Challenge Europe

Foreign language competence and European competence for apprentices and young skilled workers in Upper Austria

Target group:

Apprentices and young skilled workers who live in Upper Austria and work there or visit a vocational school in Upper Austria
 

Background:

Demands in mobility, flexibility and in language, intercultural, professional skills as in key qualifications for trained workers result from European integration and the growing internationalisation.
To meet the need of additional qualifications through adequate, innovative training offerings, the project CHALLENGE EUROPE of the BFI Upper Austria was started in October 1993.

Project funder and project partners:

CHALLENGE EUROPE is subsidised by the Upper Austrian Government and by the Upper Austrian Chamber of Labour.

Project partners are among others the Upper Austrian education authority, the Upper Austrian vocational schools, training companies, youth organisations as well as institutions of education in different European countries

Project aim:

• Improvement of vocational, personal and intercultural skills and qualifications, promotion of mobility and flexibility.
  The European dimension is considered both in institutions of education in the inland and in training programs abroad. Particularly the training program in foreign countries offers the target group the possibility of experiencing Europe through personal and professional contacts and chance to acquire more competences through internships, visits to different EU-institutions a. s. o.
• Improvement of language skills in the foreign language English and acquisition of additional knowledge of a second or third foreign language. Focal points are communicative competence in professional and everyday situations as well as authenticity of language acquisition through involving native speakers, project papers, homestay families, peripheral learning a. s. o. Languages offered besides English are French, Spanish, Italian, languages of neighbouring states as well as Greek and Turkish. Additional languages for example, German as a foreign language, are offered on demand.

Contents and main points:

The broad range of programs is constantly adapted and amended. The range contains, among others, the following offerings:

• 'YOURope-trainings': help to prepare apprentices for learning programs abroad and help to enlarge their knowledge of Europe and their foreign language skills

• Co-teachings': courses at vocational schools, where native speakers convey authentic language and information

• Foreign language initiative “FS 1+” beginners’ course in a second or third foreign language: neighbouring languages (Hungarian, Czech, etc.) Romanic languages (French, Spanish, etc.) as well as Greek and Turkish

• 'Competence competition’: subject areas: Europe, Austria, foreign languages

• 'Foreign training programs' CHALLENGE EUROPE promotes training programs in different European countries to improve language and intercultural competences of the target group. `

Focal points:

• job orientation and job experience
• foreign language training
• intercultural training

Up to now more than 200 projects with more than 2600 participants in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Greece, Great Britain, Holland, Ireland, Malta, Norway, Sweden, Spain and Turkey have been conducted. 21 three-week mobility programs (CHALLENGE EUROPE PROGRAMS) were co-subsidised by the EU-program.

Since 1994 more than 35000 apprentices and young skilled workers have participated in CHALLENGE EUROPE courses and programs.

'CHALLENGE EUROPE' was awarded by the European Commission and the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Culture with the „European Seal“(Europasiegel) for innovative language project s 2000.

For more information contact BFI OÖ - Herbert Wörister via Email or telephone ++43 (0)732 6922 extension 5173, fax extension 5731.