Project background:Sortland Upper Secondary School is a subsidiary of Nordland County, located in the regional centre of Vesteraalen, Norway. Our Service and Communication vocational curriculum is designed to offer two years in upper secondary school, and two years of apprenticeship in private or public organizations. We cover four vocational trade areas: Office and Business Administration, ICT services, Sales, and Security. We recruit students from all over the Vesteraalen and Lofoten regions, a total of approx. 50 000 inhabitants. The region experiences a strong growth in internationalisation in the above mentioned trade areas. In order to meet the increased international competency requirements, we seek to develop and offer a combination of vocational skills, language and cultural competency. Since English is the main and preferred language in servicing foreign customers and business networks, we actively seek to improve and develop new and relevant learning arenas where this combination can be offered with the greatest impact.For vocational students in particular, "learning by doing" is paramount. An intensive workplacement period in an international environment where relevant vocational workpractice is executed, is our preferred choice. Project objectives:Nordland County has an overall plan for internationalisation for 2012-2025. The objective is to be the most international county in Norway by 2025. To deliver accordingly, Sortland Upper Secondary School must be a regional contributor in meeting the objectives: A) The County regions must be internationally attractive. B) Our students and apprentices will be "global citizens" locally, regionally and internationally. C) Educational organizatons will be integraded into larger internationalisation initiatives. Our school must develop the region's future workforce by developing relevant vocational-, language-, and cultural competencies. Also, a rapidly growing international workforce living in our region, will be integraded better and more rapidly. Consequently, participation in Erasmus + VET learner practice is important for our students. Our specific objective is to provide two weeks of vocational learning workplacement for 20 of of students during their 2nd year of their vocational studies in upper secondary school, 10 students per year. Number and profile of participants:10 participating students per year over two years, across the vocational trades defined above. Student candidates are selected according to an assessmentprocess of their individual skills, their business- and language competency level, combined with their ability to show initiative, level of self-efficacy, dedication and ability to contribute in the workplace. Up to 30 % of our students will be selected for this workplacement project, provided that they meet the appropriate high level of performance. Description of activities:Pre-assignment: awareness and skills training for all our students; across vocational-, language- and cultural skills. Testing and selection of students. Workplacement period: Induction upon arrival in London. Relevant vocational workplacement for two full working weeks. Private housing of students to also gain general cultural competency. Continous monitoring and mentoring of the students, including daily review of student's digital logging of worktask performance and learning objectives reflection. Post-assignment: Both students and the accompanying teacher participate in dissemination of their experiences and learning towards future and fellow students in the region, teacher peers, apprentice instructors and vocational trade companies. The accompanying teacher is also involved in development and improvement of cross-curricilum learning activities for future students.Methodology:Project management is based on quality mangement principles and routines. Students aquire a higher competency level through "learning by doing". The learning activity is an integraded part of the school's curricilum grading system. Procedures, agreements and roles are defined and documented.Short description of the results:Documented international vocational education of 20 students. Improved cross-curricilum learning programs domestically in Sortland. Effective dessimination of project to future vocational students, apprentice admin. bodies and teachers. Impact envisaged:Students competency contributes to higher level of apprentice achievements. Vocational trades receive higher attention, increased attractiveness to future students and necessary reqruiting. Potential long term benefits:Both Region and County get a vocational workforce that delivers higher qualilty and meet the requirements for international trade, networking and value creation. Nordland County meets it's internationalisaton objectives.