The project “Apprenticeship Cluster for Industry-Ready Engineers of Tomorrow” is an alternative solution to the described challenges and needs since it aims

  • to establish a new higher education-business partnership structure to bolster the cooperation between technical universities (as VET providers) and enterprises, supported by authorities and social partners, at local/regional level so that they can provide WBL and apprenticeship in the sector of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics more successfully at tertiary level;
  • to provide industry-relevant curriculum in Mechatronics so as to produce industry-ready engineers thus reducing the skills mismatch and facilitating their access to the labour market within the respective regions, which, in the long run, will lead to improving enterprises’ performance and growth, as well as regional development;
  • to build an effective cooperation structure for sharing knowledge, skills and experience between university teachers and in-company trainers thus improving their competences for the better delivery of apprenticeships.

The following impact is expected as regards the different direct target groups:

  • Better cooperation between universities as VET providers and enterprises in the delivery of WBL and apprenticeship education to engineering students;
  • More active involvement of regional authorities and social partners in shaping industry-relevant educational provision that best matches regional labour market needs in relation to the priority sector of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics;
  • Provision of industry-relevant WBL curriculum and study programmes, which will help to produce industry-ready engineers in Mechatronis thus facilitating their access to the labour market and easing enterprises to fill their engineering positions so as to boost performance;
  • Better collaboration between university teachers and in-company trainers to improve their competences thus implementing apprenticeships more successfully.

Direct target groups:

  • 3rd and 4th – year students following a bachelor degree course in Mechatronics;
  • enterprises in the sector of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics;
  • university teachers;
  • in-company trainers.

Indirect target groups:

  • employers’ organizations;
  • workers’ organizations;
  • local/regional authorities;
  • VET – providers;
  • Policy and decision makers.