Kuben upper secondary is hereby applying for funding for the Erasmus+project Placements in Europe ( PiE ), which will go for two school years (2014-2016). The project is an important part of Kuben upper secondary's strategy to improve the status of vocational studies in Oslo, and increase enrollment and reduce the dropout rate for vocational education. Internationalisation is one of Kuben upper secondary's main focus areas. PiE will provide European work placements for suitable candidates in the following Level 2 programs; hairdressing, plumbing, transport and logistics, child care and youth workers, and health workers. The students will have the opportunity to complete three or four weeks' work experience at a school or business in respectively England, Germany or Spain. at the start of the school year relevant classes will be informed about the possibility and the criteria that apply to be selected as a participant. We require that participants have little and only documented absence, that they show interest in their chosen subject through both their schoolwork and in their extra curricular activities, and that they trough their application and possible interview, can demonstrate why they should be selected and how they will represent Kuben upper secondary in a satisfactory manner. The possibility of having a work placement period abroad will be marketed externally. This is partly with a view to recruiting, but it is equally important to highlight the efforts that Kuben upper secondary with our international program makes for vocational studies in Oslo. Kuben upper secondary will over two years, submit the following students: - Level 2 hairdressing, up to six students per year at City College Brighton and Hove, Brighton, England. Work practice in the school's saloons for 4 weeks. The students live with English host families in Brighton. - Level 2 plumbing and transportation/logistics, up to eight students per year to Berufskolleg Hilden and their business partners for three weeks of work placements, and school visits. The students live in a youthhostel while in Dusseldorf. - Level 2 child care and youth workers and health workers, up to eight students per year to the Foundation Noruega Coasta Blanca's partners for four weeks of work placement. FBCBs partners are relevant health institutions. The students live in servicesed apartments. All work placement periods will be included as part of the student's in-depth study project in Level 2. The quality of the contents of the placement is checked against the Norwegian curricula. Kuben upper secondary have experienced that such projects have several positive effects, in particular for the participants and their classmates, but also for the status of the school and vocational studies in general. Participants and their classmates achieve a greater knowledge and understanding of their chosen profession and the opportunities that exist outside of Norway. It is also important that future students are shown that there are opportunities abroad for those who choose vocational studies, as there is a prevailing belief that only the Program for general studies gives the students the opportunity to do so. This is part of the strategy to show pending students that Kuben upper secondary put meens and effort in to vocational studies. It is planned that the participants after their return will share their experiences with professional networks in Oslo, (networks that are administered through Kuben upper secondary and consists of both schools and industry), fellow apprentices through the Department of Vocational training's yearly seminars for apprentices, and more. In addition to this the participants will share their experiences with their classmates and the other students and staff at Kuben upper secondary.