The project addresses the subject of recruiting young people interested in undergoing in-company vocational training (apprenticeships) in SME. Focusing on acquisition, selection and integration of young people in enterprises, it promotes a new concept of sustainable apprentice recruitment. Against the background of major social and economic challenges in Europe (youth unemployment, skills shortages, skills mismatches), the project reacts on a growing interest across Europe in in-company training and a need of more young people participating in it. Adequate strategies and methods of apprentice recruitment are hereby major facilitators of successfully creating access to in-company training. However, in this respect businesses do not fully exploit their potential. Poor recruitment policies have been identified as a key factor for difficulties in filling training positions. Thus, the project aims at supporting enterprises, mainly SME, in optimizing planning, implementing and evaluating apprentice recruitment as to fully adapt them to current frame conditions. It thereby contributes to the improvement of strategic development of SME which provide training – improvements which eventually allow optimal access to in-company training for all young people. In more detail, the project tackles the following issues: • Encouraging companies, especially SME, to participate in high-quality in-company training. • Extending knowledge of companies as to the need of establishing adequate apprentice recruitment mechanisms. • Providing enterprises with practical instructions and information which allow or facilitate the development and / or adaptation of (new) recruitment procedures according to current frame conditions. • Providing enterprises with an overview on suitable tried-and-tested recruitment methods and instruments. • Providing enterprises with guidance as to ensure high quality of recruitment procedures. Those issues are elaborated in four intellectual outputs – high-quality guidance and orientation material, to be provided as online publications and paper brochures. They are targeted at and strictly tailored towards the direct use of SME. Outputs are to be disseminated towards target groups – mainly SME and enterprises but also other relevant stakeholders in the field of VET such as social partners, political decision makers, representatives of vocational schools and educational research – by means of various activities. Most important are seven multiplier events (seminars, workshops, conferences) to be executed in each partner country with target groups. Thus, a significant number of enterprises across Europe will be reached out to directly and introduced to the project output. Moreover, by means of the internet and other indirect ways of contact, a high number of stakeholders in partner countries and beyond are aimed to be reached at. In consequence of project activities, it is targeted at the following project outcome and impact: • Products (intellectual outputs) containing innovative, high-quality contents as to apprentice recruitment have been developed to the use of SME and are applicable in different EU member states. • Products have been disseminated amongst a significant number of European enterprises and other relevant stakeholders in VET. • Enterprises across Europe have been thoroughly informed on all relevant aspects as to apprentice recruitment and provided with innovative recruitment strategies, methods and instruments as well as instructions as to how to improve and ensure the quality of their recruitment processes and instruments. • More enterprises provide young people interested in in-company training more high-quality apprenticeship positions. • Enterprises better manage the apprentice recruitment process and better deal with connected challenges. • In this context, enterprises apply improved methods of engaging with teenagers from various backgrounds and with different levels of competences, of committing young people interested in in-company training as future skilled employees, and of attracting young people. • Other relevant stakeholders in VET have been thoroughly informed on the social and economic importance of in-company training as well as adequate apprentice recruitment strategies and instruments. They have become promoter of in-company training and contribute to disseminating the project output. • Young people interested in in-company training including those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds have improved access to in-company training.