

adaptations when necessary (prevailing industries, differing types of VET systems, strong input of

government in VET system and/or research and innovation…). The national reports also contain a

number of case studies on the best practices in different fields which can help to come to some

conclusions.

In spite of all measures taken to ensure that comparable statistics and data are given in the National

Reports, the discrepancies in national situations and sources of information have resulted in an

impossibility to present a truly comparative analysis of the national reports. Details of

national/regional data can be found in each partner’s reports. National reports in a full form may be

found on the attached CD.

The partner countries studied have numerous points in common, because their governments and

structures understand and apply the trends set by the European Union decisions. Yet there are still

some particularities due to geography or history (in particular, the case of Poland which is trying

rather successfully to catch up with the other EU countries or the United Kingdom which started a

quality review of their education and VET systems in the early 90’s and is now very much advanced in

the description and use of skills).

7 CEDEFOP , Terminology of European education and training policy, 2009, 241pp TI-76-06-668-EN-C

28

Research and development are considered as the basis for innovation in the partner countries, and all

governments are trying to support their economy by developing it through various means: the case of

France is particularly interesting in this field as it has launched a completely new and global strategy.

Companies in all the countries also participate in the R&D effort, but SMEs find it difficult to do it

independently – they have to resort to clusters and support provided by various means, either

professional associations and organisations or, in some cases, use of applied research in a research

centre of a university for instance, because they do not have the means to fund their own proper

laboratories. All countries have noted a strong element of contradiction between the large effort

towards R&D and the number of patents or of business successes.

R&D in relation to GDP in OECD

2007 in percentages is best

compared with the help of the

following table where we see that

Sweden has the highest results,

and that the other partner

countries of the partnership are far

behind in spite of efforts

mentioned in the national reports:

Figure 7. R&D in relation to GDP (Source: OECD 2007).

VET systems are well advanced in most countries and have been modernised by applications of the

various EU white papers and processes (e.g. Bologna process, Lisbon agenda…) but local applications

vary. We can also note certain trends like a push towards higher qualifications and a certain difficulty

to fill jobs requiring this type of high level qualifications (re. the case of France and the nuclear

industry). At all levels and in all countries VET is provided by public and private providers, the

proportion being somewhat different between partners: quality private VET providers are more

numerous in Poland where public VET providers do not seem to be considered as ‘producing’

adequate skilled working people for the labour market. Numerous VET providers seem to work in

connexion with companies, but it is not known to what extend in which country. It is to be noted that

although this study covers all stages of VET, most studies have followed the trends given in the R&D

parts, and the need for high level qualifications noted in the third part (offer and demand analysis).

Therefore, they have focused mostly on high level qualifications rather than on the middle level

represented by the ISCED 2 to 3 levels. A few countries (Spain, France) have mentioned the use of

qualification and certification systems as a new trend, but it does not seem to be mentioned by all.

29

The overviews of the demand side and the supply side of the labour market with respect to skills has

shown that intermediation systems existed in all partner countries, but with great variations, from

fairly well developed systems, e.g. in Scotland, to numerous but not systematic organisations in

France. Labour market information is abundant at all levels and in all countries, but it is not known if

the VET providers feel that they should use it as a tool to innovate in their offer of VET courses or in

their pedagogy. Key industries have been identified, and the common results are listed below.

Valuable examples are presented, like the “meta district” system in Lombardy, but in the same region

major mismatches between demand and supply of skilled workers have been evident in engineering

disciplines, such as ICT and industrial engineering - such mismatches have been noted in other

countries in spite of national or regional government efforts to reduce them.

The national reports also present a number of initiatives or case studies giving examples of good

practice that could be used as a basis for study in further research.

Figures show that the regions selected prove to be among the most pro-active of the European Union

in terms of industrial activity and innovation. With the exception of aviation (France), food industries

(Spain), fashion (Italy) and marine energy (Scotland) which seem specific to the regions studied, all

partners have found common sectors of growth and innovation industries in their respective countries:

• Information and communication technologies;

• Precision instruments and photonics;

• Biotechnologies, eco-industries and renewable energies;

• The services (banking, ICT…), transports and logistics.

The industries selected contain a variety of very large/multi-national companies having their own

R&D departments, but also a number of SMEs having no such system and relying on public or private

support. The reports show that this support is well-organised. The relationship with VET pedagogy

had been investigated during the WP5 field research.

Attitudes based on stereotypes have been found to differ from reality; it might be interesting to study

their impact, and in particular what could be done to improve the situation.

VET systems are well organised in all partners’ territories, but they rarely offer systematic education

or training for innovation and creativity; in most countries great changes have occurred recently in the

wake of the Bologna process and the Lisbon and Bordeaux communiqués; in some cases it is too early

to see the results of these dramatic changes.

30

Pedagogy in the VET systems has been or is being changed in most countries; it might be interesting

to study how ready teachers/trainers are to include creativity skills in their courses. Another interesting

point of study might be to know whether the demands of the labour market are examined by VET

providers to adapt their offer in terms of curricula as well as pedagogy.

Transversal competences have been introduced only very recently in some countries and are not

always part of curricula.

Business

sophistication

(value added)

Service oriented

Product oriented

Process oriented

Technical skills and short learning curves

Team‐work and work‐flow skills

Human values and customer orientation skills

Figure 8. Model of correlation between business sophistication model and differential skills for

competitive performance. This model is intended to be transferable to other territorial and economic

sectors or localizations. (Fundació Eduard Soler – ES National Report).

The use of the new qualifications and certification systems has been mentioned several times, and it

would be interesting to see whether they have an influence on the profiles produced by the VET

system.

Studies on skills do not seem to mention creativity skills as such and although VET curricula are

starting to mention competences rather than knowledge, it is not clear whether employers themselves

know what kind of competences and skills they require in terms of innovation. Although there is a new

trend for competence management, the issue of what creativity skills are remains undecided and the

opinion of company managers as seen from their “voices” (Chambers of commerce and industry and

other such organisations) does not seem to be clear cut, so it was highly recommended that WP-5

should try to find answers from companies.

Interesting systems (e.g. accreditation of prior learning and experience; validation of non formal

learning…) have been created to help staff or students become aware of their own skills. This might be

a way to lead them to creative attitudes through a new will to improve their professional practice. The

31

field research might study if this interesting point of pedagogy and career development is used in

companies and/or in VET.

Innovation and creativity are sometimes considered the field of high level research, or research teams

linked with the state; not much seems to be done to have a “creative” staff other than in research

teams; few sites or reports mention creativity skills as an essential asset for personnel to be recruited.

32

2.2. Field Analysis Country Reports – Studies on Competences for

Competitiveness

Field research was conducted in six countries: Spain, Sweden, Great Britain (Scotland), Poland,

France, and Italy (two regions: Lombardy and Emilia Romagna). Studies were divided into four

segments:

• Consultation with experts – knowing both industry and VET organisation in the regions of the

research (selecting the organization to conduct interviews, hopefully to select the “best

practices” of the practical application of vocational education in companies’ development and

building competitiveness).

• Interviews with companies – a basic survey. Examining the degree of links between education

and innovative training areas, the competitiveness of enterprises recommended in WP4.

• Interviews with selected representatives of the company staffs - perceptions of the

effectiveness of education and training in their work.

• Interview with representatives of education and vocational training.

Sectors, being the selected companies, are identified as industrial and service sectors relevant to the

economy of the appropriate region. The study was conducted in a total of 31 companies from 6

countries: three companies from Spain – industries: HVAC, service, manufacturing, Sweden – 4

enterprise sectors: IT, high-tech, mining and consulting, the UK-Scotland - 4 industries: IT, High-Tech

Services, Poland – 5 companies in the industry: power and production: lighting, advertising items, cast

iron, electronics, France: IT and business consultancy, Bank sector, Electronic sensor & Micro-

connections, and Health and safety. Finally, 11 companies from Italy: 3x ICT, Mechanics, Advanced

materials, Aviation, and Machinery and equipment from the Lombardy region, and Engineering

Industry, Design & production of automatic machines, Mechanical & plant engineering, and

Electroplating from Emilia Romagna region.

Interviews were conducted with directors of departments and business owners and managers. The

study was a questionnaire with open and closed questions, which complements the respondents

together with the expert.

A survey in 23 units of education and vocational training was also carried out. In Spain, the study

included two local public and private schools; in Sweden, a survey was conducted in four units and

they were: Technical University, Upper School, adult education institutions and training institutions.

Experts from the United Kingdom conducted a conversation with one institution: the Future Education

33

College, and Polish, four: Upper-Secondary Technical School, Practical Learning Centre, Higher

School (non-academic). In France five interviews with: academic vocational training centres (x3),

Business School and School for Engineers were made (totally 5). Italian Partners interviewed 8 VET

organisations: University, Professional & Continuous Training Centre, Upper Secondary Technical

School (x3), two Institutes and Vocational Training Foundation.

The study also included interviews with experts who have analyzed the market and chose the company

that subsequently took part in the study. Not in all cases consortium partners were able to hold

discussions with employees of enterprises. In Sweden and the UK these talks were not carried out,

while in Spain a survey was carried out with 3 people: head of engineering, production, sales

representative and principal designer of the machines. In Poland, 12 people were interviewed in total.

They were: managers, assistant managers, assistant directors, plant managers, designers, clerks and

others. In France 7 interviews with management representatives for demand side were made. In

Lombardy (IT) 7 personal interviews with different representatives of demand side were conducted.

Through this study we sought to answer the question of whether the vocational training is a key

condition for the development and competitive success of the company. Reply to this question is

sought to be achieved by:

• Collecting reliable and timely information about the companies questioned, and interviews

with people familiar with the technical staff and well-informed on the concept of non-technical

aspects of business and on effective innovation and competitiveness, for example, the SME

boss or the person delegated, in large companies: Director of Department, the technical

department, project manager, etc.

• Gathering information in a standardized format to be agreed on by the project partners C4C.

This method provides information that is easy to compare with a specially constructed questionnaire as

well as providing general information resulting from the so-called “deeper look” which means talking

about the company's history that shows the true factors resulting from innovation/competitive success

in the company.

Preliminary recommendations that will serve both the local authorities as well as policy-makers in the

EU to create a pan-guide called “best practices” relating to the business sector links with the wider

education system were formulated, based on the collected data. Extremely important in the report

below is that the experts present a comprehensive and objective situation that exists on the test levels

and do not favour either party; therefore, this report provides an objective (though fragmentary)

analysis.

34

Full texts of the national field research reports are attached on CD.

Spain Field Analysis Report. In Spain, studies were conducted on three companies from the

following sectors: HVAC, service and production. The following table summarizes the most important

economic data of individual companies.

Table 8. Companies Interviewed in Spain.

No. Question Company no 1 Company no 2 Company no 3

Q2 Date of company

establishment 1951 1974 1953

Industry sector HVAC (ventilation) Food and goods retail Food manufacturing

Q3 Turnover 154.180.461,00 € 472.427.920 € 27.826.574 €

Turnover trend (last 5 years)

↑ – →

Q4

R&D expenditures as % of turnover

0,16% 0,05% 0,40%

Total innovation expenditures as % of turnover

0,65% The company doesn't

account R&D 1,60%

% innovation expenditure spent on external

products and services 0,20% – –

Q5 Employee numbers 467 2584 275

Employment trend (last 5 years)

→ ↑ ↓

→ stable, ↑ growth, ↓ decrease

Interviews were conducted with three employees of these companies. The polled employees held the

following positions: head of production engineering, sales representative and principal designer of

machinery.

Further education institutions that participated in this study for two local schools: public and private.

Spanish Research Summary:

• Finding 1: Different competence relevance upon business model orientation. The results of the

research have been qualitative compared to the knowledge about companies of the surrounding

and the results are coherent.

• F2: No VET System relevance on competitive business differentiation. This does not mean that

current competences taught in the VET system are not needed, but that they are not making

Catalan Industries competitive.

• F3: Lack of VET system adaptation capacity to incorporate more competences. The public

regulated system has a strong point for finding and implementing a solution since it is the one

35

that has the capability to make changes in both primary and secondary education and draw

curricula for VET System.

