European Project „Practice Is Future”, Important Contribution to the Development of the Skills of Students and Improvement of Insertion to Labour Market in Advanced Engineering Fields
EUROPEAN PROJECT „PRACTICE IS FUTURE”, IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SKILLS OF STUDENTS AND IMPROVEMENT OF INSERTION TO LABOUR MARKET IN ADVANCED ENGINEERING FIELDS Octavia Căruntu, Romanian Review Precision Mechanics, Optics and Mechatronics, CEFIN Publishing House Abstract - In the current economic climate, economic and social challenges faced by Romania require that academia plays an important point, namely preparing graduates able to quickly integrate to the labour market and economic environment that needs specialists capable of mobility and continuous adaptation to change. The European project "Practice is future" addresses the need for training and improving the skills of students enrolled in technical universities, thus answering the real needs of the labour market. The project is co-financed by European Social Fund through Sectorial Operational Programme Human Resources Development 2007 - 2013, Priority Axis 2 - "Linking lifelong learning and labour market", Key Area of Intervention 2.1 - "Transition from school to work". Keywords: insertion to labour market, skills of students, high-tech fields.
1. Introduction The main element in the socio-economic development of any country is the human potential. One of the three proposed priorities of the Europe 2020 Strategy is inclusive growth: promoting an economy with a high rate of employment, able to ensure economic, social and territorial cohesion. In Romania, one of the main issues related to human capital is the relationship between school, as the main form of human capital, and labour market. It is crucial to solve the problems of the extent to which higher education institutions fail to keep pace with the rapid changes in the labour market and whether graduates are able to adapt to the existing socioeconomic context. The European project "Practice is future" aims to prepare students for employment through work skills development in areas of advanced engineering and by improving access to the labour market for 400 students in the Bucharest-Ilfov region, in a period of 18 months, starting with September 25th, 2014. Planned activities and events are aimed at achieving specific objectives, namely shedding information on opportunities for professional career development for 400 people, offering vocational guidance and counselling to 400 people, in order to choose the appropriate career path, organizing 8 study visits, and professional counselling for 200 people, and facilitating the transition from school to labour market, and organizing practical training courses for 400 people.
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According to the presentation of the project manager, prof. PhD Gheorghe Gheorghe, at a seminar organized by the project consortium, starting from April to September, 2014, 114 people were selected for counselling and guidance form and they have already benefited from a session of information and counselling; 46 auxiliary materials have already been distributed and three visits have been already made. Also, in the course of conduct of practical training within the project, 91 practice agreements were concluded, 182 auxiliary materials were distributed, and 91 persons were assisted in the transition from practice to active life.
The Romanian Review Precision Mechanics, Optics & Mechatronics, 2014, No. 46
European Project „Practice Is Future”, Important Contribution to the Development of the Skills of Students and Improvement of Insertion to Labour Market in Advanced Engineering Fields The first information seminar was held on October 17th, 2014 at the precincts of «Lumina» Foundation, at Aula Magna, and was attended by 102 participants, students at technical universities, professors, research experts, private companies and
transfer centres in Bucharest - Ilfov Region. Mrs. Liliana Daniela Ciobanu - Director CNDIPTOIPOSDRU, from Intermediate Body for Sectorial Operational Programme Human Resources Development (HRD) - CNDIPT-OIPOSDRU, attended.
The presentations and discussions proposed by the agenda event created a clear picture of the HRD programme and helped the audience participant become familiar with the activities and objectives. Debates like "Facilitating the transition from school to work", "The importance of improving labour market insertion for easier insertion and integration of students into the labour market", and public interventions, helped the project team to adapt the project implementation strategy to the actual needs of the target group. Speakers at the seminar were provided by partner institutions: PhD Eng. Gheorghe Gheorghe - Project Manager, president of «APROMECA» Professional Association, Victor Constantin Dunca, Deputy President of «APROMECA» Professional Association, Eng. Aurel Zapciu, form the National Institute of Research and Development in Mechatronics and Measurement Technique, PhD Eng. Constantin Nitu, from the „Politehnica” University of Bucharest, Computer Science Lecturer PhD Eng. Alexandru - George Cioacă, from «Lumina» Foundation Educational Institutions. The project will be implemented by the Professional Association of Romanian Employers’ in the Industry of Precision Mechanics, Optics and Mechatronics - «APROMECA», in partnership with the National Institute of Research and Development in
Mechatronics and Measurement Technique (INCDMTM), „Politehnica” University of Bucharest Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, and Mechatronics and «Lumina» Foundation Educational Institutions. The total project budget is 2,162,883.35 lei, of which the eligible amount of the grant awarded by the ESF is 87.86% (i.e. 1,862,303.12 lei); the eligible amount of the grant awarded from the National Budget is 12.14% (i.e. 257,322.56 lei), and the beneficiary eligible contribution is of 2% (i.e. 43257.67 lei). At the end of the implementation period, the target group will benefit from a number of advantages, such as knowledge of the labour market, acquiring real knowledge about labour market requirements by linking theoretical and practical knowledge, ensuring the synergy between the individual skills, education, and theoretical practice, facilitating insertion of the students through their careers adequate knowledge, creating awareness of future job responsibilities. The project will have a significant impact on economic growth and labour market development, by improving the quality of human resources performance, the competence „intake”, and will increase and support economic performance of graduates in the labour market insertion by: choosing career path, making the right decision in choosing a career, facilitating the transition to work, and integration of young graduates.
The Romanian Review Precision Mechanics, Optics & Mechatronics, 2014, No. 46
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