ABOUT THE PROJECT
Project Title: GO GREEN: Supporting the acquisition of Green Skills in VET through work based learning
No. 2022-1-NL01-KA220-VET-000089335
Implementation period: 01/11/2022 – 31/10/2024 (24 months)
GO GREEN is an Erasmus+ KA2 Strategic Partnerships project, focused on the development of innovation for Vocational Education and Training.
Education and training is a central component to achieving the European Green Deal, as it can contribute to the overcoming of the climate and environmental threats in the future and thus help in transforming the EU into a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy.
The European Union has targeted delivering the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and combating Climate Change, as well as promoting European education systems that are capable of supporting these aims. These changes are already pushing a whole new skill set, from technical to soft/transversal skills.
Following successful initiatives to foster competence-based education for lifelong learning in the past years, the Commission has developed the European Sustainability Competence Framework, GreenComp, as announced in the European Green Deal. The Member States of the European Union have already begun incorporating sustainability concepts into academic and vocational curricula.
According to the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), green skills, environmental responsibility and sustainable development should be integrated transversally within the learning outcomes (knowledge, skills, attitudes and values) of the formal, informal and non-formal learning of all age learners in every educational sector, in apprenticeships, and in employee training schemes within and beyond the green sectors.
Furthermore, it stresses that Member States should put in place comprehensive policies and funding to support teachers’ and trainers’ initial and continuous professional development on environmental protection as a transversal topic for teachers across all subjects and levels and types of education and training, as well as specific training on green skills and competences.
In July 2020, the European Commission, through the renewed European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) called for new commitments on digital and green apprenticeships, focusing on the economic sectors that will be at the front line of the transition to a climate-neutral Europe.
The need for this project is called upon by the need to react quickly and prepare educators to teach and train learners in response to the needs of the job market. VET is a favourable field where business and education work closely in collaboration and prepare the apprentices for the new skills and requirements. Thus, innovation happens faster there as managers and teachers and mentors exchange experience and ideas, too.
Building on this work, GreenComp can support all educators and learners in embedding environmental sustainability topics and green skills into work-based learning and apprenticeships.