The three different “stories” about the way the companies built competitiveness were included into the

Report (see CD).

Recommendations:

• VET System is currently attached to public regulations for public schools. Changes in curricula

can take years, on the regional, national or even European Union level. The long run of the

Bologna implementation process may serve as an example. This will for a long time prove that

the VET system is going to be several steps behind the reality of the business and the economy.

A priority to avoid the loss of opportunities is to put special emphasis on teaching adaptation to

change skills. These skills are intended to enable students to build up their own tools and

mechanisms to face new situations. Far away from one-direction teaching or case study

teaching, an approach to use current tools to figure out a solution is needed. This approach

means to integrate flexibility, creativity, open mind skills and learn-to-learn processes.

• The VET system has mostly civil servants (Government employees) as employees, from the

Educational Departments to the teachers themselves. This in most cases is a safe, non-

competitive surrounding that does not necessarily make them acquire the skills needed for

business development. Especially in southern regions like Catalonia recent skills for

internationalization are not available in any place in the system, starting with language skills,

international cultural knowledge and authentic experiences abroad. This is changing by

incorporating new generations of teachers to the system that already have these skills (working

abroad, travelling, Erasmus Program), but changing the whole system may take too many years

to integrate these competences into the curricula and teaching methodologies. A special effort

for integrating these internationalization skills has to be made to speed-up this vegetative

process. Teaching in other languages, international exchanges, working experiences in other

countries have to be incorporated in compulsory education.

• The VET system in Catalonia is designed on a curricula level for transferring mostly

knowledge and not skills. When transferring knowledge (technical, scientific, professional,

etc...) the VET System is not able to transfer typical business skills. One of the reasons is that

teaching career is usually handled by long-career civil servants well-prepared for teaching but

without any experience in business. While academic programs for teaching are not

incorporating these skills to be transferred we suggest to adapt mixed models like part-time

teaching by people with business experience. The aim of this recommendation is to integrate

economic criteria with any decision that students have to take. We have already integrated

gender, ecologic, and equality criteria in all training aspects, but not the money and revenue

36

criteria, being the ones that synthesizes the value, effort and results of a group of decisions and

their output. Economic result oriented decision making is a must in training for competitive

business (return of investment, fix-costs, variable-costs, amortization, etc...)

• In business no task is done on one’s

own exclusively. Even though work is

a personal effort and is related to

personal performance, companies and

sectors are complex systems. The

competitive companies have a good

internal performance in team work and

external (open innovation) approach.

This team work has been developed

specially in heavily competitive

sectors, so team work is directly

attached to competition. In southern

cultures competition has a cultural

stigma and teaching about equality of

rights often leads to misunderstandings. Team competition to also build up individual

competition has to be developed in curricula as a smart strategy for contributing to competitive

business and personal and collective progress. Special emphasis has to be put on good team-

work practices; coordination, personal responsibility, communication, emphasis, leadership,

etc...

• We have left values for the last and more important recommendation. When reaching the most

sophisticated business models, services and experiences, values are of highest importance.

Companies are employing Social Responsibility Programs because they have understood that

for performing economically in the long term they also have to perform socially as members of

society. This is not a choice anymore but a need for business. Integrating values, not only for

rights but for performance and responsibility is a key factor for competitiveness in business.

These values are a two-sided – community commitment and personal commitment – sharing

public resources and using them properly and giving the best of oneself, contributing to public

good and having ambition for personal career.

Sweden Field Analysis Report. In Sweden, research was conducted on a poll of four companies from

the following sectors: IT, high-tech, mining and consulting. The summary of main economic

information is presented in the following table.

37

Table 9. Companies Interviewed in Sweden.

No. Question Company no 1 Company no 2 Company no 3 Company no 4

Q2

Date of company establishment

1968 1890 2006 2001

Industry sector IT service High-Tech International iron

ore mining company

Regional consultancy

company within logistics

Q3 Turnover

3.6 billion SEK.

10 000 billion SEK

– 6 M SEK


– – – –

Q4


– 237 billion

SEK – –


– – – –


products and services – – – –

Q5 Employee numbers 3 500 3 200 50 10


↑ – – –


The four VET providers representing the university, Young Enterprise at upper secondary school,

municipality formal adult vocational education and adult training of another company were

interviewed.

Swedish Research Summary:

At the university and in secondary schools

there are programs and projects aimed at the

informal transfer of skills within the sphere of

entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial thinking.

The results of these projects will include

information on the definition of personality

traits that are more important than academic

knowledge.

Extremely valuable is the combination of informal knowledge with that of the academia, which will

allow for reaching the full potential of the employee.

The study shows that:

• Training is very important.

38

• Personality traits are more important than formal education.

• Entrepreneurship training must be integrated into the curriculum.

• You need a dialogue between schools and industry.

• Education and training is an investment that leads to increased competitiveness.

• National systems of education and training are rigid and resistant to change. Please enter the

regional and local specialist training.

• Generational change must be better planned and knowledge on this subject should be used in

subsequent amendments.

• Informal skills (not the current system which teaches VET) are highly valued by specialists and

industry representatives. They should be developed and implemented as a pedagogical tool for

training and evaluation of those skills.

United Kingdom Field Analysis Report.

1) Company case studies. The company case studies covered four small to medium sized enterprises

(SMEs) whose principal activities are the design, development and marketing of innovative hardware

products. Table 10 provides summary economic information about these companies.

39

Table 10. Companies Interviewed in Scotland.


Q2 Date of company

establishment 1994 2004 1971 2003

Industry sector High-Tech/IT High-Tech High-Tech Design services

Q3 Turnover

£26.4M FY: 2009

£:1.1M FY: 2009

£4.5M+ £2-2.5M FY: 2009


↑ 60%8 ↑ 50% n/a9 ↑<5%10

Q4


8.3% 2009 9.2% 2008

25% n/a n/a


n/a n/a n/a 100%11


products and services n/a

Some – e.g. industrial

design n/a n/a12

Q5 Employee numbers 12713 11 50-60 22



Innovation in hardware product SMEs is predominantly team based, multidisciplinary and requires

very high calibre staff with first degrees or higher plus relevant experience. Product development

objectives are driven by commercial opportunity and a successful technical and aesthetic result

depends on successful integration across the various disciplines.

The company founders are all (in 2010) still directors and entrepreneurs within their companies. All of

them couple sophisticated engineering skills with entrepreneurship and an international outlook.

Staffing company growth depends on access to a local or international labour pool of high calibre staff

preferably with a minimum of two years’ professional formation in a relevant role in a commercial

organisation. Direct recruitment from undergraduate or postgraduate courses is rare.

Companies of this type require to be able to get their products manufactured, distributed and supported

in the international market place at competitive cost and require staff with the relevant competences to

develop and implement effective solutions. Again graduate calibre staff with the relevant business

8 Turnover trend following a downturn in 2004 and 2005. This is a growth phase from a low base following a change of business model. 9 n/a – not available 10 Company 4 grew rapidly as it became established as new 11 Company 4’s whole business is part of the product innovation process of its customers 12 Varies on a project by project basis 13 Total employment includes foreign sales agents under exclusive contracts for services. If based in the UK they would be under direct contracts of employment

40

experience are sought for these roles. Only one company within this group does some manufacturing

in house but there was some local subcontracting of manufacturing, distribution and product support

services. However, today even fledgling companies may manufacture under subcontract in the Asia

Pacific region.

2) VET Case Studies

Interviews were conducted with the Heads of Engineering at two Further Education Colleges known to

have particularly progressive Schools of Engineering. These departments provide initial VET in

engineering at all levels from school leaver at age 16 (e.g. the new Performing Engineering Operations

(PEO) qualification) through to HNC/HND14 and direct entry into the second year of degree

programmes.

In recent years both Schools of Engineering have invested a great deal of effort both in their

educational mission and the interaction with the businesses and industries they serve. This has been

backed by substantial investment in new training facilities. They have close interaction with major

employers at all levels and are important training partners both at apprentice level and for established

personnel. These Schools have enhanced their reputation with major employers and the knock on

effect is that SMEs with similar training requirements are more confident both in taking on apprentices

and releasing established staff for further training.

Scottish Research Summary:

• The product development process of internationally competitive hardware product SMEs is

typically staffed by highly qualified engineers and computer science graduates who have also

had a minimum of two years relevant professional formation in a commercial environment

prior to joining the company.

• The VET system alone does not provide the level of professional formation this type of

company requires and the major high tech employers have contracted in size and no longer run

large graduate recruitment programmes. The implications for graduate employment and the

professional formation in the fields of engineering, technology, manufacturing management

and high-tech product management are potentially serious.

• The barriers to hardware product SMEs recruiting new graduates are the time, cost and

business risk of developing people on the job. They simply cannot afford mistakes that would

be unlikely if experienced personnel were doing the task. The nature and level of risk vary with

professional discipline and task e.g. in the case of aesthetic design the risks are lower and

easier to manage than, for example, in the specification of production tooling.

14 Higher National Certificate/Diploma

41

• Where these SMEs did recruit recent graduates, they had an overwhelming preference for

candidates who had undertaken an industrial placement and were already familiar with the

basics of working in a commercial environment.

• The product development process in these companies depends on effective multi-disciplinary

teams. The highest level of competence, the ability to integrate across disciplines, is reportedly

difficult to find.

• When recruiting, this type of company looks for both a high level of technical competence,

relevant experience, performance in team working, effective communication and appropriate

attitudes i.e. people who are results orientated, proactive and co-operative. Development of

these skills and behaviours are increasingly being built into education and it is very important

that this continues.

• VET in engineering makes an essential contribution to the development of the labour force

even if some types of company do not recruit directly from the VET system. However, a great

deal of competence development occurs on the job without further input from the VET system.

• In this project the Further Education sector was chosen for the case studies of VET providers in

engineering and technology. The best departments combine a sound and progressive approach

to vocational education with a thoroughly business like approach, good interaction with

employers and a great deal of inside knowledge of the industries they serve.

Poland Field Analysis Report. Data of companies, i.e. the date of starting a business, trading and

market trends over the past five years, as well as investment in innovation and the number of jobs as

well as trends in employment were searched via the Internet and confirmed during the interview.

Table 11. Companies Interviewed in Poland.


Q2


1987 2004 1994 1946

Industry sector Services -

energy Production Production Production

Q3 Turnover 28 M PLN 1,4 M PLN - 110 M PLN


↑2005-2008 ↓ 2009

↑ 2004-2009 ↑ to 2008 ↓ 2009

↑ 30%

Q4


1,5 % 10 % ↑ 0,36%


1,5 % 27 % 12 % 0,36 %


products and services - 3 % - 0,12%

Q5 Employee numbers 147 10 75 346


↑ 100% ↑2004-2009

↓2010 ↑ to 2008 ↓ after 2009

↓ 24%

42


The experts interviewed employees in four companies. The selection was made on the basis of

preliminary discussions; the interview was performed with a total of 12 persons. They were: managers,

assistant managers, assistant directors, plant managers, designers, clerks, and others.

The interviews were carried out at three units of continuing education in the province of Lower

Silesia. These are the organizations operating “close to” industry. Each of the analyzed units presents a

different characteristic of the Lower Silesia type of organization (see report WP-4): Upper-Secondary

Technical school, Practical Learning Centre and Higher School (non-academic).

These units offer their students an interesting structure of teaching. The classes are organizing

company visits, and students in their undergraduate work and engineering have to solve a specific

problem in a particular company. Students are offered various skill development courses, both the so-

called “soft” i.e., negotiations, self-presentation, etc., and technical courses. How do we find the

proximity of industry and education? Unfortunately, it does not always work. It appears that

educational institutions are not always able to meet market expectations, despite the fact that in the

past they were very popular and trusted. Currently they have no recognized market and take no

initiative to develop innovative strategic thinking, problem solving, etc.

