The EP4A Capacity Building Study Visit was held from the 27th March 2017 to 31st March 2017. The Study Visit was hosted by Rinova Limited, EP4A project partner from the UK. In total, 19 participants took part in the Study Visit: 7 from Croatia, 6 from Slovakia and 6 from Serbia. The objectives of the Study Visit were: to enhance current skills and knowledge of relevant human resources in Croatia, Slovakia and Serbia, to support the building and workings of Apprenticeship Partnerships and to enable them to effectively reach out to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Study Visit participants had the opportunity to visit and hear presentations from different organisations which offer apprenticeship related services, such as 15bilion-ebp (an Education Business Partnership), Middleton Murray, Careerwise, Fashion Enter and Mr Jamie Stevenson, director of Business Partnerships at the South Thames College.
The participants will further enhance their knowledge through national Advocacy Training Workshops, which are planned for May 2017, and will use this knowledge for future Apprenticeships Attractiveness Campaign activities, especially for their work on help-desk lines, as well as planned workshops, round tables and meetings with the aim to establish Apprenticeship Partnerships. The UK apprenticeship system is different from the apprenticeship system participants were acquainted to so, within the Study Visit, they have acquired numerous insights how to approach SMEs and apprentices in order to increase the number of apprenticeship places. The participants had lots of questions which were answered readily by experts. Participants will apply and further enhance acquired insights at planned workshops.
The 2nd Partners’ meeting was held in pursuance of the Study Visit to London. Among other things, partners participated in presentations and discussion about Work Package 1 research results and discussion about the Synthesis Report and Good Practices Handbook. Partners’ representatives discussed planned and conducted activities for every work package. Also, during the meeting, the Project Management Committee and Quality Assurance Experts meetings were held.
