Challenges in achieving education for all in Europe are still present, namely: unpredictable demand for future skills, large disparities in access to education, the need to train adult educators in transversal curricular approaches to provide more life-context and authentic learning opportunities to sustain the transition to employment, the need for skills to integrate digital devices in instructi
on, lack of a common and coherent methodological approach in guidance and counselling services in order to be effective across all educational levels. These challenges have a high impact, particularly on low-skilled and low-qualified adults who lack the resilience, learning strategies or engagement to learn on their own. Currently, there are training, counselling or coaching e-platforms strictly dedicated to one area. Targeting a holistic approach, the project identified the needs of staff who support adult learners to have at hand, integrated into one, all necessary means to assist the low-skilled and low-qualified adults all through the way on their upskilling path to increase their competitiveness and adaptability in the labor market. In this respect, the project’s overall goal is to empower these professionals with an integrated and innovative iPath2UpSkilling Platform and Programme together with the specific skills required for using it in order to assure high quality upskilling pathways for the low-skilled and low-qualified adults. During 30 months, the project aims to:
(1) develop the iPath2UpSkilling Platform (O1). (2) develop the iPath2UpSkilling Programme as an approach to Upskilling Pathways for low-skilled and low-qualified adults (O2). (3) empower 25 educators, trainers and other personnel who support adult learners with the necessary skills to use the iPath2UpSkilling Platform & Programme (C1 and C2). (4) expand at least 50 partnerships with Training Providers, Competence Assessment Centers & Second Chance Schools for Adults (O3)
(5) raise public awareness on the project's results to 1000 persons. The main feature of this innovative iPath2UpSkilling Platform (O1) is the development of tailor-made itineraries as a part of the iPath2UpSkilling Programme (O2). The Programme assists the adult educators to firstly do profiling activities so that later to set up the most convenient training itinerary and a personalized pathway with activities that complement the capacities and resources made available to the adult trainee. The professionals will use the iPath2UpSkilling Platform and its resources in their daily work with the low-skilled and low-qualified adults to grant access to upskilling pathways in a flexible and an individual manner, ensuring at the same time both online and in-person instruction. Online instruction will be given through online trainings and other Open Educational Resources existing on the Platform's Library (O3). The in-person instruction will be ensured through online video guidance and coaching services and through the pointing out and giving a direction on the interactive online map towards specific Training Providers, Competence Assessment Centers and Second Chance Schools for Adults. Also, in the context of working with the low-skilled and low-qualified adults coming from schools with curricula centered only on reading, writing, math, science, history and foreign languages, the adult educators and trainers have identified from practice other two primary training needs area in any roadmap to upskilling: transversal key competencies and other competencies not taught in schools. If this training needs are covered, the low-skilled and low-qualified adults can successfully upgrade qualification. The project connects 4 online trainings on transversal competencies and other competencies not taught in schools (O3) with the certified qualifications awarded by Training Providers, Competence Assessment Centers and Second Chance Schools for Adults from the participating countries (UK, AU, CY, RO, TR) through an interactive online map. This approach grants a successful tailored Upskilling Pathway for those in need and valuable resources and working tools for adult educators and trainers. The web-based iPath2UpSkilling Platform is also freely available to all, becoming a virtual space where the adult educators can create networks, collaborations, exchange best practices, anticipate skills’ changes, participate in common actions and be visible up to the European level. The platform will be used to support trainers to easily build and host online courses even after the end of the project. Due to the fact that they will be empowered with online tools (O3), 3 Handbooks (IO2), 1 Mentorship Manual (IO2) and skills to create and develop new online trainings and Open Educational Resources as result of two trainings attended in the project (C1 and C2 activities), the Platform will develop by itself in time, assuring its durability and transferability beyond the project’ or partners’ border.