Polish Research Summary:

The continuing education in Poland is slowly adapting to the current labour market demands. There is

a growing awareness of the importance of investment in human capital among both the employers and

the employees. Employers are beginning to treat expenses for training as an investment rather than

cost. However, it is necessary to create a positive attitude to the whole learning process from the

earliest school years; otherwise the system will not produce any results. First of all, the sooner you

“learn to learn”, the easier it will be to continue the process of education in adulthood. Education is

treated as an investment that provides a satisfactory remuneration and career prospects, as well as

reducing the risk of unemployment and raising social prestige.

In some cases we observe a lack of coherence between the education system and the competence

needed in the labour market. Lack of skilled workers is likely to restrict opportunities for development

and creating competitive advantages for businesses. It is, therefore, necessary to reform and improve

the quality of the education system and vocational training, and to connect it with the needs of the

labour market.

43

The aim is to deepen the practice of professional knowledge acquired in school and professional

development at various workplaces, with the implementation of various activities. The practice should

also prepare students to direct the work of others, develop the ability to work and cooperate in a team,

and obtain a sense of responsibility for the quality of work, respect for property, honesty, etc.

Unfortunately, the reality is different, employers and employees/graduates said that the practice does

not meet this obligation, and does not prepare for the practical use of knowledge. The solution to the

situation is to increase the number of hours of practical training in education, both vocational and

higher education.

There is a need of greater cooperation with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Sciences

(responsible for academic education), and employers and labour market institutions in adapting

education to current and projected labour market needs. The size of the demand for employment in a

sector and a profession should be determined on the basis of relevant research and forecasts. It should

be established on the base of “best practices” for programs related to the acquisition of qualifications

tailored to the needs of the labour market.

Another important thing is the involvement of business representatives in education, particularly in the

practical training.

The companies under analysis demonstrated the impact of the quality of accumulated intellectual

capital on their level of innovation and competitiveness. The need for qualification of personnel

resulted from both the personal needs of employees and the needs of employers. In nearly half of the

cases the employer will bear the costs of training, in a comparable number of cases, these costs are

covered jointly and severally.

The willingness to participate in staff

training costs results from the proven

positive impact of accumulated practical

knowledge and training of employees.

Thanks to the employers’ investment in

covering the costs of training (partially or

completely) the loyalty of employees

increases. This leads to better outcomes at

work.

44

Almost all of the analyzed companies can serve as a positive example of the use of market

opportunities for lifelong learning for innovation and improving competitiveness of the company.

Thus we can describe five “stories” to present good practices in the Project Publication.

France Field Analysis Report. A series of interviews was conducted by the French team in several

companies selected after the input of the desk research was confirmed by interviews with experts.

Choice of companies reflects the conclusions of the experts, which are similar to those of the

aggregate desk research report; they have been taken in the following economic fields: ICT,

automotive and aeronautic industries and the banking sector, large and small companies.

The results show at least some involvement in innovation. This panel is represented either by owners,

top management, human resources or training officers (see results, demand side). Results vary

according to sectors of activity and company’s size. Companies are aware that many incentives and

organisations already exist to help them innovate. There is a strong political will and financial aid, but

there seems to be a ‘mental resistance’ to change and ‘think’ performance and competitiveness.

Table 12. Companies Interviewed in France.


Q2


1967 2000 1977 1981

Industry sector IT and business

consultancy Bank sector

Electronic sensor, Micro-

connections

Health and safety

Q3 Turnover 8 371 M EUR 152 M EUR 935 M EUR 18 M EUR


→ → → ↑

Q4


n.c. n.c. n.c. n.c.


n.c. n.c. n.c. n.c.


products and services n.c. n.c. n.c. n.c.

Q5 Employee numbers n.c. n.c. n.c. n.c.


n.c. n.c. n.c. n.c.


The panel of interviewed employees represents a variety of types and levels of qualifications and

education; in addition, their age, sex and position in the company differ in order to give a wider

perspective.

45

Similarly, VET institutions represent a sample of suggested institutions: universities, engineering

schools and continuous education providers as well as secondary schools and representatives of

decision makers (Rectorate and Academies) from three French regions. This panel represents the

diversity of the VET offer in France: nationwide and organised by the Ministry of education

(Academie of Poitiers), run by the state, yet autonomous: universities, engineering schools, and

independent VET organisations: Sicfor.

The surveys were conducted face to face and enriched by further telephone conversations, strictly

following the standardized format agreed upon by the C4C project partners. Employees agree to say

that although VET and continuous education systems exist they have to gain their own knowledge and

experience themselves ‘on the spot’ and that the system does not always lead them to be innovative.

Contradictions between what is said and what is done lead the team to conclude that the different

actors are still living on their old stereotypes whilst modern structures and funding exist and are not

used as they might and should be. Therefore, the team thinks that one of the most important results of

this research is that a well-planned dissemination should accelerate changes of attitudes and

representations among the three actors of this research.

Indeed, the importance of lifelong learning is not yet stressed enough among employees and

companies alike: the former do not seem to be aware that it represents a chance of personal

development as well as a chance for the company, the latter do not take full advantage of the existing

systems.

VET institutions are ready to provide this lifelong learning, but their education offer does not always

meet the requirements, because criteria and even terminology do not refer to the same concepts. Thus

information and communication are a core issue that should be addressed in the future.

Recommendations

• Increase and adapt the dissemination of information on existing European and French systems

among the three categories of participants,

• Improve in-depth dialogue between companies and VET providers, and lead them to greater

cooperation,

• Strengthen the pedagogical answer and curricula offer in order to meet the needs for innovative

competences,

• Raise awareness of the positive aspects of self development for individuals as well as for

companies.

46

• Develop the awareness that an international experience is a key issue for mind opening and

understanding the new global market requirements.

Italy Field Analysis Report. According to the Methodological Research Plan, the consultation of the

experts had the aim to identify and select competitive companies for “demand side” interviews. The

experts were selected on the basis of their experience and their knowledge of the link between the

industrial and the education systems. A total of 14 experts coming from industries, universities,

industrial associations, public institutions and research institutes were interviewed.

Apart from giving advices regarding the most suitable companies, the discussion with the experts gave

important hints for the Field Research in terms of general consideration and recommendations. On the

basis of the experts’ indications the team contacted the companies. The team contacted 15 companies

in the fields of ICT and telecommunications, mechanics, aerospace, design, energy.

A total of 11 companies (Lombardy – 7; Emilia Romagna – 4) representing SMEs and big companies

accepted to be involved and face-to-face interviews were conducted with the top management or their

delegates.

Table 13. Companies Interviewed in Lombardy/IT.

No. Question Company

no 1 Company

no 2 Company

no 3 Company

no 4 Company

no 5 Company

no 6 Company

no 7

Q2


2000 1969 1987 1947 1923 1995 1989

Industry sector ICT Mechanics ICT Advanced materials

Aviation Machinery

and equipment

ICT

Q3

Turnover 6,5 M€ 40 M€ 940 M€ 128 M€ 3.480 M€ 58,4 M€ 50,1 M€


Increasing +160%

Increasing +74%

constant

2005-2007 ↑ +20% 2007-

2009 ↓ -20%

Increasing+44%

Increasing +56%

2006-2008 ↑ +10%

2007-2009 ↓ -10%

Q4

R&D expenditures

as % of turnover 20% 3%-5% 24,5% 9,5% 2% 12,1%

Total innovation expenditures

as % of turnover 23% 10% 0,7%

% innovation expenditure

spent on external products and

services

3% 10% 12,1%

47

Q5

Employee numbers

80 240 8342 1042 10.343 139 589

Employment trend

(last 5 years)

Increasing+70%

2007-2008 ↓-

23% 2008-2010 ↑ +2%

Increasing+18%

Increasing+15%

Increasing +3,5%

Increasing


48

Table 14. Companies Interviewed in Emilia Romagna/IT.


Q2


1926 1961 1919 1964

Industry sector Engineering

Industry

Design and production of

automatic machines

Mechanical and plant

engineering Electroplating

Q3

Turnover 321 M€

(2009) 505,7 M€

(2009) 580 M€ (2009) 2,1 M€ (2009)


327 M€(2008)

397,7 M€(2007)

304, 8 M€(2006)

308, 5 M€(2005)

505,7 M€ (2009)

547,2 M€ (2008)

454,5 M€ (2007)

425,2 M€ (2006)

398,8 M€ (2005)

590 M€ (2006) 788 M€ (2007) 775 M€ (2008) 580 M€ (2009)

+45% (+15% each year)

Q4


8% 5,1% 2% 1%


999 (2009) 1649 (2009) 1017 (2009)

21


products and services

999 (2009) 1036 (2008)

1534 (2004) 1586 (2005) 1547 (2006) 1598 (2007) 1649 (2008) 1649 (2009)

993 (2005) 997 (2006) 1003 (2007) 1040 (2008) 1017 (2009)

25 (2009) 21 (2010)

Q5

Employee numbers 1926 1961 1919 1964


Engineering Industry

Design and production of

automatic machines

Mechanical and plant

engineering Electroplating


The interviews were structured as an open discussion following the scheme chosen and shared by the

partners. Company consultation also included an interview with employees, in order to analyse their

point of view regarding the competences and skills needed for the task assigned and the link between

their competences and life-long learning education. A total of 7 employees from 5 companies were

interviewed. They were chosen in agreement with the company representative among people with

technical skills who could be representative of the staff involved in the innovation process.

Moreover, 8 VET Institutions were involved in order to study the “supply side”. They were chosen

among well-known bodies successfully operating along the life-long learning path: from secondary

school, technical university and continuous education.

49

Generally speaking, the companies we have interviewed showed a common good consideration of the

quality level that the Italian educational and VET systems provide. Most of companies recruit well-

prepared students on the basis of the matters and analytical abilities allowing them to easily adapt to

different working contexts. In this way companies can easily combine the desired profiles with a set of

competencies according to their specific needs. Above all, in highly evolving sectors an education that

is too focused on specific technical aspects is considered ineffective, as in most cases the

competencies acquired will be overcome when the students enter the labour market. In addition, it is

important to consider that the educational system works in a different time framework compared to the

industry, where flexible and rapid adaptation to new trends and market needs are fundamental to be

competitive.

Based on comprehensive analysis of the findings we have collected through the interviews with

companies’ representatives and employees, with representatives of the VET system and with experts

from the industrial and educational system, some recommendations for policy makers are provided:

• Enhance the dialogue and institutionalize collaborative actions between companies and VET

institutions

• Introduce systemic approaches and rethink the planning of education and training programs

• Promote and stimulate a technical culture at educational and industrial level

• Promote the introduction of innovative teaching methodologies useful to foster transversal and

soft skills

* * *

In the era of globalization, the development of knowledge-based economy and information and

telecommunication revolution in the educational systems of European countries is steadily increasing

the importance of the concept of learning throughout life. Lifelong Learning Initiative is based on

creating educational opportunities for all ages and at all levels, both in schools and in non-school

forms. It is an essential tool for continuous development of knowledge and skills and adapting them to

changing circumstances. Businesses, institutions of formal and informal education (non-governmental,

accredited) and employees in all countries surveyed know how important is the idea of learning

throughout life. And they take action to make it a reality and to develop. Education and training is an

investment that leads to increased competitiveness.

50

51

3. Conclusions and Recommendations

The national reports of the partners highlighted the lack of an effective system to prepare graduates to

work in enterprises. Universities and other institutions of formal and non-formal preparing of their

students for work should pay greater attention to internships in companies. Lack of experience is a

significant problem for graduates, as entrepreneurs often require 2–3 years of experience in the

industry.

Partners from Spain drew attention to the development of common European references and principles

that would support the development of effective national policies on lifelong learning. Although

European Union countries are not obliged to carry out joint actions with regard to the principles of

education, their informal setting and implementing of the application would improve the quality of

education, mutual trust and perhaps the carrying out of reforms.

This was partly supported by the French report conclusion where it is stated that it is important to

increase and adapt the dissemination of information in existing European and French systems among

the three categories of companies and to develop the awareness that international experience is a key

issue for mind opening and understanding the new global market requirements.

Enabling business partners to define and implement lifelong learning strategy is still unsatisfactory.

Although they are involved in the work of many educational institutions it is necessary that a deeper

dialogue on education adjusting to current and projected labour market needs be opened.

