LOASA is a partnerschip between representatives from the world of work, and VET education.
Five education institutions from four different EU countries have teamed up with five partners representing the industry (companies, branch organization, cooperative, etc) to co-develop a framework for units of learning outcomes that are based on ECVET principles and align with the New Skills Agenda for Europe by embedding generic skills, professional skills and social-emotional skills. In random order:
The National Technology Center and Canned Food (Centro Tecnológico Nacional de la Conserva y Alimentación, CTC) in Murcia is a non-profit test and research centre with a focus on the food industry. CTC offers excellent facilities and the latest equipment plus fully qualified and competitive personnel. CTNC’s areas of expertise include:
AB Kirketoft is a SME landscaping and gardening company with 2 – 5 employees. Jens Buhl, owner and managing director, has many years of experience in maintenance, consultancy, designing and construction where scale, proportions, colors and adapting to existing conditions come into play in order to create pleasant outdoor spaces, where you can feel comfortable and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
AB Kirketoft is a certified training company for vocational students, and closely connected to Jordbrugets Uddannelsescenter Århus, the Danish education partner in this project. Jens is strongly committed to (vocational) education and training, and lifelong learning. He believes continuing training benefits both on a personal level and on company level. He brings in many years of experience as practical work placement coach and assessor/evaluator for vocational students.
ProAgria is an association of agriculture and horticulture. Focus areas and expertise includes field production, animal production, greenhouse production and business advisory. They have been utilising their expertise to support and develop all kind of business in agriculture and horticulture in Ostrobothnia for more than a century.
ProAgria is also an active partner in developing and participating vocational agricultural education in Ostrobothnia, including the Vocational colleges YA and Optima and the Polytechnic Novia.
Kauppi dairy farm has over 70 cows and 60 young cattle and is run by Mrs. Tiina Linnainmaa and her husband Mr. Risto Linnainmaa in Hämeenkyrö, Finland.
She has experience with VET students from abroad who do their internship at the farm. Tiina has also participated in a recent feasibility study developing ECVET units with VET institutions and business partners outside Finland, and strongly believes in the importance of a close cooperation between VET education and business, and the added value of internationalization.
Besides relevant experience, Tiina also brings in a huge network as Vice Chairman of cooperative service organization Pellervo, First Vice Chairman of the Federation of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners MTK, and as a member of the Board of Directors of European umbrella organization for agricultural cooperatives Cogeca.
Van Senten Groenprojecten is a landscaping and gardening company that has been active in the landscaping branch since 1999. It provides consulting, design, construction and maintenance of gardens. The company is Health, Safety and Environment (Dutch: Veiligheid, Gezondheid en Milieu; VGM) certified.
As board member of branch association VHG (Vereniging van Hoveniers en Groenvoorzieners) with education in her portfolio, Van Senten's co-owner and managing director Mrs. Nicole Slagmaat also brings an substantial dissemination partner to the table.
The acronym CIFEA stands for Centro Integrado de Formación y Experiencias Agrarias and could be translated as Centre for Integrated Agricultural Training and Experience. CIFEA is a vocational education and training (VET) institution with four different schools in Jumilla, Lorca, Molina de Segura (main location), and Torre Pacheco. CIFEA is supported by the Regional Government of Murcia, Department of Agriculture and Water.
The centre provides education and training in agriculture and livestock, animal husbandry and animal health assistance techniques, offering contemporary studies for students in different fields.
CIFEA is an integrated VET centre, which means that it also provides continuing vocational training (CVT) courses on subjects such as animal welfare, food safety, and EU rules and policies for farming production, as part of lifelong learning. The clients are mainly farmers and unemployed people who want to get new professional skills in the agricultural sector.
Yrkesakademin i Österbotten (YA! Vocational College of Ostrobothnia) has approximately 2,700 students, both young and adult, and a staff of 250. YA offers training in multiple areas including Natural Resources and the Environment; Tourism, Catering and Domestic Services; plus Social Services, Health and Sports.
Close collaboration with the regional industry and European VET educators guarantees skills development vital for education, but also for employers and employees. YA is an active partner in (inter)national educational- and development projects and networks.
YA has gained experience from Lifelong Learning projects where the focus has been on testing and implementing the ECVET process and routines in the organisation. By using the ECVET principles YA ensures the quality of mobility activities.
Green Academy Aarhus (Jordbrugets Uddannelsescenter Århus) is situated in the heart of Denmark, on the peninsula of Jutland in Denmark's second-largest city Aarhus. The college offers a broad range of green education in the fields of
Learning takes places at various campuses around Aarhus: Beder, Malling, and Vejlby plus the college farm ‘Bredballegård’ with a mixed production of milk, beef, pork, poultry etc.
Huittisten ammatti- ja yrittäjäopisto (Huittinen Business and Vocational College) is an upper secondary level vocational education institute which offers the following fields of study:
The college is part of the Sastamalan Koulutuskuntayhtymä (Sastamala Municipal Education and Training Consortium or SASKY). SASKY provides basic vocational education and further education at college level and as an indenture education. This education is nationally recognized and relevant for businesses. The number of students of SASKY is approximately 3,000.
Wellant is the largest 'green' agricultural (pre-)Vocational Education and Training (VET) institution in Europe with over 13,000 students and 1,425 staff. The college consists of 23 pre-VET schools and 11 VET schools that are all located in the urban centre and west of the Netherlands. Additionally Wellantcollege provides professional courses and training to 1,000 clients as part of Lifelong Learning from 5 centres of excellence that are linked to our vocational schools.
Wellantcollege provides education and training on EQF levels 0 (so-called entry level for students with special needs, both physical and social) up to EQF level 4.
In 2015 Wellantcollege was granted the Erasmus+ VET Mobility Charter, a European recognition of our proven quality track record. It’s an acknowledgment of the quality and assurance of our internationalization activities.
On behalf of Dutch National Agency Erasmus+, Mr. Joris Brekelmans is our critical friend, sparring partner and consultant in this project. As per September 29, 2017 Joris is replacing previous consultant Mr. Siegfried Willems.