Can you give us a brief overview of BBP's key progress and achievements, especially in light of the challenges posed by the Russian war of aggression?
When we started our project in 2020, we could not have imagined that the Corona pandemic, which transferred almost all of our project activities to an online format, would not be the biggest obstacle we would encounter. The year 2022, which became a dramatic turning point in the history of Ukraine due to Russia's brutal military attack, led to enormous challenges in the education sector across Ukraine: interruption of the teaching process, mass destruction of infrastructure, security situations due to missile attacks, power and heating outages ... and last but not least, emotional and psychological exhaustion of students and educational staff. Our project training courses are also repeatedly interrupted or paused by air raid alerts.
Despite the strain and the often discouraging news from the front, our commitment to improving educational opportunities in the region has not waned: we provide pedagogical and didactic support to teachers and trainers, introduce innovative teaching methods, optimise training opportunities with modern equipment and improve the image of vocational training by using modern marketing tools.
In the first project phase, a total of 127 training events were held (including 29 technical on-site training sessions), which were held both online and in a face-to-face format. The project events covered a wide range of topics: Curriculum implementation, skills assessment, digitalisation and education, leadership training, business start-up, promotion of career centres, youth social development, AdA-light course and others. As part of the project, three delegation trips to Germany have already been organised, concept papers have been developed (branding concept, alumni concept, cooperation strategy for vocational schools and partner companies, vocational labour market integration of young people, etc.), annual admission campaigns are accompanied by effective radio advertising. In the project years 2020-2023, 17 classes with 249 young people started their training according to revised curricula, of which 117 trainees successfully completed their vocational qualification. We also consider the fact that 86% of trainees from the project classes (101 people out of all graduates) have either already taken up employment (77) or are continuing their training for a higher qualification level (24) to be a success, which underlines the effectiveness of the project in integrating young people into the labour market and promoting lifelong learning.
However, these successes are not just numbers and statistics, but stories of people - teachers, trainers, pupils, parents - who are committed to education despite all adversity. They are proof that hope and progress are possible even in the darkest hours. I remember how some of our trainees started their first in-company training just as the war was beginning - and learnt how to weld by welding together anti-tank barriers (so-called Panzerigel). I remember how our partner companies helped the project vocational schools to receive the internally displaced persons - over 1500 Ukrainian refugees were accommodated in our vocational schools in the first few months. I will never forget the group of eleven orphan trainees who came to the Ivano-Frankivsk project region after being housed for two weeks in the basement of the completely destroyed vocational school in Sjewjerodonezk - and were accepted into our project welding class and made to feel at home there until their school was officially relocated to western Ukraine. I remember how my bbw colleagues and project experts from Germany set up a private initiative to collect donations for Ukraine - and personally transported the requested donations to the Ukrainian project schools. All of this was also our project - in which partnership was complemented by solidarity.
What specific measures and activities have been undertaken to integrate the dual elements in vocational training at the partner vocational schools?
Of course, the traditional measures were taken: The needs of the companies were analysed and the curriculum was revised accordingly by increasing the number of lessons for in-company training. However, we were aware from the outset that in order to effectively integrate the dual elements, a good and qualitative partnership between vocational schools and training companies had to be established. This is why we conducted surveys at the beginning of the project to determine how we could improve cooperation, particularly in terms of the organisation and implementation of training and the coordination of content. We are also organising seminars to improve partnership-based cooperation and are developing a comprehensive cooperation strategy for vocational schools and partner companies. This strategy describes clear communication channels, defines joint training objectives, etc. At the same time, we train vocational school masters and company trainers in joint technical training sessions so that they can optimally implement the dual training requirements. Another key aspect is the modernisation of the training infrastructure at vocational schools in order to bring practical teaching up to a high level. This not only enables us to improve the quality of training, but also to increase trainees' motivation as they learn and work in a modern, practice-orientated environment.
How did the local companies react to the project and to what extent did the collaboration with local stakeholders contribute to project implementation?
The project companies (12 - in the 1st phase and already 8 new ones in 2024) showed a high level of identification with the project right from the start. They recognised the added value of the cooperation, particularly with regard to the opportunity to train qualified specialists who precisely meet the requirements of the market. At the beginning of the project, we held intensive discussions with the companies in order to understand their specific needs and ensure that the training content was relevant to practice and aligned with operational requirements. Relationships with regional and central education authorities have also developed very positively over the course of the project. A solid basis for increased co-operation within the project network has been established. The regional education authorities reaffirm their full support and emphasise its significant contribution to the promotion of vocational training in the project regions.
What particular challenges do you and your team face due to the current political and economic situation in Ukraine and how do you overcome them?
Yes, in view of the critical war situation, the project showed flexibility in adapting its plans and activities. Many training courses could not be held on site as planned, so we developed new topic constellations and rescheduled a series of online events, which, however, required a longer lead time. As German experts are currently not allowed to travel to Ukraine for security reasons, alternative solutions had to be found by utilising more local experts. In addition, some face-to-face workshops were organised for the Ukrainian partners as part of delegation trips. One particular challenge in organising the visits to Germany, for example, was that special permits for trips abroad had to be obtained for male participants aged between 18 and 60 (due to the state of war), which were not always granted by the border authorities for the project. This meant that more women (teachers, master craftswomen, trainers) could be invited to the training programmes in Germany. At the same time, this initiative not only strengthens the skills of the participating women, but also contributes to the promotion of gender equality. After their return, the delegation participants pass on the knowledge they gained in Germany to their work colleagues. We were able to overcome other specific obstacles, such as regular power cuts due to the destruction of the energy infrastructure, by purchasing generators for vocational schools. This has made it possible to continue both the theoretical online training courses and the technical training for vocational school masters and company trainers as well as the practical lessons for trainees with the equipment financed by the project.
How do you see the future of the cooperation and what long-term effects do you expect on vocational training and the employment opportunities of graduates in the regions concerned?
I think that the successful close cooperation between the project vocational schools and the partner companies shows that together we are able to achieve sustainable progress even under difficult conditions. In the second project phase, our aim is to further intensify this cooperation and to firmly anchor the dualised training approaches in the vocational schools and the project regions. Companies' confidence in the education system increases the region's attractiveness for investment and economic development. This is particularly important in light of the relocation of numerous companies from the combat regions to western Ukraine as a result of the war.
In the long term, our bbw team expects that the dual training elements developed and implemented in our project will raise vocational training in the region to a new level. This will not only improve the quality of training, but also significantly increase the employment opportunities of graduates. The close integration of theory and practice, the direct involvement of companies in training and the modernisation of teaching content and infrastructure will help to ensure that trainees are optimally prepared for the demands of the labour market. I am convinced that projects such as ours will strengthen the regional economy in the long term, as well-trained specialists are the key to innovation and economic growth. Furthermore, I hope that our model of dualised training will also find favour in other regions of Ukraine, serve as one of the best practices for the further development of vocational training throughout the country and thus make an important contribution to the reconstruction of the country after the war.