The studies also show low level of competence acquired by graduates of both of these general skills

such as learning, efficient processing of information, comprehensive use of technology and

information technology and communications, the use of knowledge to solve problems and so-called

“soft” competence – personal and interpersonal skills such as teamwork, openness to change, the

ability to motivate yourself and others, ability to work under conditions of stress, conflict resolution

negotiation as well as independent and creative tasks. University teachers should become mentors

supporting students rather than providers of knowledge and its mastery, and students must become

more active and independent in the learning process. A course of such forms and methods of

operations that support the acquisition of practical competence is recommended. This conclusion was

often emphasized in personal interviews with managers of the companies, esp. in the Italian report.

52

The research carried out in Spain due to the power currently generated by the existing continuing

education does not contribute to the competitiveness of enterprises.

As it is made clear by the study of participation in the cost of staff training in Spain, the employers

cover majority of it, while the research carried out in Poland shows that employees contribute to the

cost almost in equal parts. The initiative to take the training/courses in Spain by the employee was

taken by the employers, while in Poland the initiative comes from both the employer and the

employee. Both in Poland and Spain it has been found that employees do not have enough practice

during the study. French experts suggests additionally to raise awareness of the positive aspects of self

development for individuals as well.

53

3.1. General Conclusions

Research results coming from National Reports were collected and divided into several categories.

Subtitles of the grouped conclusions (even more often observations only) come from the report

prepared by Fondazione Aldini Valeriani and Alintec (Italy). In brackets at the end of each fragment

the abbreviation of origin – National Report was added.

A. Enhancing the dialogue and institutionalizing collaborative actions between companies and

VET institutions

Almost all partners involved in the Study stressed the importance of the dialogue: “The internships

and in general some kind of real working experience should be compulsory and integrated into

curricula. Education and training activities are surely more effective if carried out using all the five

senses and allowing to directly get in touch with real work environments. These kind of activities

should be implemented in the same period for all the students from the same classes, so they do not

miss lessons and do not suffer from a gap as it currently happens. Meanwhile, teachers, having less

teaching activities, can monitor the quality level of the internship and guarantee that it is really

educational for the student. (IT)”

All other consortium partners supported presented thesis in their reports, starting from very general

conclusion based on the direct citation interviews done by companies: “On-the-job-training is most

important. (SE)” to analysis done: “Where companies do recruit recent graduates, they still look for 2–

3 years’ experience in a business environment. If that is not the case, they prefer candidates who have

undertaken industry placements of four or more months during their undergraduate course who do not

need the same induction period. Induction periods, cost and risk are substantially longer in the

engineering disciplines as opposed to aesthetic creativity and design. (UK)”; there is a need to

“Increase internship periods, apprenticeship curricula and team work; real case studies, as well as the

number of teaching staff coming from the business world. (FR)”; “The aim of apprenticeship is to

deepen the knowledge acquired in school and to improve professional skills at various workplaces

while performing various tasks. (PL)” and “Both employers and employees-graduates said

unanimously that the practice does not meet this obligation, and it does not prepare for the practical

use of knowledge. The solution to the situation is to increase the number of hours of practical training

in education, both in vocational and higher education. (ES)”.

It is necessary to underline that the concurrently existing system of “practices” reported by the Spanish

Partner does not work properly (it is for sure not only a Spanish problem!), thus the request for the

54

increasing of hours of practical form of education – internships, stages, etc., has to be simultaneously

developed with improvement of the system of managing them. These observations are supported by

postulates that “Continuous relationships between VET system and industrial system could be also an

important opportunity for the continuous professional development of teachers, as they can directly

keep in touch with companies and be updated to the current technologies the industry uses. (IT)”

Changing the system – reengineering them from “passive” to “pro-active” system of dialogue between

supply and demand side require the involvement of companies not only as “customer voice” (“More

interaction is required between schools and industry, this dialogue is crucial and important. (SE)”).

Italian and Polish Researchers said: “Besides having students actively involved in companies’

activities, it could also be interesting to have companies’ representatives directly involved in teaching

activities. This sharing of experiences and knowledge would results in benefits for companies,

students, teachers and the VET system. The kind of activities just explained are already present in

several contexts, but a structured approach is missing and the initiatives are often individually

developed by single professors. This does not guarantee a quality level of the implemented initiatives

and a planned and well-thought-out cooperation. (IT).”; “Another important thing is the involvement

of business in education, particularly in the practical training through various practical lessons in

schools led by the employees of companies that have expertise and practical experience in the area.

(PL)”; “Thus our main recommendation would be to improve in depth dialogue between companies

and VET providers, and lead them to greater cooperation, thanks to the following: helping the

employers to express their present and future needs better and to encourage them to identify new and

emerging skills. (…) (FR)”

The required changes are expected to solve yet another problem – the low mobility and limited

business knowledge of teachers: “When transferring knowledge (technical, scientific, professional,

etc...) the VET System is not able to transfer business skills. One of the reasons is that teaching career

is usually handled by long-career civil servants well prepared for teaching but without any experience

in business. While academic programs for teaching are not incorporating these skills to be transferred

we suggest to adapt mixed models like part-time teaching by business experienced people. (ES)”.

This involvement may results in introducing to “college life” the samples and problems for solution, as

was found by Scottish and Polish Researchers: “Progressive schools of engineering and technology in

the Further Education colleges have close engagement with employers, extensive knowledge of their

requirements and much insight into the industries they serve. There could probably be more use of

team based projects in design and manufacture to solve a given, real world problem, but this requires

adequate course time, staff resources and materials. (UK)”; “There should be a base, a so called “Best

55

practices base”, for programs related to the acquisition of qualifications established and ‘tailored’ to

the needs of the labour market (PL)”.

In Italian report we can find one more important reason for deep incorporation of the demand side into

the VET process – it was also underlined in the Polish report: “Continuous collaborative activities

with industries can solve the problems related to laboratories and infrastructures that in several schools

are lacking or inadequate. The real work environment could sometimes become the laboratory, where

student can access and get in touch with technologies that are really currently used by the industry.

Consequently, there must be a company willing to collaborate with the school to exchange ideas, give

inputs and resources. (IT)”

Finally, the dialogue is held not only on the level of the VETs-companies. In most of the analysed

regions vocational education and trainings are supported (fully or partly) from public resources. In this

context it is very important to add to the dialogue a third side – the regional/national public authorities,

and to notice that in some cases: “Nowadays there is no great commitment from the associations and

society, since there are no material actions supported by the province or region. To get an excellent

education it is necessary and appropriate to help the school to act as a point of reference. (IT)”; and

“Greater cooperation is needed between the state (ministries) and the employers and labour market

institutions in adapting education to current and projected labour market needs. The size of the

demand for employment in a sector and a profession should be determined on the basis of relevant

research and forecasts. (PL)”

B. Introducing systemic approaches and rethinking the planning of education and training

programs

Planes of re-development of the VET system incl. re-development of the curricula, courses, etc. are

the expected result of the dialogue. It is most important that the system maintains the ability to gain

signals and communicates with the environment (both macro- and micro-economic) and improves

continuously: “A long range (term) systemic planning should be carried out at the national level in

defining the new trends of competences coherently with the vision of the development of the industrial

system (economic policy). In this manner, education and VET system will be able to offer

competences closer to the needs of industry over the years. (IT)”. Swedish Researchers pointed out

yet another problem – the generational shift. As they suggest: “Generation shifts must be planned

better and knowledge about them should be entered in the course literature (SE)”. Unfortunately, we

can find that: “New educational systems are slow to be implemented and mentalities evolve in an even

slower way (FR)”; and “the VET system is currently attached to public regulations for public schools.

Changes in curricula can take years, on the regional, national or even European Union level. The long

56

run of the Bologna implementation process may serve as an example. This will for a long time prove

that the VET System is going to be several steps behind the reality of the business and the

economy.(ES)”.

The increasing importance of microeconomic factors in the VET systems allowed us to suggest that

effectiveness of the system strongly depends on its ability to operate on the local/regional market:

“The VET-systems must prepare for a change from national to regional, or at least to adopt systems

that will be allowed to vary from one region to another. Verification standards should be the same, but

the content and curricula of the programs should be allowed to vary. New verification models need to

be developed; that includes the soft and social knowledge, the informal training and the network

(SE)”. “A systemic approach should be implemented as well as the managing of research activities

carried out by educational institutions (above all universities) in order to benefit by the synergies that a

networking system is able to provide. It is necessary to rethink the training programs: competitiveness

depends on good technical-scientific skills, which must be associated with a solid base of science.

Moreover, technical training is important for innovation, but it is not enough. Other factors must be

related to the specialization of the territory. (IT)”

This requested shift increases our chance that “...If better engagement between HEIs and employers is

to be achieved, it needs to be properly thought through, employer-friendly and properly resourced.

(UK)” On the other hand, in some regions there is a lack of adequate demand of skilled workforce and,

paradoxically, of the achievement of proper balance between supply and demand: “Teaching in

foreign languages, international exchanges, working experiences in other countries have to be

incorporated in the compulsory education. (ES)”; “Give the study an international dimension. (FR)”;

“Develop awareness that an international experience is a key for mind opening and understanding the

new global market requirements. (FR)”

As we can find in the Spanish Report: “Carry on the VET systems efforts by going beyond what

already exists:

• Know whether the demands of the labour market are known by VET providers to adapt their

offer in terms of curricula as well as pedagogy

• Anticipate the demands of emerging jobs by developing new curricula

• Introduce more courses on innovation, performance and competences in the higher educational

system.

• Adapt study programmes to individual needs

• Set up a portfolio of competences for each employee. (FR)”

“ (…) skills are intended to enable students to build up their own tools and mechanisms to face new

situations. (ES)”

57

C. Promoting and stimulating of technical culture at educational and industrial levels

Social changes in all EU member states led to situation when personal career in the field of technology

is considered as less attractive than others incl. science. It resulted in the problem of continuous

decrease of the quality of technical education: “Qualified workers, the output of VET system, do not

receive an adequate valorisation in the work environment and the low remuneration level for these

kind of profiles resulted in a lack of incentives to attend technical schools. Students have poor

expectations and for this reason their commitment to the training programs is poor as well. In

consequence, technical schools have continuously revised their programs making them easier and

leading them to a decreasing quality level. An incentive mechanism allowing the right valorisation of

technical profiles in the industrial system should be introduced, provided that they are the main actors

in the innovation process. (IT)”.

Hopefully it is not too late for changes, but: “A strong cultural message should be communicated

about the technical training. The schools have underestimated the importance of technical knowledge

and families have no perception of the cultural dignity of a technical course. The key point to work on

is the way of thinking of families and teachers: it is necessary to change certain stereotypes already

embedded in current thinking. Too often young people choose to specialize in humanistic field and

this leads to an imbalance between supply and demand in the labour market. This is a problem mainly

due to a wrong orientation. The orientation on technical culture should be encouraged by families and

teachers in order to guide children towards their future employment. (IT).”

Very important is the result of French Researches. They have raised the issue/concept of

“employability among employees. (FR)”. In Polish, Swedish, and Spanish Reports this problem was

presented as the conception of investment (or wider – economic criteria of decision) presented by

several interviewed employees: “Education is treated as an investment that provides a satisfactory

compensation and career prospects, as well as reducing the risk of unemployment and raising social

prestige. (PL) “The aim of this recommendation is to integrate economic criteria with any decision that

students have to take. We have already integrated gender, ecologic, equality criteria in all training

aspects but not the money and revenue criteria as the one that synthesizes the value, effort and results

of a group of decisions and its output. Economic result-oriented decision taking is a must in training

for competitive business (return of investment, fix-costs, variable-costs, amortization, etc… (ES)”;

“Education and training (has to be considered as) is an investment and (then) brings competitiveness,

all agree on this. (SE)” and “Growing awareness of investment in human capital – among both

employers and employees. Employers are beginning to treat expenses for training as an investment

rather than costs. (PL)”

58

D. Promoting the introduction of innovative teaching methodologies useful to foster transversal

and soft skills

An interesting problem that occurred in the research was linked to the definition of “vocational

trainings” – in many cases only hard (technical) skills and knowledge are mentally associated with

them. Thus, after field research in many reports we found references to this problem: “Most of the

companies’ representatives interviewed complained about a lack of soft and transversal skills, above

all in the field of innovation management. (IT)”; “The technical skills are important, but it is essential

to adapt them to changes. In fact, companies are looking for people who are culturally open, who are

willing to move from one place to another still feeling at home, who can relate to others, who can

understand other people’s problems and who can establish a very positive relationship with customers

and suppliers. (IT)”; “In business no task is done on one’s own exclusively. Even though work is a

personal effort and is related to personal performance, companies and sectors are complex systems.

