LEARN2WORK project intends to create a bridge between the industry working opportunities and non-formal educational paths that can support youngsters (16-25 years) to get in contact with footwear industry careers, in order to work towards the appealing and attractiveness of this sector and consider it as a career option. To achieve this goal, the consortium will adapt and transfer the “Production Schools” model from Denmark and apply it in Portugal, Italy and Spain. The “Production Schools” educational methodology is based on learning by practice in order to develop each youngster in a socially, personally and professionally dimension, and thereby, supporting them to be able to make an informed decision about one’s future. It’s a clarification process for young persons through work in a workshop, where learners should be clearer on “what am I able to - what are my opportunities – what do I want – what do I need to do to get there?” LEARN2WORK project we will adapt “production school” methodology to the Portuguese, Italian and Spanish VET reality applied to the footwear sector, where the goal is to strengthen the personal development of the participants/students and improve their chances in the ordinary labor market by entering in a non-formal educational program, which teaches them the needed professional qualifications that footwear industry is looking for and at the same time ensuring that students will improve their soft skills and understand what are their future options if they decide to embrace a career in this industry. The target group of the project are youngsters in the age of 16 to 25 who have not succeeded in the regular educational system, that are not in training and don’t have a job, but have the need for learning by doing. The target group is therefore what is common to refer as NEET. The adaptation of the “production school” model applied to the footwear, will bring value added to the European footwear industry, which is currently facing an important challenge related to the growing lack of skilled workforce. Students do not fulfill the demands of the industry because there is a gap between industry practical daily operational needs and schools educational paths which do not prepare students or young workers for industrial activities. Furthermore, the actual rate of education dropout and school early leaving still remain quite high in Europe and this project expects also to retain young students with a more “on-the-job” curriculum, that combines practical training and educational knowledge adapted to the market needs, and will give them a better perspective to get a job in the industry, by providing them with a future professional career. In conclusion, the project objectives are: - Encourage youngsters to be the leader of their lives, with a positive role in their local economy and society - Foster cooperation between organisations from different countries in the fields of youth work and non-formal learning for young people - Adapt and transfer relevant elements of “production schools” creating successful alternative training paths focus on experiences for the youths, which should give them the courage to invite learning into their lives as a passage for a future career option - Develop new approaches to youth work and encourage young people to get in contact with practical operations in footwear industry, fostering an holistic approach at professional, personal and social level - Support the development of future professionals matching the footwear industry needs; - Get the recognition and validation of soft skills competences and non-formal education. To achieve those objectives the project is structured in 7 outputs, 8 events and 1 training session outside partners’ countries. First we will create a common ground of understanding about the production school model by getting in contact with this reality in Denmark and with that we will be more suitable to adapt and transfer the best practices of “Production School” to LEARN2WORK project. After that we will establish the needed profiles for the footwear industry and then develop the educational/training path according to it. With these three outputs we will be ready to immerge youngsters in the pilot implementation during 6 month period. After completing the course we will get in contact with National Authorities to present them the results of the pilot to promote ECVET recognition of the non-formal training paths. In the same output we will promote the project sustainability by the establishment of a exploitation agreement to scale up the project results to other business activities and other regions. The events and the training session will have also an important role in the global implementation of the project to spread the project results and the LEARN2WORK methodology across education professionals and career advisors. The impact of the project can be huge and might realize a way to support NEET people to find new career options.