An event arranged at the VET providers premises where VET providers, teachers, mentoring teachers, students, employers and work mentors participate. The aim is to jointly plan the content, implementation and timeframes for a VET curriculum. The aim is to increase the awareness among both parties and ensure that the curricula offered meets the needs of the employers/world of work. The participants should consist of the management, heads of units, teachers, employers, work mentors and students. The Learning Cafés is the follow-up on Planning Academies.

Preparation

VET Provider
Make an agenda that allows discussion and invites the heads of units, teachers, employers, work mentors and students to sit down and discuss and agree on the content and delivery of the curricula. Presentations you prepare should use a language that is easily understandable. Send the materials you will discuss during the event to all the participants in advance.

Employer
Make sure that the employers are made aware of the event and that they are genuinely invited to have a say in the way the curricula will be implemented. Invite everyone and not the just the ones that are positive towards a VET and work collaboration.

Students
Students should be prepared prior to the event to gather feedback and could involve using course representatives to confer student comments and feelings.

Implementation

VET Provider
Begin with an introduction and present the layout of the event. Ask the participants to sit at roundtables so that each table consists of at least a teacher, employer, work mentor and a student. Give enough time for the round tables to talk and come to consensus. Make sure that everybody has the same understanding of the key concepts and terms discussed. Ask the participants to share what they have discussed at their tables. Make sure that there is also time to discuss informally during e.g. coffee breaks and lunch. Agree on how to continue collaborating in the future.

Employer
Employers should be encouraged to give their opinion of the training that is delivered and come prepared with positive solutions rather than it being a negative criticism of the VET Provider and government policy.

Students
Students should feel comfortable to be able to express their comments and those of their class mates. They should provide a balanced view of the curriculum overview without getting into too detailed specifics.

After the event

VET Provider
Send a summary of the event to all participants. Create a (online) forum where the collaboration can continue and make sure that the parties know when the follow up planning academy will be held. Be sure to that all the contributors and follow it up to demonstrate that voices were heard and action takes place.

Employer
Continue to provide feedback and support the development of the curriculum through liaison with the VET Provider and constructive comments for improvement.

Students
After the event, Students should feedback to those not in attendance to make sure that actions are delivered and the learning experience is improved for future students.

Recommendations

To make the collaboration smoother send the participants all the materials that will be discussed and worked on before the event. You can also arrange similar events at one of the employers that are participating or arrange a virtual planning academy.

Make sure that the events are being held regularly and that all interested parties are invited. Include new employers and work mentors as soon as they show the slightest interest in participating.

Many educational institutions are rather internally focused on the process of providing good education. In order to set up cooperation with employers, more attention will have to be paid to outside the school. This requires building a good network. In Lelystad, building networks has become part of the collaboration between education and business.

In business, it has long been customary and proven effective: Networking. Entrepreneurs meet each other and representatives of, for example, governments or non-profit organizations. During conferences, network meetings, service clubs and the like, people often meet in a relaxed atmosphere. This is where relationships are built, and future collaborations are being built. Work assignments are awarded to relations and acquaintances of relations. Good references are important.

In Lelystad, building networks has become part of the collaboration between education and business. Contact persons and teachers from education actively network themselves. In addition, networking events are also organized from the existing partnership (Lelytalent) between education and business.

Preparation

VET Provider
As an educational institution, make sure that Networking becomes a serious part of the work. That is, budget and investment in time is indispensable. Organize an appealing event consisting of a balanced combination between information, knowledge exchange and relaxation. Especially the relaxing part should be appealing to the employers. The meeting is often also a relaxing change in a busy life. Good food and drink certainly play a role in this.

Make sure you have a suitable date, see what else there is to do that day and whether that does not conflict. Make sure you have a suitable time that fits well with the agenda of the entrepreneurs. Often at the end of the afternoon or on an evening.

Consult the most important employers personally to set place, date, and time of the event. Make sure that invitations leave the house in time and send a reminder later. Make sure you have a time-limited program so that there is enough space for informal networking, and the informative part is interesting for many attendees. Provide a present to commemorate the event, afterwards in the form of a goodie bag, a booklet or something similar.

Teachers or other representatives of the school must be willing to work outside school hours. So, you must convince them of the importance and goals of the event.

Employer
The employer must be convinced of usefulness and necessity of the event and willing to spend time. An attractive program can help to convince the employer. Also, the perspective meeting colleagues and interesting new connections.

Students
Students can be involved in the organisation of the event. Think of logistics, administration, promotion, and catering. Students must prepare themselves for the event. How to present themselves and working on behave of the event and the guests.  There is only one opportunity to make a good first impression. Once future employer can be participant on the networking event.

Implementation

VET Provider
Prepare all representatives from the school in the art of networking:

• Make sure you have business cards with you and don’t be frugal with them.
• Do not sit comfortably with your colleagues, but above all meet new people.
• It’s a networking event, so it’s quite normal to introduce yourself to a totally strange person.
• Not only hand out business cards, but also actively ask others for them.
• Be interested in the other person’s story but make sure you also have your own story (pitch) ready.
• Make new contacts but also look for your existing contacts. Informing each other of developments in a relaxed atmosphere can also yield surprising results in collaboration.

Employer
A lot of employers are used to take part in networking events. But most of these events are targeted on business to business and not at cooperation with schools. The advice to employers is also to prepare themselves. As an employer what are you willing to achieve? Whom would you like to contact with? Not only bring your own ideas but also be interested in the program and the ideas the school provides. And naturally bring your business cards. 

Students
Show yourself from your best side. Take your job seriously and be hospitable to the participants of the event. A farsighted student has also his own business cards to connect with interesting people.

After the event

VET Provider
Of course, we are happy if the networking event was successful and almost everything went as planned. But the benefits from it can be very useful. What information did we gain during the event? Did we collect interesting ideas? Which contacts are interesting? What kind of follow-up is possible?  Who is going to take action? 

Evaluate the event with colleagues and involved students: what went well and what could be improved? Send the invitees a thank you email and ask for feedback regarding the organization and content of the program and take the feedback and evaluation with you for the next event.

Make further contact with the individuals you personally have met. Use platforms like LinkedIn or send them a personal email. These new network contacts can help realizing new collaborations between education and business.

Employer
Think about new opportunities in collaboration with VET-providers. Better educated students who fit better in the working place. Get more students interested in your business. Get more and better educated employees in the near future.

Students
Evaluate the event together with the teachers. What did you learn from it? Wat can be better next time? Have you met interesting people and how are you able to continue this contact?

Recommendations

Make sure that every representative of the organization has business cards.

Make sure you give enough attention to the follow-up and keep the contacts alive.

Be aware that as a representative of an educational institution you must adapt to the times and circumstances of the employers. On Tuesday morning you will get few employers enthusiastic about a meeting.