The competitive companies have a good internal performance in team work and external (open

innovation) approach. This team work has been developed specially in heavily competitive sectors, so

team work is directly attached to competition (ES)”.

The two further topics are related to the one presented above: self-development of students (planning

life-long attitude) and culture of entrepreneurship: “These kinds of (soft) competences in some cases

could be introduced through innovative methodologies used to teach the technical skills and so it does

not take time away from the education/training path. (IT)” ; “It is necessary to rethink the educational

model. Students do not understand texts: not understanding the content of an explanation means to be

excluded also from technical and scientific competences. Moreover, the school should train people in

order for them to be able to develop a life-long learning attitude. This way people get used to the idea

that they will never stop learning new skills. So young people will also develop the ability to be open

to changes. (IT)”. System should “raise awareness of the positive aspects of self development in an

individual as well as in a company – Promote lifelong learning even more by including it to annual

evaluation interviews. (FR)”; “A priority to avoid the loss of opportunities is to put special emphasis

on teaching adaptation to change skills. (ES)”; and regarding the more informal way of education:

“Networks and informal skills (not produced by the present VET-system) are highly rated by both

specialists and industry representatives. A pedagogic tool for training and evaluating “need-based

competence development” should be developed and implemented. (SE)”

Looking at the entrepreneurship problem: “There are programs and projects at university level as well

as upper secondary school where the aim is to implement and increase the informal competences lying

in the areas of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial thinking. (SE)”. “The personal characteristics are

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more important than the type or form of education. Entrepreneurial training needs to be entered into

the curricula. (SE)”, and in relation to this – problem of the competition in contrast to the team

working: “In southern cultures competition has a cultural stigma and teaching about equality of rights

often leads to misunderstandings. Team competition to also build up individual competition has to be

developed in curricula as a smart strategy for contributing to competitive business and personal and

collective progress. Special emphasis has to be put on good team-work practices; coordination,

personal responsibility, communication, emphasis, leadership, etc... (ES)”.

E. Socially Responsible (Ethical) Business

In two reports the problem of social responsibility of business and work appeared. Polish researchers

found that after 20 years of development of liberal economy there is still a gap in development of

responsible attitudes among employees: “It should also prepare students to direct the work of others,

develop the ability to work and cooperate in a team, obtain a sense of responsibility for the quality of

work, respect for property, honesty. (PL)”. Similar problem was encountered by a differently

experienced nation - Spain: “When reaching the most sophisticated business models, services and

experiences, values are of highest importance. Companies are employing Social Responsibility

Programs because they have understood that for performing economically in the long term they also

have to perform socially as members of society. This is not a choice anymore but a need for business.

Integrating values, not only for rights but for performance and responsibility is a key factor for

competitiveness in business. These values are a two-sided – community commitment and personal

commitment – sharing public resources and using them properly and giving the best of oneself,

contributing to public good and having ambition for personal career. (ES)”. Probably in all countries

the mix of both mentioned problems occurs.

F. Others

Scottish Researchers found that “VET at further education and higher education levels is primarily a

foundation and it needs to be a solid one with assessment of hard and soft skills carried out to the

standards employers expect. Beyond that, competences for competitiveness are primarily developed in

the workplace. (UK)” which was confirmed in Polish reports: “However, it is necessary to create a

positive attitude to the whole learning process from the earliest school years - otherwise the system

will not produce any results. (PL)”.

And finally one more very strong observation on the quality of the supply side: “The VET system has

mostly civil servants (Government employees) as employees, from the Educational Departments to the

teachers themselves. This in most cases is a safe, non-competitive surrounding that does not

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necessarily make them acquire the skills needed for business development. Especially in southern

regions like Catalonia recent skills for internationalization are not available in any place in the system,

starting with language skills, international cultural knowledge and authentic experiences abroad. This

is changing by incorporating new generations of teachers to the system that already have these skills

(working abroad, travelling, Erasmus Program), but changing the whole system may take too many

years to integrate these competences into the curricula and teaching methodologies. A special effort

for integrating these internationalization skills has to be made to speed-up this vegetative process.

Teaching in other languages, international exchanges, working experiences in other countries have to

be incorporated in compulsory education. (ES)”

* * *

We have to keep in mind that there is a difference between large companies and SMEs – but not a

significant one when it comes to what is required, only how it is performed.

By no means does the companies’ product innovation exclusively depend on the creation of

proprietary technology and designs in hardware and software. The relationship between the sets of

competences these companies require and the VET system also need to be well understood.

A better circulation of information is required among all stakeholders regarding the indispensable

intellectual and general knowledge , the necessary know-how for making professional profiles evolve,

and increasing the awareness among employees as to the notions of employability and performance at

global level.

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3.2. Recommendations for Policymakers

• Recommendation 1: Business (demand) driven technological skills.

While academic programs for teaching are not incorporating these skills to be transferred we

suggest adapting mixed models like part-time teaching by business-experienced people. The

public authorities both on national and regional levels should be involved in the co-

operation process as a representative of the third (social) side.

• Recommendation 2: Regional driven internationalization of skills.

The regionalization of the curricula and their adaptation to the local labour market requirements

are of utmost importance. Paradoxically, a special effort for integrating internationalization

skills has to be made to speed-up the VET system adaptation process. Teaching in other

languages, international exchanges, working experiences in other countries have to be

incorporated to the compulsory education which makes system robust and much more balanced.

Public bodies have to support positive changes by creating new curricula based on both

approaches – regional and international the same time.

• Recommendation 3: Adaptation to changing environment skills.

Changes in curricula (in the VET system, which is currently attached to public regulations for

public schools) can take years. This will prove, for a long time, that the VET system is going to

be several steps behind the reality of business and the economy. A priority to avoid the loss of

opportunities is to put special emphasis on teaching adaptation to change skills. Public

authorities should support a model of system which remains sensitive to changing

demands and capable of continuous self-development.

• Recommendation 4: Teamwork and other soft skills.

The teamwork has been developed specially in heavily competitive sectors, so teamwork is

directly attached to competition. Special emphasis has to be put on good teamwork practices;

coordination, personal responsibility, communication, emphasis, leadership, etc… Public

bodies as representatives of social side of the discussion should bear in mind that in

modern curricula soft skills and technical knowledge are equally important.

• Recommendation 5: Values.

Ethics at work and in business are still a weak point of education. Companies are employing

Social Responsibility Programs because they understand that for performing economically on a

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long-term they also have to perform socially as members of society. These values are two sided

– community commitment and personal commitment, sharing public resources and using them

properly and giving the best of one-self, contributing to public wellness and having ambition for

personal career. Employees are going to understand such values as responsibility, creativity,

property, etc. Holding the aforementioned values is important not only for undisturbed

employment process, since their significance should be noticed in social life as well.

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4. Appendix 1 – The Best Stories

4.1. Emilia Romagna – Story

The production system of Emilia Romagna is cantered on small and medium-sized companies, but

there are also larger firms that have supported and spread an important technical culture that has

characterized the territory development. Companies are active, vibrant and competitive in international

markets. Moreover, they are pursuing the constant and continuous innovation of their business and

improvement of the business processes. The manufacturing vocation in Emilia Romagna is strong; the

engineering industry plays the most important role, followed by food, textile and leather industries.

However, this reality is not an expression of an organizational culture developed through a paradigm

or model of reference; it is rather a system of companies that grew and developed through mutual

interaction. The companies within the district are used to considering it as a whole and are organized

and behave accordingly in several aspects, such as human resources, skills and training. Thanks to this

practice it is the whole district that expresses the needs and tries to find solutions.

In the past, technical education has been provided by some very skilled technical institutes and by the

presence of one of the oldest universities in Europe. In particular, the Faculty of Engineering, offering

specialization in mechanical and electronic (course of automation), has favoured the development of

three major industrial applications: the mechanical engineering, the machine tools and machinery for

packaging and the ceramic sector.

From the second half of the '90s, there has been a gradual decrease of the technical resources in this

area: technical schools became less attractive due to a series of inappropriate educational reforms and

to a decrease in the level of the technical teaching offered. As a result, the career in the tertiary sector

has become more attractive than a technical career. Knowledge, research and innovation have always

been the key factors of competitiveness of the regional production system. In order to reduce the gap

between the demand and offer of technical resources, recently a number of important trials have been

launched to provide many useful indications for the “revitalization” of local companies. For this

purpose, some priority objectives have been identified:

• Building an attractive educational system for young people in order to increase their

knowledge and basic skills;

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• Promoting the quality of work: a stable and skilled work allows the professional growth and

development and enhances the long-life learning formation. Moreover, an active presence in

organizations is necessary, enabling the reconciliation of life-time and working-time;

• Supporting research and innovation through investment in human capital, which is a

prerequisite to facilitate technology transfer and to accelerate business innovation.

Among these experiments, there are Quadrifoglio Program, Fixo Program and Simpler. The common

features of these experiments are:

• Close collaboration between the company and the school. This is achieved through the supply

of machinery, equipment for workshops and the organization of company visits, internships

and research projects. In the labs, students can practice the concepts learned in the classroom

and acquire a reasonable familiarity with the basic work. This way companies keep up the

laboratories of the schools by providing them with modern machines and are also aware of the

skills that graduates develop. At the same time, not only the student learns a task from the

practical point of view, but he also receives technical training: he is also informed about the

changes introduced over the years and the reasons that led the designers to move in a certain

direction.

• Speeches on monographic themes in schools, given by staff of the company. There are in fact

useful lessons taught by professionals coming from the labour market, which can relate their

experiences and thus arouse the curiosity of young students.

• Upgrading of teachers and technicians of the technical institutes that can, therefore, be aware

of the latest technologies and can transfer their knowledge to students, raising their interest and

motivation.

• A program of appropriate guidance, in order to make the students aware of the future

environment, respecting both the individual attitudes and the future employment possibilities.

The guidance to the technical culture must first be given by families and teachers, who have to

lead the students towards a down-to-earth future.

• Opening pathways to excellence for students, in order to restore the appeal of technical

careers. Thanks to these projects, the students receive a specific training in order to establish a

direct contact with the business realities of Emilia Romagna.

The results of these experiences have been positive – in particular:

• Students of the Quadrifoglio Program, despite this period of crisis in the labour market, found

very interesting employment opportunities and they were very much appreciated by the

companies;

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• Graduates of the new address of Automation Engineering from the University of Bologna are

highly prized in the packaging sector (in some courses of the two-year degree there is a direct

involvement of the university students in the enterprises).

• Some examples of collaboration between companies and students have increased the focus on

innovation and, in some cases, seem to increase the ability to create new businesses.

The elements that help to deliver more effective training programs in line with the demands of

competitiveness of local companies are:

• Highly interactive teaching methodologies, including simulations, role playing, planning

activities that might bring students to the real business context;

• Manual ability, in fact, the inclusion of manual work has the effect of multiplying the

effectiveness of learning processes;

• Entrepreneurship, as the culture of work as “value creation” as opposed to labour as

“performing an activity or a task”. This can be achieved with a theoretical study that retrieves

elements of economics and sociology. It requires a rethinking of the worker role, with great

attention to the concept of customer as a user of a product or a service.

• Creativity, to unleash the potential of the students and stimulate thinking. This is possible

thanks to the inclusion in training activities of the study of various forms of expression.

• Increasing international exchanges with other cultures, promoting language learning and

proposing sessions devoted to the study of cultures that were once considered very remote from

our daily lives, but now increasingly present, though still largely unknown.

• Training in the company, an element that identifies an industrial sector that is not afraid to

invest time and knowledge to provide the bases of a radical leap into the future.

