Background to the project:We have successfully carried out our cooperation with our partner college in Raciborz/Poland since 2009 in a very intensive and bilateral way. This project has once already been awarded for its ‘good practice’ by our National Agency. This proves to us, the BBS1-Mainz, that we are really doing good to our students. The mobility program ERASMUS+ of the European commission enables our apprentices to participate in an extracurricular offer of a three-week work placement in modern and innovative companies abroad. While ‘learning and working in a different place’ all students, male and female alike, experience a vast gain in knowledge and skills as well as an enrichment in their entire personality development.The aims of the project:We are really proud of having achieved the following goals in the past- Support of apprentices in small or very small craft enterprises who lack the opportunity to go abroad through co-operations between big companies’ international suppliers or subsidiaries- Support for socially and/or financially disadvantaged students/apprenticesToday we feel the call for participation in creating a united Europe is becoming more urgent, so that we are going to continue and broaden our commitment. With our 2016 application for grants we would again like to contribute to a cooperation on a European level between schools, institutions, and companies with respect to work related, cultural and social topics.Number and profile of beneficiaries:In the years 2017 and 2018 we would again like to send 10 participants each (so a total of 20 beneficiaries in the two years together). The target region of Upper Silesia is usually experienced as alien and strange on first encounter. This changes quickly because of the overwhelming hospitality of our hosts. All beneficiaries take part in the typical German dual apprenticeship scheme, they are of legal age, well prepared and highly motivated.Description of activities:We would like to confront our explorers of the beautiful country of Poland with the following:- Gaining insights into the craft of their trade in the host country- Independently mastering everyday life in a foreign country- Encountering people in a foreign country with empathy and tolerance, be it at the workplace, in shops, at free time activities, at the partner college or in the public in general- Actively using a modern foreign language- Getting to know foreign cultures and customs- Cooperative contribution to the international partnership between schools and companies in respect to these placementsHow the project is carried out:The following elements should be part of the schedule; they have been planned in close cooperation with our partner college and will be realized by them:- Welcome in our partner college on arrival- Taking up quarters and joint lunch- Guided tour of the city, sightseeing and museums, as well as organizing free time activities such as going to the cinema and swimming hall- Safety instruction at each participant’s workplace, evaluation through team talks and questionnaires- Support in mastering every day routines at the workplace after thorough instruction by personal tutor- Help in planning free time activities alone or in groups, plus advice on chores such as laundry and cooking- Assistance on public transport plus handing out of – for the participants – free travel passes- Support where necessary in preparing and holding a project presentation at the end of the three week placement on everything that the participants have experienced and learned- Organization of a cultural program at the weekends with trips to Breslau, Krakau, Zakopane, Ausschwitz concentration camp, visit to Josef Eichendorff’s (writer) birthplace and the salt mines in Wieliczka and the city of Opava, situated at the immediate border to the Czech Republic- Traditional and international barbeque with German, Czech and Polish apprentices; there are competitions in boules and archeryAims and effects:Practical cooperation in the education of apprentices on an international and intercultural level contributes significantly to the quality of (vocational) training in Germany and the whole of Europe in general. Together with our partners we would like to further strengthen this cooperation in (vocational) training as we see this as THE chance to lead the venture of a united Europe with different cultures to ultimate success. Like Robert Schuman put it ‘Europe is not against anybody. The united Europe is a symbol of the all-embracing solidarity of the future.’The long-term effects:Any time we have sent groups of our students for a placement to Poland they returned in high spirits and vast enthusiasm.We would like our students to grow up in a peaceful and cooperative Europe and hope to contribute to this goal with the help of our ERASMUS+-applications for grants. Here, we would like to thank our National Agency for having enabled us to set up our exchange.