SilVET – VET opportunities to contribute to the goals of the silver economy: let’s try and give a second breath to older people in the labour market

Project name: „VET opportunities to contribute to the goals of the silver economy: let’s try and give a second breath to older people in the labour market” Erasmus+, Key Action 2 VET, Small-scale Partnerships

Project No: 2022-1-LT01-KA220-VET-000085021

Project period: 01/09/2022 – 30/11/2023
Project Leader: Vilniaus technologijų ir inžinerijos mokymo centras (Lithuania)
https://techin.lt/

Project Partners:
Jonavos politechnikos mokykla (Lithuania)
https://www.jpm.lt/

Nodibinājums “Smart Minds” (Latvia)
https://www.smartminds.lv/

Fundacja Centrum Umiejętności Praktycznych (Poland)
https://cup.org.pl/

Intra Mentis (Bulgaria)
https://www.intramentis.com/

PROJECT IDEA:

In 2018, 101.1 million of EU citizens were over 65, nearly 20% of the total population.
Europe’s population is ageing and by 2050, older adults will represent 28.5% of our population.

The results of the latest research and forecasting show that by 2060, one in three Europeans will be over 65. The ageing population can be divided into 3 groups: active, fragile and dependant, each with their own specific pattern of needs. The EU demographics will change, as it is estimated that the traditional working-age population will decrease by more than 30% in the coming 50 years. The European Commission acknowledges, that the older people are valuable and respected contributors to communities, societies and economies, who bring economic opportunities to the EU. Analytical work and strategies at both national and EU level have traditionally defined the Silver Economy as a platform for meeting the potential needs of older people. There is agreement on the supply of services they will need in the future, in sectors such as healthcare, tourism, culture, entertainment and so on. There is also talk of the potentially high purchasing power of older people, highlighting the growing demand for certain goods and products in the near future. In this project, we do not want to feel inferior to Western European countries, but at the same time it is acknowledged that the project countries (Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Bulgaria) still have a different situation of older people.

Our retirees have not traditionally accumulated much wealth. Among them, the highest priority is usually not the need to vacation, attend cultural events, entertain and spend just by consuming. Therefore, most older people would be happy to work if they were not gradually excluded from the labor market, not only because of their retirement age, but also because of lower skills, lower productivity and, of course, often outdated knowledge and understanding of work processes (THE PROBLEM).

The goals of the Silver Economy are clear to us, yet in the project countries for a sustainable Silver Economy, therefore, it is important to support active and healthy ageing among the over 50’s as well as to keep them in the workforce for as long as possible. Therefore, THE AIM of this project is to create a mechanism and tools to refine the skills and professional aptitudes of older people. We believe that the development of digitized aptitude tests (see WP2) and the development of a fast-track non-formal VET curriculum (see WP3) will create tools to enable older people to return to the labor market after a long break or to learn and continue their professional career in a relative or perhaps in a radically opposite professional field. Such an approach will be innovative in the VET practice of all project countries, as short and effective vocational training opportunities based on the pre-identification of potentially most successful vocational choices are not offered to older people.

Tasks:
1. Development of a digital test to determine the profesional aptitudes of the elderly:

• • the organization a preparatory round table discussion in each project country (LT, LV, PL, BG)
  • a development of a draft test for determining the professional aptitudes of older people
  • testing of the developed test in the project countries
  • carrying out the adjustments and prepare a final test for determining the professional aptitudes of older people
  • translation of the final version of the test into the national languages (LT, LV, PL and BG)
  • digitization and placement of prepared tests on the project website

2. Development of VET programs for the rapid and targeted preparation of older people for a craft or job:

• • the organization of a preparatory round table discussion in each project country (LT, LV, PL, BG)
  • development of rapid targeted VET training programs for the 8 most promising and most indemand sectors of the economy
  • 8 program packages including theoretical and practical tasks and knowledge testing material
  • translation of the program packages prepared into the national languages
  • piloting of the developed programs in the project countries

The results:
1) project website www.silvet.eu was created
2) round table discussions was organized in each participating country (WP2 &WP3)
3) draft tests was created
4) testing of multiple people were performed and a summary test report was prepared
5) one final test in English and 4 in national languages were prepared
6) all 5 tests became available on project website:

EN – Take the TEST

LT – Atlikite TESTĄ

LV – Izpildi TESTU

PL – Przystąpić do EGZAMINU 

BG – Направете ТЕСТА

7) program packages incl. theoretical & practical tasks and knowledge testing material has been developed (WP2 & WP3)
8) 80 people participated in piloting the programs and became prepared for a craft or job!

On November 17, 2023  Project End Conference was held in Vilnius.

Conference was moderated by: Marius Ablačinskas, Expert, Analysis and Innovation Development Group, Vilnius Technology and Engineering Training Centre

CONFERENCE AGENDA

fromPiloting of the developed programs in Poland. 20 people from Suwalki, Bialystok, Augustow, Siemiatycze participated in piloting the programs and became prepared for a craft or job.

Translation of the program packages prepared in Polish language, so totally 8 out of 32 programs are available in Polish.

Programs in PL – SILVET

All programs in other languages are available HERE Work package n°3 – SILVET 

Development of rapid targeted VET training programs for the 8 most promising and most indemand sectors of the economy were done. From our side 8 program packages including theoretical and practical tasks and knowledge testing materials have been developed.

In March we organized a preparatory round table discussions again in smaller groups from Suwalki, Bialystok, Augustow and Siemiatycze.

Digitization and placement of prepared tests are available on the project website where all 5 tests (in LT, LV, PL, BG and EN) are created and made available for a public audience.

 Polish testing version is available here: Sprawdź swoje skłonności zawodowe – SILVET

All language versions are available on the project website:

Work package n°2: – SILVET

Translation of the final version of the test into Polish were done. Soon you can find all the tests prepared (one in each participants language) on the project website www.silvet.eu .

Within the project we are carrying out the adjustments and finalize to prepare a final test for determining the professional aptitudes of older people. One final test will be prepared on approx. on Januray 2023.

We were testing also the developed test in our local environment and target group in Poland. We were performing tests and put a contribution into summary test report which was prepared in English.

We started developing of a draft test for determining the professional aptitudes of older people. One draft test is going to be created as a document available in English approx. on December this year.

We organized a preparatory round table discussion in smaller groups in Suwalki, Bialystok, Augustow and Siemiatycze (because of some COV-19 restrictions still ongoing in Poland). Nevertheless we managed to conclude this round table discussions organized and put some valuable income into the project.

The project website www.silvet.eu is created. Feel yourself invited to visit us and our results there.