The aim of these experiments is to enhance the area and make it attractive to talented people, maybe

also coming from outside the territory. In order to do this, however, other not strictly industrial aspects

must also be considered; aspects related to the reception of new professionals from different contexts.

Consequently, it appears to be a commitment not only of the field of production, but also of the social

and territorial environment. The boundary conditions are critical and create the necessary substrate to

build something very solid and substantial that would represent a real turning point for the conditions

of local businesses.

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4.2. 1. Whistle Project Liceo Scientifico “Belfiore” Mantova - Story

Liceo Scientifico Statale “Belfiore” di Mantova has approximately 700 students, and a hundred among

teachers, laboratory technicians and administrative personnel…

As well as many other institutes, “Belfiore” included some disciplinary and interdisciplinary activities

in his POF (Piano dell’Offerta Formativa), with the aim to provide the students with useful paths

through which their competences and capacities are developed and enhanced.

Last year, along with this board of activities, an innovative project was started to develop those

individual capacities that are nowadays most asked to both the young people who approach the labor

market and those who intend to go on with the studies. The skills (task carrying out and problem

solving skills) – and, more generally speaking, the capacities – that this project plans to boost are the

following:

Capacity to work in teams;

Creativity and innovation in facing problems;

Taking individual responsibilities and solidarity;

Relating with the environment and the society;

Entrepreneurial and initiative-related capacities.

The ultimate purpose of the project is to foster some greater integration of the components that

nowadays appear as substantially not interrelated: the educational system, the production system, the

social and cultural dynamics of the territorial context.

The achievement of these goals absorbed part of the inner resources of the Institute, involving the

Principal, Teachers, Laboratory structures and, of course, the students, who were not only asked to

benefit from the program, but also to play a main role in the planning stages as well.

Besides the inner resources, the project also involved structures and people from outside the Institute.

Among these there were some firms, artists, centres providing different kinds of social assistance

(such as assistance to disabled), museums and associations. The multiplicity of the involved entities

made it clear to the students – and not only to them – how enriching the contributes coming from the

interrelation of different kinds of resources can be, and also stimulated the very individual effort in

managing the complexity of the project.

The project we are describing represented the ideal prosecution of previous experiences, gained by

Liceo “Belfiore” thanks to projects done in the past years, that brought to a particularly innovative

educational model, once opportunely integrated.

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As often happens, a good program can draw on a casual fact. In our case, Program Whistle was

triggered by a study conducted by Stefano Storti, a Politecnico di Milano student; in his graduation

thesis, he elaborated a Fund raising through People raising project for a rehabilitation and pedagogic

centre in Mantova. The plan suggested a way to involve the students of higher education institutes in a

path of educational and active voluntary experiences made in favor of the centre his thesis talked

about. Program Whistle was born after a meeting between Stefano Storti, Prof.ssa Marina Pini, the

Principal of Liceo “Belfiore” and the Master sculptor Raffaello Repossi. This program identified the

“Bottega Artigianale” as an educational model in line with the Institute objectives of capacity

boosting. This model was chosen because of his value as an example of one of the richest times in

Italian history: the Renaissance. The Bottega (a workshop where activities of craftsmanship such as

painting and sculpture where practiced by a Master Craftsman), besides producing sale-destined

objects, has also always been a school, in which the Master craftsman welcomed the apprentices who

became more and more expert and, in some cases, real Masters, with a Bottega of their own. One of

the key tracts of Whistle is the use of work manual ability as a catalyst, destined to favor the

educational processes and to exercise the capacity of relating and integrating different cognitive

components (mathematics, music, technology, ethnography, and so on The chosen item that would

have been crafted in the Bottega was the clay Whistle, an item that is common to all cultures and

civilizations throughout history. Another reason for choosing the whistle is its relatively simple – but

though not banal – technological content, that allows to teach crafting techniques besides refining the

students’ manual skills.

Whistle program is articulated in a coordinated sequence of project activities that take place

throughout 3 years. The components of the program are the following:

In the first year, the effort is mainly focused on activating a class of students to follow an

educational path leading them to:

Acquire a base knowledge of the product technology and deepen the knowledge of the item

under the guide of some teachers of the Institute, artists and sculpture experts coming from

different cultural and/or territorial areas, and also by visiting museums, participating to

workshops and stages about manufacturing of ceramic and by studying the “culture” the

whistle has in some areas of the country.

Stimulate the introduction of the modeling activities in a very wide board of relations that

leads the students to interact and cooperate with disabilities and, in general, with students of

their same age in practise-work sessions, through which the transfer of technicques, the

involvement and motivation of other people to achieve an economic result (fund raising for

social assistance centres) are experimented. In this phase, the contribute the artists offer also

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consists in the construction and adjustment of work equipment and methods that improve the

product quality and the ability to transfer the techniques also to disabled people.

Confront with different experiences and evaluate the quality of the obtained results. In this last

phase of the first year, event participation and exposition of works at exhibitions allow the

students to measure the progresses they have made, and to gain new stimuli to innovate both

the product and the manufacturing technique.

In the second year, the program introduces in the educational path: a wider product knowledge

and the economic dimension of the activity of the Bottega. During the second year, the activities

are directed to:

Develop a stronger manufacturing ability, refine the crafting technique of the item and gaining

the qualification of “Expert”. The products crafted by the students during the second year are

characterized by a more aware use of both the materials and techniques.

Experiment the capacity to involve and instruct other people, practicing the ability of

establishing relations. In these activities, the Expert students will hold workshops of whistle

ceramics attended by other students (both from Liceo “Belfiore” and from other schools) and

by young people coming from protected residence centers.

Explore the other cultural dimensions of the product (physics if sound, mathematics,

ethnographic, etc.). The purpose of this activity is to promote a more complete understanding

of the components of thought and action.

Deepen the knowledge of the processes of value creation and development of a firm. Students

are involved in projects of value creation, meaning activities aimed at creating items that meet

the requirements of one or more external customer. This activity also intends to let the

necessity of facing the economic matters of value creation arise on the job. In order to respond

to this need, the students are provided one or two seminars in matter of economic (and not

only) value of the activity of a firm.

The third year is the conclusive phase of the program, and is articulated in a sequence of

activities finalized to experiment the externalization of the model of the Bottega. These activities

will include:

A deepening of the net of relations and the search for the opportunities to introduce product

and production process innovations (testing of new materials, sound effect engineering,

experimentations on the shapes and dimensions of the items).

A deepening of the communication (and listening) techniques to develop the students’

attention to the opportunities offered by the surrounding environment. The knowledge related

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to communication represent one of the key competences to start new professional, technical

and economic initiatives.

The autonomous design of an event that will have to achieve both technical-artistic and

economic goals. This activity lets the student face problems related to the search of the

customer and to the organization of the phases of the event preparation.

The student achieves the qualification of “Master” in Whistle Ceramics. The capacity to bring

a new Bottega to life, starting a process of growth leading the student to elaborate an original

product line, should be associated to this award.

The results achieved in the first year of activity have been very positive. The quality of the crafted

items highly exceeded the expectations. The students’ works have been appreciated (and obtained

important awards) in some events at national and international level (“I Portoni di Nove”; “Petusio”

(TO); …; “Marsciano” (PG)). The involvement of some of the students’ parents also occurred; their

support was not just ideal, but also operative in the logistic activities for what concerns the

transportation of the materials. One of the interesting aspects of this program is its capacity to

establish a continuum between all the involved components: the school, firms, society, families, …

This allows the student to gain access to knowledge and experiences that highly stimulate his

potential. The experience depicted is a “pioneer” experience, from which useful indications could be

taken, indications that could probably reflect on the traditional curricula of the school.

4.2.2 Neptuny – (Lombardia)

1. Company description

The company is a leading provider of capacity management and IT performance optimization

solutions based on proprietary software products and consulting services. The major references

include leading companies in different market segments (mainly Telco, Banking, Insurance, Energy,

Retail and Travel) in Europe and US. It was founded in 2000 by academic researchers and consultants

specialized on IT performance optimization. The main founder, actually Chief Executive Officer of

the company, after having worked in designing IT architectures for Sun, HP and Accenture, had the

idea of providing specialized consulting and solutions for optimizing large IT environments and

applications. In 2000, he cofounded Neptuny with the collaboration of a Professor at Politecnico di

Milano, actually in charge as Chief Technology Officer, expert in distributed and parallel computation,

system performance evaluation and capacity planning. Thanks to the initial sponsorship from the

Politecnico di Milano, one of Europe's top technology universities, and a strategic consulting firm, the

company was able to bring together a team of talented IT performance engineers. As Head of R&D

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department a specialist in telecommunications and performance engineering was appointed. The

company started growing at an impressive rate since its foundation, by gaining important customers

(in particular in the Telco and Finance sectors) and increasing its product and service portfolio. In

particular, its flagship product was adopted by major European companies for managing their large

data centres and networks. In 2005, a new professional joined the company bringing a

longstandingconsulting experience for leading companies in government, utilities and financial

services sectors, as he previously was senior manager at Accenture; actually he is the Chief Operative

Officer of the Company.

In 2006, the company, leveraging its expertise and technology, expanded its product portfolio

releasing an innovative content recommendation engine for IPTV providers. It was adopted by a major

European triple-player Telco and shortlisted at the IPTV World Series Awards 2008 at the IPTV

World Forum.

More recently, the company has expanded worldwide with offices in the United Kingdon and United

States, by gaining important customers and by partnering with major vendors and services providers.

The company was awarded as "Cool Vendor in IT Operations 2009" by Gartner Group. The core

activities of the company are based on two departments:

R&D: it develops capacity planning systems for great data-centres and networks infrastructures; it

pays particularly attention to green IT issues and to optimization models for digital media transmission

systems;

Consulting: It supports clients in implementing technologies and processes to optimize informatics

systems for Application Delivery, IT Operations e IT Governance.

1. Performances

Since the foundation, the company is growing at a high rate taking the opportunities offered by the

high-speed development of ICT sector. In such context the complexity of information systems is

necessarily increasing as well as the awareness for the green IT technologies. So the company has

been taking advantages this situation offering efficient solutions able to optimize IT infrastructures. In

the last five years the company has more than doubled its turnover operating mainly in central

European countries, and expending its activity with new offices in London and recently in San

Francisco. Entering the US market surely was a very brave strategic choice, as the new office are

established in the Silicon Valley, where thousands of high technology companies are headquartered. In

that context the company has to face a strong competition, but at the same time it has growth

opportunities that would be unfeasible elsewhere.

2. Key success factors for company’s competitiveness

The CEO of the company asserted that according to his opinion the main success factor is the quality

of the human resources. Other factors, which have given a minor contribute to the company’s success

performances, are the focus on a niche market, an international vision since its foundation and the

strategic alliances at the beginning of the activity. This last aspect certainly took origin from the

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closeness that the company had and has with the Politecnico di Milano, because it has allowed the

company to access to various relevant contacts, competences and resources that have somehow

supported its development. However the company is committed in creating and keeping a stimulant

work environment in an international context, promoting the knowledge sharing and an active

participation among its employees. The most talented employees reach important coordinating roles

after few years they had joined the company.

3. Relationship with VET system

Two top managers of the company are currently Associate Professor at the Electronics and

Information Science Department (DEI) of the Politecnico di Milano. As already asserted, the closeness

with Politecnico di Milano has been playing a fundamental role in enhancing the company’s

competitiveness. Several students each year attended internships in the company in the final part of

Master degree courses and the best ones usually continue to work there after the final dissertation. The

company offers to employees personalized professional development paths, which include on-site and

on-line training modules, participation to international fairs, conferences, seminars, technical

certifications, etc...

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4.3. Poland – Story

The company “Mazel” was established in 1987. This was the date of the Company's entry in the

“Various Craft Guild and Entrepreneurship”. Its original name was “Department of Electric

Installation”. Initially, the company employed five electricians and dealt with electrical installations.

In 1991, the “Department of Electric installation” transformed into the company called “Department of

Multiple Mazel”. It was also the time when the activity was extended, new customers recruited and

work carried out also for the installation of electrical installations for multi-family housing and

utilities. The company's turnover and employment of new staff increased singificantly.

