This project focuses on the duties of instructors in enhancing the competencies of jobseekers, which is an integrated component of the package of services provided by the VDAB, i.e. the Flemish Service for Employment and Vocational Training. In addition, the project fulfils one of the strategic objectives of the VDAB management agreement, which is to develop a forward-looking provision for the recognition and development of competencies. In some sixty campuses spread throughout Flanders the VDAB offers opportunities to follow vocational training. Around 800 instructors are in charge of enhancing the course participants' competencies. In order to optimally align the VDAB training provision with the future labour market, it is crucial to update training contents using the most suitable training methodology. The project aims to enhance and adjust instructors' knowledge, experience and competencies in view of a rapidly evolving labour market. For this purpose it organises international placements for a number of selected domains (see below). Ultimately, these placements will help to adjust the VDAB training provision and make it conform to the market, in terms of both content and methodology. In total, 18 instructors will go on a placement, each time for a maximum of three days. The placements will take place in the following countries and for the following domains: - Finland: Construction and Professional Cleaning Techniques (with AMKE), Construction (with Sedu), Workplace Learning (with Savo and Omnia) ; - Austria: Machine techniques CNC (with Abz Branau) ; - Germany: Learning companies (with Wbs Training). After the placements the results will be fed back to the subject departments with an eye to adjusting the current provision and/or developing a new provision. During these placements the emphasis is always on acquiring new insights and knowledge, in terms of both content (techniques) and methodology (teaching tools). The confrontation with a different approach, context, opportunities and restrictions will broaden the participants' minds. It will encourage them to scrutinise and renew/optimise their own existing training methodologies and programmes in a realistic manner. In practice, this means that the "learning outcomes" will help to: - update training contents, in order to ensure that these contents are permanently aligned with the constantly changing needs of the labour market; - translate professional qualifications into training contents (because this also happens in the countries that will be visited); - shorten training pathways by using different methodologies (more workplace learning, web learning and use of other digital media). Apart from the internal impact on the VDAB, the results of this action may also provide input for further consultation at the Flemish level. Currently, a lot of actors (education, AKOV, Syntra, adult education centres, VDAB, etc.) are involved in the translation of the Flemish qualification structure into training curricula. The knowledge and experience in terms of both technical content and methodology which we will acquire through this project can be considered in this. At the European level the project will finally also contribute to the realisation of the Europe 2020 Strategy, especially the increase in the employment rate of highly qualified course participants, the growth in the % share of participants in life long learning (instructors and subject matter experts) and of “smart growth” by enriching knowledge and innovation. Thanks to this project and the new contacts with foreign partners, new bilateral or project-based partnerships may also be established in the future.