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BackgroundTo combat youth unemployment the European Union and its member states are using apprenticeships as a solution. Public money is being used to encourage employers to invest in young people as apprentices. For employers however, it is not a level playing field the barriers for micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are significant and prevent them from taking on apprentices. In the UK less than 10% of SMEs will take on an apprentice compared to a third of large companies. Given that the consensus, amongst academic studies and labour market experts is that growth in employment will come from SMEs as they account for 98% of businesses in the UK, there is a danger that these business organisations will not engage with apprenticeships and public investment will not be as effective as it could be. Partners Gedling Borough Council (GBC) based in Nottingham (UK) was the lead partner for the project. Germany and Canada were ‘teachers’ and Bulgaria, Poland and the UK were ‘learners’ in this Key Action 2 project.UK - GBC Economic Growth Service Berlin - Research Institution for Further Education and Training (IBBF)Ottawa - Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF)Sofia - Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Poznan - Zespol Szkol Lacznosci Technical College Poznan (ZSL)UK - NGi Ltd Objectives The project sought to address what elements of SMEs support and training could be adopted to help eliminate barriers to engagement through good practice examples from Germany and Canada, two countries with a good track record at assisting SMEs to take on an apprentice, and import this into Bulgaria, Poland and the UK who wished to do better. The first six months of the project focused on the identification of the barriers SMEs experienced when engaging with apprenticeships in the five partner countries, these barriers where then compared and contrasted to identify similarities and differences. The outcome was irrespective of the differing context in apprenticeship delivery in each country barriers were relatively similar with 7 common barriers identified. The partnership used research results, examples of good practice along with a consultation exercise with SMEs, apprenticeship commissioners, training providers and wider stakeholders to develop training programmes and resources to remove the identified barriers for SMEs in each pilot programme delivery country. The aim was to create an easy to access one-stop-shop where even the smallest of enterprises have access to the knowledge and skills required to recruit an apprentice of their own and to build the capacity and capability of the pilot programme delivery teams.Targets By the end of the project we aimed to work with 270 SMEs to take on at least 1 apprentice for the first time, and a total of 360 young people will have completed or be on course to complete an apprenticeship. We wanted to see a significant increase in awareness among young people of the opportunities an apprenticeship will provide as the project aimed to engage with 30 secondary schools. Further, we wanted to see a significant increase in the understanding of SMEs about the benefits of having an apprentice. The project has achieved an expected impact within the regions that partners in Bulgaria, Poland and the UK operate, to deliver a significant increase in SME apprenticeship engagement. Finally the project was to host 3 dissemination events attracting a minimum of 300 stakeholders, with the aim that the projects transferable outputs would be adopted elsewhere.Results No. of SMEs Supported 2016-2017 Target Actual UK 45 56 Bul 45 45Pol 45 45Totals 135 1462017-18 Target Actual UK 45 42 Bulgaria 45 45Poland 45 55Totals 135 142Combined 288 No. of Apprenticeship Starts 2016-17 Target Actual UK 60 37Bul 60 60Po 60 91Totals 180 1882017-2018 Target Actual UK 60 50Bul 60 60Pol 60 106Totals 180 216Combined 404 Next Steps Project partners will continue to update and develop materials created during the term of the project to support SMEs to engage with apprenticeships and secure apprenticeship starts. Partners have signed a MoU setting out how they will continue to work together to disseminate results and explore sustainability opportunities.

The current crises (including the corona pandemic and climate crisis) are the result of a still prevailing way of economics, focused on too much on quantitative growth and maximizing profits. Following this path continuously, destroys our common natural basis. At the same time, there are enormous opportunities to change production methods and pioneers in almost all branches are already successful. The international framework for this is provided by the Sustainable Development Goals SDG`s and the Paris Climate Change Convention. In the coming years, the EU will promote the transformation of the economic system into a Circular Economy CE as a focal point of its policy. This is urgently needed because the manufacturing and processing industries are running out of raw materials. In addition to this consideration of the finite nature of non-renewable resources, the need to preserve our ecological and social living conditions in the long term is becoming more and more important, too. Young people, social workers and scientists are urgently reminding us of this.At the same time, the European metal industry is confronted with enormous processes of innovation and transformation: Digitization processes create opportunities for automation, work simplification and new job profiles that can also be taken up by women. But this requires further investment, process restructuring and new skills. SMEs are overburdened with the challenges in many EU countries. In addition, they are increasingly lacking skilled workers, as more young people are studying because vocational training is less appreciated, socially. The metal professions and SMEs are particularly affected. The project will support SMEs in metal clusters and their staff to better understand ongoing transformations (e.g. climate crisis), to recognize their impacts and to undertake appropriate adaptation measures. The project will demonstrate CE possibilities, especially with regard to metal working, manufacturing and other processes. In addition, VET teachers and learners are to be involved in the project for the training and further education of specialists. 200 participants will be involved from these target groups. Young people, especially young women, should learn about the new orientation of the metal professions towards sustainability. Starting with an initial group of about 12 young women and men, the aim is to reach about 300 young people.The project activities include three phases: An analysis phase describing existing metal working and manufacturing tasks, processes and competences. Related to the results, the partners define new CE competences that are to be taught using suitable methods and contribute to a convincing and adaptable concept for a future-proof value creation in metal companies. In the last phase the partners develop curricula. The R&D results and best-practice CE-examples that already exist in metal SMEs will be systematically recorded on fact sheets and other learning material. The partners will create and offer a Vocational Open Online Course VOOC and different Living Labs as multiplier events to disseminate the CE-learning content. Moreover, the project partners build up a supportive structure and give an overview about career chances.Various methods are used to achieve the project objectives. Involving the target groups in all work steps is the most important working method. Non-violent communication is used in joint work. The Future Thinking method is used and trained for the imagination of new work processes and goals. For the development of new products in the value chain the Cradle to Cradle design method is introduced and trained. As Living Labs method new event formats are developed and applied in companies. Within the Living Labs, TED ED talks will be used and established.The main results expected from the first phase of the CEMIVET project will be analytical results, including knowledge of work processes, activities and the impact of metal SME activities on the environment and climate. These results will form the basis for all further project activities and external communication in the sector. The descriptions of the CE competences needed in different target groups as well as the identified potential of CE adjustments in metal SMEs will be used to activate the external participants. These form essential elements of the long-term communication needed in the metal clusters. The developed and with about 200 participants tested teaching/learning settings and materials can be further used and disseminated for VET in metal occupations. The formats and information developed by young participants on the tasks and career opportunities in metal professions can and should also reach young women in particular in the long term. All results and findings shall be publicly available and published in peer-reviewed journals. CEMIVET establishes support structures for SMEs staff.