From 1991 to 2001, the company developed, making more contacts and implementing new tasks.

Mazel began working with construction companies. In 1993 the company changed its headquarters

and employed more people dealing with administrative and accounting services. In 2002, during a

recession in the construction market, Mazel decided to transform the company and expand services

exports to eastern markets. The next stage of development was the implementation of the ISO

9001:2001 quality system.

The growing demand for services from the military led to the establishment of the “Chamber of

Secret”. The company has received the recommendation of the Ministry of National Defence. It has

recruited many young engineers whose job was to prepare a complete offer for potential clients. In

2006, the company would employ a staff of over 70 people. All the time Mazel would increase

employment and start a cooperation with investors working in the European Union and on all over the

world. The company expands the work in the industrial sector, the installation of electricity and has

also started a cooperation with the Energy Company. Working with the Energy Company also

consisted of designing and building energy infrastructure for the newly established industrial zones.

“Mazel” works in the area of economic activity in Zielona Gora and Kostrzyn–Slubice Special

Economic Zone in Nowa Sol. Since February 2010 it has had the new headquarters. In 2007 the

Departments of Design for general construction, energy and military facilities have developed, as well

as further growth in employment occurred, with 120 people hired. Current market demand led to a

decision about the development of departments of design, automation department, workshop and

supply department. Currently the company employs over 160 employees.

The company's mission, reflected in all activities, is: “Achieving customer satisfaction through the

implementation of comprehensive high quality services, which are the pillars of competence and

creativity of our employees”. In addition to the implemented ISO (9001:2000) consecutive positive

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recertification, in 2010 the SCC system was implemented. The company “Mazel” has: European

Medal, Certificate, “Reliable Partner” and “Business Gazelle”, granted in 2007 and 2009. On 2nd of

June 2009, the company received the title “Ambassador of the Polish Economy 2009”.

Active development also takes place due to investing in human capital through training and permanent

implementation of EU projects. Mazel implements the European Project which founded the new

company headquarters in Nowa Sol (fully equipped with intelligent building) – The National Strategy

of Regional Cohesion LRPO 2007–2013 (Lubuski Regional Operational Programme) under the

European Regional Development Fund.

The currently executed project is the Human Capital National Cohesion Strategy – a project whose

aim is to “increase quality and competitiveness of services provided through the development of

competence and professional qualifications of the company Mazel MH Mazurkiewicz sp.j.”. The

project is directed to all employees and takes 2 years. The company co-operates with universities from

the region of Lubuskie – the University of Zielona Gora and the State Higher Vocational School in

Sulechow to educate high quality engineers. Employees are co-creators of one of the issues of

electricity and co-operation classes for students.

Within the framework of pedagogical innovations the umbrella class, “Mazel” in the Vocational

Secondary School No. 1 “Electrician” in Nowa Sol was established. All activities are directed to and

for people who want to develop and train whatever their age and level of education at the time of

starting the work for the company. In future, all educational activities undertaken will be continued,

and for their implementation new technologies that enable the transmission and preservation of

knowledge will be used.

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4.4. UK - Story - SME innovation: hardware products

The Scottish company base features many small companies producing original, innovative hardware

products and bringing them to the market. Product types include:

• instruments for transport, laboratory, and medical applications

• medical and surgical equipment, medical devices, prosthetics and other healthcare products

• digital imaging and imaging systems e.g. for security and surveillance

Sales are mainly business-to-business with a small amount of business-to-consumer activity in

healthcare.

For these companies to become established and compete in international markets, the highest levels of

competence, performance and adaptability across all aspects of the business are required. The broad

areas of business competence and performance are:

• Understanding market opportunity and producing a winning solution

• Designing, developing and testing products, with applied research if required

• Managing supply chains

• Developing channels to market and the approach to product management

• Surviving setbacks and downturns

Nowadays, with manufacturing investment mainly being made in lower cost locations, even recent

start-ups may contract with Chinese factories. Company growth in Scotland is therefore generally

limited by the size of the non-manufacturing functions the directors choose to locate there.

Nevertheless, some product innovators manufacture at least on a small scale at home or subcontract

within Scotland to suppliers within easy reach. Others may subcontract the manufacturing of

components and subsystems but do the final assembly of complex products under direct control at

home.

Under the leadership and entrepreneurship of the SME company directors, the product development

process requires experienced staff with mastery of the relevant technical disciplines, typically

electrical/electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, software engineering, applied physics and

industrial design.

When recruiting, companies typically look for technical excellence coupled with:

• Ability to integrate across disciplines

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• Problem solving – ability to apply knowledge to achieve company goals

• Team working – within and across disciplines

• Communication – clear, concise and appropriate to the situation

• International orientation – e.g. from education, experience and personal outlook

Hardware product SMEs depend on a supply of highly educated graduate engineers/MScs/PhDs

strating careers in product development and gaining a minimum of two years’ relevant industrial

experience elsewhere. So their ability to recruit the talent they need depends a lot on what is going on

in the wider industrial system in which they operate.

Companies see the transition from HEI and early professional formation in the workplace as critical.

SMEs will generally not take on the cost, supervisory requirements and risk of deploying

inexperienced engineers. However, in the case of software, if there is a shortage of candidates with the

desired software skills, they may take in graduates provided they have the aptitude and adaptability

required. They strongly prefer raw candidates to have completed an industrial placement during their

studies.

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4.5. UK – Story of Further Education – Engineering

Progressive engineering departments in Scottish Further Education Colleges are thoroughly modern

and likely to rank among the best in Europe.

Course curricula have been overhauled in close consultation with employers. Major investments have

been made in new or upgraded facilities with the support of college governing boards, companies,

philanthropic donations and investment by the Scottish government via the Scottish Funding Council.

These transformations have succeeded because of the quality of leadership, culture change, access to

adequate resources and a thoroughly business-like approach.

The scope of educational activity undertaken ranges from liaison with schools and access courses to

encourage the uptake of opportunities in engineering to supporting long-term company workforce

development. The mainstream education and training provided ranges from entry level (Performing

Engineering Operations) to higher diplomas providing direct entry into the second or third year of

university degree courses. In the post 16 age group it can often be beneficial for young people to

continue their education in a more adult and vocational environment rather than stay on at school.

Education and training is delivered in modern facilities as close to industry standard as possible.

Training, both of apprentices and more experienced company staff may, where appropriate and by

arrangement, be carried out on company premises and on company equipment. Teaching practice is

aligned with modern industrial practice. Digital technologies are increasingly used in communication

with students and employers, providing better access to educational material, course delivery and

course management methods. Employers may be given access to college systems for ease of

monitoring the progress of their trainees.

Large companies (e.g. defence contractors) are now confident that they can outsource their training

requirements and have closed their in-house training departments. They now rely on their local college

for job ready recruits and in-service training. Effective work by the colleges has helped companies

reduce training overheads, shorten training time, improve the utilisation of slack time for training

purposes and cut costs.

Large companies set the entry qualifications for engineering apprenticeships at close to or at the entry

qualifications for degree courses. Apprentices who perform well may be selected for progression on to

degree courses while continuing to be employed by the company. The numbers recruited at graduate

level are small compared with the large graduate training programmes of the past.

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The heads of departments place great emphasis on developing and maintaining their relationships with

companies at staff and corporate level. They have developed effective practices to ensure that staff

keep their knowledge of industry up-to-date in a rapidly changing world and update their teaching

practice accordingly. As a result the staff are extremely well-informed about the companies and

industries they serve. Company directors now sit on college governing boards.

The reputation the best departments have gained with large companies has had an important effect on

their ability to gain the confidence of SMEs in the quality and value for money of what they provide.

As a result, the best departments may attract company trainees from outside their local catchment area.

They may also increase the number of apprentices taken on by smaller engineering employers by

reducing the time, effort and risk associated with recruitment.

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4.6. Spain – Story

The company we have chosen has a relevant public impact on the VET system, that is why we point it

as the “best story” on build up competences for a competitive company.

The company is on HVAC manufacturing. It was started during the ‘50’s by two young engineering

students. On their trips to Barcelona to study they started a long-term relationship. They founded a

company to manufacture valves. On that time, Catalonia's economic system was isolated from the

world because of the dictatorship (autarky) and valves were a need for the re-industrialization. They

evolved to manufacture electrical motors and fans.

One of them took responsibility for the process and the other for the market. Even though they were

technicians, they understood the mechanics of the business and market. The market was growing fast

but competences for manufacturing exportable products were rare, not only because of being located

in Catalonia, but also because of the remoteness of the area.

They started an in-house school in the ‘60’s where people could take classes and work in the same

company. Their responsibility for growth and community wellness (what today we call Social

Responsibility) was innovative at that time. Instead of building colonies like during the textile

revolution, they founded a cooperative for building apartments in the city for the workers, raising

funds for health care and so on.

In the entrepreneurship and growing strategies in the ‘70’s they used what we today call spin-off's.

Where they could identify a process that could grow better, faster and win customers for the company,

they used to select best workers and make them businessman and owners of new companies and

transferred these processes outside. The result was spectacular – a good company surrounding,

competitive by itself and result-oriented in each business centre.

The in-house school lost significance when the public system started providing technical skills not

only for this company but for all the companies in the country in the ‘70's. Then the company shut

down the school and started its internationalization process.

Nowadays the company has facilities in Europe, Asia, North and South America and a 19% margin for

traditional manufacturing goods.

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Their commitment to community and reconnaissance to the workers that helped them to build up the

group has crossed their own lives. One of the founders gave his entire heritage to a Foundation that

bears his name with a three-axis mission: create a brand new school with state-of-the art machinery, a

business centre for creating new companies, and a technological centre. This is today a reality with a

150 students/year school, more than 50 companies creation supported and a Tech Centre with more

than 1,5M€ turnover. The other founder is still alive and has created another foundation not for

helping economic development but for thanking the workers in another way – by building a third age

centre were former workers can participate in language classes, artistic skills classes, gymnastics and

other activities.

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5. Appendix 2 – Consortium Partners

5.1. Partner 1. Co-ordinator

The FONDAZIONE ALDINI VALERIANI (FAV) is a private, non-profit institution set up by

Bologna City Council, the Bologna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Craft and Agriculture, and the

Industrial Association of Bologna and it is located next to the Istituti Aldini Valeriani, which has been

one of the Bologna’s leading technical schools for over 150 years. Thanks to a close relationship with

the local industrial community, the FAV is recognised as a centre of excellence (for advanced

mechanics, multi-media, audio-visual technologies) and as a point of reference in the Emilia-Romagna

region for the development of technical culture. Consequently, its main activities are the design and

realisation of training and research projects.

The FONDAZIONE ALDINI VALERIANI as both applicant and coordinating organisation was

responsible for the overall Management and organisation of the project (WP-1), so it was directly

involved in all the mandatory transversal WPs. It served as a fulcrum, ensuring project coordination

through joint agreements with all partners on the aims of the research project, monitoring the progress

of activities, overseeing all financial and budget issues, drafting the periodic reports for the EACEA,

and encouraging the development of personal and professional trust within the partner network.

FAV also coordinated the organisation of the trans-national meetings in close collaboration with the

host partner.

FAV was responsible for the WP-3 “Research design and planning”. The work programme involves

the definition, organization and management of all partner resources in order to reach specific outputs.

Key activities therefore include: analysis of phases, levels and interactions between phases and timing;

identification of indicators able to evaluate and monitor the object of analysis; design of the analytical

model for survey methodologies, methods, tools and techniques; specification of survey techniques

and target population to interview; design of research/survey tools; choice of interview methods, guide

lines for submitting personal interviews and questionnaires for the use of investigators, design of data

collection and process criteria, definition of data interpretation and phenomenological framework;

compilation of desk analysis and Field research report summary

Website: www.fav.it

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5.2. Partner 2.

Alintec is an institution promoted by Assolombarda, Milan Chamber of Commerce and Fondazione

Politecnico di Milano, with the statutory mission to foster and support research and technology

transfer projects involving universities and industries, with a special focus on SMEs.

