Global Skills Ledger Ltd is a key partner in an Erasmus+ project which will see the development and implementation of a new careers guidance system and a comprehensive modularised online training programme for the Furniture sector in Turkey.
From Monday 20th to Friday 24th March 2017, a delegation from Turkish education institutes completed a comprehensive training programme in the UK. It was designed and delivered by Global Skills Ledger’s training and assessment expert, Andy Rotherham and hosted by Didac’s Woodwise Academy in Bristol.
The training was aimed at supporting the preparation and development of training modules and professional competencies. It included:
- Creating industry-based professional occupational skills standards and competencies.
- Developing curriculum to meet current and changing needs of the workforce, whilst being linked to national curriculum outcomes.
- Creating an advanced and dynamic eco-system for effective skills development within the local, regional and national context.
- Developing and implementing professional accreditation that will support life-long learning.
- Increasing employer involvement through effective employer engagement.
“The Erasmus+ training at Didac’s Woodwise Academy, Bristol, was a pleasure to deliver. It is always good to work with communicative and inquisitive delegations and this group from Turkey, were no exception. The delegates were particularly interested in the practical aspects of the UK model for assessment – the demonstrations and exercises for which were discussed in considerable detail.” Said Andy Rotherham, Global Skills Ledger’s Training And Assessment Expert.
This exciting Furniture project, funded through the EU, aims to develop and provide an holistic approach to the education process so that there is significant improvement in Technical and Vocational Education and Training for the Furniture industries. A key focus will be around helping students into employment, providing careers advice and counselling, and the achievement of industry developed professional competences through a renewed curriculum.
The project will provide a lifelong careers service referenced to European standards. To this end, it will help graduates find long term sustainable jobs within the Furniture sector. But more than this, it will continue to support their workplace development and career progression longer term.
The project’s resulting online system will match and compare the achievements of graduates against the professional competence expectations and standards of the sector. On the e-employment portal, students will see all the competencies that are required and will be advised on how they can close any identified skills gaps – the training programmes for which will also be available at the touch of a button!
60 furniture and interior design training instructors and 20 careers counsellors from 30 vocational institutions around Kayseri will use the new programmes to support over 1500 students within this 3 year project. Longer term, it is designed to disseminate and scale up the system for national use.
“There are 3500 companies in the furniture sector, located within what is known as the Kayseri Organized Industrial Zone. Most of these companies struggle to get enough of the right applicants to fill the available vacancies. To compound this, many of the applicants do not have the basic technical skills required, let alone the intermediate or advanced skills, to successfully operate at a competent level.” Said Jonathan Ledger, CEO of Global Skills Ledger.
Ledger added “Through this project we will create the right infrastructure that will encourage and guide more applicants into the many career opportunities within the Kayseri Furniture sector and to ensure they have the right skills and competencies that employers need.”
Other project partners include:
- Kayseri OSB METEM from Turkey
- MEB Mesleki ve Teknik Egitim Genel Mudurlugu from Turkey
- Hacettepe Universities from Turkey
- Erciyes Universitesi Kayseri MYO from Turkey
- Kayseri Organize Sanayi Bölgesi from Turkey
- Didac Limited from the UK
- BEST Institut GmbH from Austria
- Inercia Digital from Spain
Contact us for more information about how Global Skills Ledger can support your skills development needs.
Didac Limited, who operate the Woodwise Academy in Bristol are a specialist training provider, delivering bespoke training and support programmes to industry, including the Furniture, Wood and Merchanting Sectors.