Context/ Background to the project: In cooperation with the European College of Business and Management, the Staatliche Berufsschule Ostallgäu (State Vocational School of the Ostallgäu Region) has planned and designed a three-week tailor-made training course for commercial apprentices. This course aims to enable interested students to complete a vocational, linguistic and cultural advanced training beyond the scope of their daily work and school life.Aims of the project:On the one hand, the course is aimed at improving the participants’ language skills in specific vocational and general topics. On the other hand, by providing them with an insight into the British economic capital, the apprentices will have a chance to widen their perspectives beyond their own/national experience and thus be more able to contribute to the development of the European community.Number/Profiles of the participants: Every year, 22 young people, who are completing their first apprenticeship in different commercial professions, participate in this course. The students are aged between 17 and 22 years (depending on their educational background). As the participants are from different commercial courses, many of the group members first get to know each other during the four preparatory meetings.Description of the activities: In a preparatory phase lasting approx. 6 months, the supervising teachers prepare the apprentices intensively for the training course during four preparatory meetings, in order to ensure productive work at the College. During the three-week stay in London, different lecturers from the College - together with the participants - will work on subjects in English, such as: presentation skills, business correspondence, the modern British economy, business ethics, corporate social responsibility, career development opportunities etc. During a three-hour exam in their third project week, the students will be tested on the knowledge aquired about the topics they have dealt with. In addition, at the end of the training course, the participants have to make a presentation in English about a previously chosen topic, which will be marked together with the summary that has to be handed in. Apart from school activities, the lecturers make various topic-related field trips together with the apprentices. Furthermore, two companies will be visited in order to gain an insight into the work environment of the financial centre of London. To round things off, guided city tours and visits to theatres and museums are offered as well. Despite the wide range of the course content, it is also important for us that the young people still have the possibility to explore the cosmopolitan city of London on their own and come to terms with a multicultural population. For this reason, the accommodation in host families – in a foreign-language environment – has proved itself to be very valuable.Methods: It is agreed with the College that the three-week training course is instructed and accompanied by lecturers and supervising teachers. However, the participants have to complete their tasks independently and on their own responsibility.Lasting advantages which can be expected by participating in this project:1) Informing others in their company, school and private surroundings of the many impressions they have gained: these young people come back to their familiar environment with new and diverse experiences from abroad. In doing so, they pass on their impressions to their families, friends and acquaintances which leads to a widening of general interest. The companies feel encouraged in their active support when they recognize that their apprentices have improved noticeably in all areas. Thus, very often, new enquiries from the training companies regarding future projects arise only shortly afterwards. In school, the students present their project work to their classmates in English and thereby awaken their curiosity and earn additional respect because of their good performance.2) Expansion of professional/personal perspectives: Experience shows that the young students returning from the three-week programme in London are more self-confident, balanced and motivated. In many cases, their attitudes towards other cultures have changed and their wish to have further experiences abroad has grown.3) Increased professional/personal opportunities: Dealing intensively with cultural, linguistic and vocational matters in a foreign environment, the students who complete this course will gain new opportunities in their professional as well as in their private lives. Their improved foreign language skills, which can be presented to any (future) employer with the Certificate and the Europass Mobility, provide an undeniable advantage compared to other applicants. Many of the participants can imagine working or studying abroad in the foreseeable future. In terms of studying, the ECBM offers a Bachelor degree course.