Being a “technology integrator” by mission and partner of the Innovation Relay Centre Network since

its creation, Alintec has always promoted the importance of adding a transnational dimension to the

innovation projects carried out by its clients and partner institutions (local technology providers,

companies and research centres).

Furthermore, Alintec takes advantage of its contiguity to the Department of Management of

Politecnico di Milano to exploit cutting edge methodologies and tools to support and stimulate the

capacity of firms to innovate in an international environment, like technology marketing, inventive

problem solving, open innovation, innovation by design.

The role of Alintec in the C4C project was twofold: on the one hand, it participated in all the WPs

concerning the research, especially in the collection of information from the identified sample

(industries, SMEs and research and innovation centres) and its subsequent analysis, for Italy. On the

other hand, it was responsible for transmitting the project outputs/outcomes to relevant bodies for

further implementation.

During the first step Alintec dealt with the collection of information from the sample representatives to

find out their needs concerning technical competences and, in general, professional profiles for the

coming years. Over the years, Alintec has created an important network of industrial contacts, which

certainly facilitated communication and collaboration with the addressees of this research, especially

for WP-3 and WP-4. This information was then thoroughly analysed to give valuable input to the

relevant policy makers.

Thanks to its broad collaboration with the academic environment of the Lombardy region and with the

regional policy makers, Alintec contributed to the conveying of the project’s results and suggestions,

making sure that the output of analysis reaches the right decision makers and the outcome of the

analyses has good chances of consideration when setting up the instruction paths in the coming years.

Website: www.alintec.it

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5.3. Partner 3.

The INNOVA company was established in May 2007. The main areas of its activity are trainings and

consulting on technology and production organization and innovation. Its offer is addressed to

businesses, research and development centres and to local government units. Additionally, it offers a

wide range of trainings in various forms and on various subjects. It has many years of experience as

trainers and consultants, e.g. trainings for National Innovation Network – Polish Agency of Industrial

Development. Company has former international cooperation experience: it acted as a partner in the

EU tender entitled “ERA co-ordination initiative in the field of Networked Enterprise”. INNOVA is

the Formal Partner of: Technology Park KGHM LETIA and Wroclaw Research Centre EIT+.

In the C4C project, the INNOVA was responsible for WP-5, so it coordinated all the activities

finalized to carry out the “Field analysis on Competences for competitiveness” following the

Methodological Research Plan established in WP-3, managed by FAV, and in accordance and

coordination with WP4 findings.

INNOVA was responsible for the management of the budget for its assigned activities and it was a

member of the project governance organs, Steering Committee and Scientific Committee,

collaborating to determine and ensure the achievements of the WP5 and of the overall project

objectives and success, and the good progress of work, in full observance of the quality issues

established by QA&E (WP-2).

It also contributed to the collection of information from the identified sample (industries, SMEs and

research and innovation centres) for WP-3 and its subsequent analysis for Poland. As all the other

partners, it will transmit the project outputs/outcomes to relevant bodies and authorities for their

further implementation in the Polish VET system.

Website: www.innovaconsulting.pl

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5.4. Partner 4.

Auxilium is a non-profit association active in research and development in the field of education,

vocational training and regional development. The association is located in Graz, Austria and it has

very strong links with Hungary, Slovenia and Italy.

Its activities lie mainly in the implementation of regional development activities and knowledge

transfer on a research and training basis, focusing on the scientific evaluation and interpretation of

methodological approaches and didactic materials in vocational and general adult education. The

members of Auxilium have extensive experience in the evaluation of training and education projects

within different programmes in Europe thanks to many years of co-operation with social partners,

training organisations, local, regional, national and transnational partners, public and private entities.

One important focus point of our work is the evaluation and quality assurance of European projects

where our experts rely on scientific methods and broad experience resulting from our project work

(CBE Method). The evaluation and quality assurance method is based on a triangular approach on the

three dimensions of evaluation (Product – Process – Impact).

In the C4C research project, Auxilium acted as a lead partner for the WP-2 “Research Quality

Management and evaluation”. The main tasks of the partner was to setup the Evaluation Team and

define the quality strategy and its implementation and quality management measures for the entire

duration of the project, together with the coordinator. This organisation supported management and

decision processes of the coordinator based on scientific evaluation of different aspects tied to this

project. The evaluation strategy selected by Auxilium focuses on the analyses of three different areas -

the process level with all management and communication aspects in the consortium (the product

level, i.e. the outputs developed in the aim of the project) and the impact level which aims to check

that the initial research goals effectively have the expected impact on the target groups (outcomes

analysis). Auxilium was responsible for the design and planning of the “Quality Assurance and

Evaluation Plan” and the “Assurance and Evaluation indicators”, and for the drawing up of the QA&E

interim and final reports.

Website: www.auxilium.co

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5.5. Partner 5.

Université Paris13 is a multidisciplinary university offering university education to approx. 23 000

students. It applies the Bologna process and it is involved in numerous cooperation programmes for

student and teaching staff exchange (awarded the quality label pertaining to the Erasmus University

Charter).

The university has 140 cooperation agreements with universities outside France and is part of a

network of research centres set up by the EU and supported by the Greater Paris Region.

The University houses 33 research laboratories, 13 of which are accredited by the CNRS (National

Scientific Research Centre) and INSERM (National Institute for Health and Medical Research).

University Paris 13 is one of five French universities selected by the Ministry of Higher Education to

take part in an experiment on the concept of SAIC (Industrial and commercial service exchanges, a

transfer of knowledge system).

Presently the University manages 145 research contracts for a total budget of €4 M.

The Université Paris 13 was the lead partner for WP-4 “Desk analysis” on Competences for

Competitiveness, organising and coordinating the data and information collection from the 6 countries

(IT, FR, PL, ES, SE, UK) according with the Methodological Research Plan. UPN research staff also

managed the national desk research on the French context.

UPN designated a Desk Research Leader whose task was the prompt communication with researchers

designated in each country (and composing the RT) and with SA and SC. It was also responsible for

the collection of the Desk analysis countries report and of the Drawing up of the Desk Research on

Competences for Competitiveness final document.

Website: www.univ-paris13.fr

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5.6. Partner 6.

Centek was founded 1983 to establish direct links between the University and the outside community

in Sweden and internationally. Centek´s business concept covers knowledge and capacity to promote

regional development and problem solving. Centek is specialised in higher education programmes,

development projects, business incubation, innovation and commercialisation. Its two core business

areas are oriented towards professional training and business development.

It facilitates the link between the University´s resources and the commercial/industrial sector and

public sector organisations by acting as a contact interface. It promotes business development and new

company establishment in conjunction with Luleå University of Technology by providing skills and

training adapted to specific needs.

Centek was the coordinator in the Innovation Relay Centre (IRC) of Northern Sweden (concurrent:

Enterprise Europe Network), and also coordinates SINCERE, a FP6 e-Health project.

In the C4C project, AB CENTEK was the lead partner for the exploitation actions, WP-7, in order to

raise interest in the results of this research and coordinate the transfer of successful project results and

outcomes to appropriate decision makers in the local and regional VET systems of each partner

involved in the project, and to try to ensure that the outcomes of the analyses have good chances of

being taken into consideration when future instruction paths are decided.

AB CENTEK was a member of the project governance organs, and will collaborate to determine and

ensure the achievements of the WP-7 and of the overall project objectives, and the good progress of

works, in full observance of the quality issues (by QA&E WP)

It also contributed to collecting data and information as set up in the Methodological Research Plan,

both for the desk and the field analysis on Competences for competitiveness in industries, research and

innovation transfer centres in Sweden and in the Swedish VET system. As all the other partners, the

organisation followed the dissemination for their further implementation of the project

outputs/outcomes to relevant local bodies and authorities.

Website: www.centek.se

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5.7. Partner 7.

CYBERALL-Access is a premier developer of innovative hardware and software solutions for the

elderly and for people with disabilities. Its close links to many hospitals, public authorities, special

education and training institutions as well as rehabilitation centres all over Europe helps foster close

research, teaching and testing relationships with these facilities.

CYBERALL-Access’s areas of expertise highlight a unique combination of skills in information

technology, disability policy and services, quantitative and qualitative research, user requirement

analysis, project management, and conference management. Drawing on these proficiencies,

CYBERALL-ACCESS aims at becoming a leading expert in the cutting-edge area of accessible

technology and dissemination. We support full accessibility to all existing technologies in all fields,

such as telephony, environmental control, verbal and written communication, Internet, fax, e-mail,

SMS, DVD, Audio & Video, virtual reality, business solutions, web, games, etc…

CYBERALL-Access was responsible for the activities related to the WP-6 “Dissemination” and for

the organisation of the Limassol Trasnational Meeting.

CYBERALL-Access staff participated in all the necessary transnational meetings in order to present,

firstly, a basic website useful for first information about C4C research project, then to implement and

update it with data, results, outcomes coming from interim report of the SC and TSC, QA&E reports

form ET and all the intermediate and final results and issues coming from Desk Analysis and Field

research on Competences for Competitiveness.

Website: www.cyberall-access.com

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5.8. Partner 8.

L’ Escola del Treball del Ripollès (ETR) is a vocational training centre that also offers continuous and

occupational education. The ETR is specialized in mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering

with a recognized standard equal to educational institutes and polytechnics throughout Europe. This

vocational training scope is to offer three higher degrees: Production Using Automation and

Mechanisation, Mechanical Project Design and Electronics Product Design.

The school is part of The Eduard Soler Foundation, a non-profit organisation whose goals and

objectives are to provide technical support and spread technical culture in and around the Ripollès

region through its three units: The Escola del Treball del Ripollès (Eduard Soler Technical Institute of

Ripollès), the Centre for Project and Innovation (CTES), and a Metallurgic Research Centre. The

high-tech equipment used in the three parts of the foundation is of the latest generation. The

distinguishing factor of this investment is the focus on enterprisers, employees, technicians, engineers

and trainers for continuous improvement and sustainability.

ETR will be involved in all the WPs, providing a contribution to the design and planning of the

framework of the research (WP-3), collecting data and information as set up in the Methodological

Research Plan for both the desk (WP-4) and the field analysis (WP5) on Competences for

Competitiveness in the Catalonian industrial and VET systems, by virtue of its close relation with

research and innovation transfer centres and relevant bodies in the local area.

As all the partners, Escola del Treball del Ripollès was responsible for the management of the budget

for its assigned activities. It was a member of the project governance organs and collaborated to

determine and ensure the achievements of the project objectives, and the good progress of work, in full

observance of the quality issues (WP-1, WP-2).

Furthermore, ETR took care of disseminating the project outputs/outcomes to relevant bodies and

authorities in Catalonia for their further implementation. (WP-6, WP-7)

Website: www.fes.cat

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5.9. Partner 9.

Glasgow Caledonian University is a technical university with 15,000 students. It has close links with

local industry which are supported by consultancies, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and work-

based learning courses, in addition to a full portfolio of traditional degree/master/PhD programmes in

the areas of engineering, computing, business, construction and health.

The School derives much of its income from applied research. Of the 3 million pounds secured by

computing research activities over the past 3 years, a third came from industrial or industrial related

sources (e.g. KTP). Just under a third (950k) came from government funding sources and the rest from

research council and European grants.

The school supports the following research groups: Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing Research

Group; Networking and Grid Research Group (NGR); Interaction Design Research Group (IDR); The

High Voltage and Insulation Diagnostics Group (HVIDG) ; Product & Materials Technology Group

(PMTG); Surface Engineering; Design and Manufacturing Optimisation; Research in Process

Efficiency and Optimisation (PEO) (Multiphase flow (air/solids)); Centre for Industrial Bulk Solids

Handling

GCU team supported the project by providing expertise in computing, engineering (electrical and

mechanical), manufacturing and design. There is research experience in distance learning (video

conference etc), virtual teams (teams working electronically separated over distance and time),

environmental issues in design and SME development.

Website: www.gcal.ac.uk

Documents

“COMPETENCES for COMPETITIVENESS” Desk and Field …innovaconsulting.pl/wp-content/uploads/C4C-Final-Publication.pdf · "C4C - European Research on Competences for Competitiveness"