Last week, Ander Arrese, a teacher from the Otxarkoaga Vocational Training Center, and Aitor Ruiz, HETEL’s European Projects Manager, participated in the third transnational meeting of the Erasmus+ GeTinVET project, held in Kouvola, Finland, on September 12-13, 2024. This meeting marks an important milestone in the development of this ambitious European project focused on sustainability in vocational education and training.
About GeTinVET
The GeTinVET project (Greening Education and Training in Vocational Education and Training) aims to identify and improve the sustainability competencies of students in vocational programs related to the construction and building maintenance sectors. This initiative, which began in 2023 and will continue until 2026, brings together partners from five European countries:
- Spain:
- HETEL (Heziketa Teknikoko Elkartea)
- Otxarkoaga Vocational Training Center
- Italy: ITIS Alessandro Volta
- Lithuania: Vytautas Magnus University
- Finland: Kouvola Vocational Institute Ltd., Eduko
- Netherlands: Rijn Ijssel
- Germany:
- Adolf Kolping Vocational School
- Energy Competence Center of the Rhein-Erft District (EkoZet)
Project Progress
During the meeting in Kouvola, the partners discussed several key aspects of the project, all focused on defining and developing sustainable competencies:
- Preliminary Results of the Empirical Study: Intermediate results from the empirical research were presented, with 85 responses collected so far. This study is essential for identifying key sustainable competencies in the construction and building maintenance sectors.
- Development of the Competency Matrix: A timeline was set for creating a matrix of sustainable competencies, which will be completed and validated at the next meeting in Naples in November. This matrix will serve as the foundation for integrating sustainability into training programs.
- Competency Mapping: The partners are working on mapping sustainable competencies for various professional profiles in the construction and building maintenance sectors, identifying the specific skills required for each profile.
- Planning of Learning Modules: Four particularly relevant action situations were selected, and groups were formed to develop three learning modules focused on sustainable competencies:
o Installation of solar thermal systems on rooftops
o Installation of photovoltaic systems in residential or commercial buildings
o Building automation - Summer School: It was announced that the project’s Summer School, where the identified sustainable competencies will be put into practice, will take place in Arnhem, Netherlands, from April 7-11, 2025.
The GeTinVET project is making great progress toward its goal of defining and developing sustainable competencies for vocational programs in the construction and building maintenance sectors. The first tangible results are expected to be available following the Naples meeting in November. These results will be crucial in enhancing sustainability training in the sector at the European level.
For more information on the GeTinVET project, its objectives, and partners, you can visit the official website: https://www.euges-cologne-projects.eu/Projects-EU-GES/GeTinVET.
HETEL and the Otxarkoaga Vocational Training Center are proud to be part of this innovative initiative that will significantly contribute to the training of more sustainable professionals in the construction and building maintenance sectors, preparing students for the environmental challenges of the future.
