DECO
European project promoting entrepreneurship and employability among vocational education and training students, strengthening skills, inclusion, innovation, adaptability and resilience to respond to the needs of the European labour market.
Period
October 2024 – December 2025
Area
Entrepreneurship, Employability, Innovation
Status
Completed
About the project
The DECO - ENTER 4 FUTURE project promotes inclusion and diversity in education and contributes to bringing vocational education and training closer to labour market needs by strengthening students’ entrepreneurial skills and employability. The project aims to promote entrepreneurship through the exchange of knowledge between European countries and the identification of skills based on the needs of different contexts. One of its key focuses is exploring opportunities for entrepreneurship and sustainable development in rural areas. At the same time, it seeks to identify relevant entrepreneurial skills for vocational education and training students, enabling them to respond to the challenges of the current business environment. The project also promotes the exchange of good practices and positive examples of entrepreneurship. Based on the identified needs, a training guide adapted to vocational education and training will be developed, providing recommendations to encourage entrepreneurship and strengthen relevant skills. The approach also aims to reduce gender inequalities by strengthening female students’ skills and promoting innovation, adaptability and resilience. Workshops and networking events bring students and entrepreneurs together, creating opportunities for employment and collaboration. The results will be disseminated through the partners’ networks and European Erasmus+ platforms, such as EPALE and SALTO.
Consortium
Coordinator
MMT Academics
GERMANY
International partners
Associação Check-IN
Portugal
Mano Europa
LITHUANIA
Absentia APS
ITALY
Objectives
- 1Strengthen the entrepreneurial skills of vocational education and training students to improve their employability and initiative
- 2Explore opportunities in rural areas and identify the skills needed to promote entrepreneurship and sustainable development
- 3Promote innovation, adaptability and resilience, while reducing gender inequalities and strengthening the skills of female vocational education and training students
- 4Facilitate contact between students and entrepreneurs through workshops and networking events, creating opportunities for employment and collaboration
Activities
Project Management
October 2024 – December 2025 – Germany, Lithuania, Italy and Portugal – Implementation of transnational partner meetings for the coordination, monitoring and follow-up of project activities and results. The meetings enabled the partners to assess project progress, analyse results and define the next steps.
Analysis and Interviews
October 2024 – March 2025 – Germany, Lithuania, Italy and Portugal – Analysis of entrepreneurial skills, the main barriers to entrepreneurship and gender inequalities, complemented by interviews and the identification of good practices and examples from the different national contexts.
Partner Meeting and Development of Training Materials
April 2025 – Parchim, Germany – Partner meeting to analyse the research findings and develop a training guide adapted to the identified needs, with a focus on developing entrepreneurial skills and strengthening the employability of vocational education and training students.
Handbook and Training Guide
February – October 2025 – Training Material – Development of a training resource adapted to the needs of vocational education and training students, bringing together guidance and content to strengthen entrepreneurial skills, innovation, adaptability and resilience.
Networking Event and Local Workshops
April – October 2025 – Germany, Italy, Lithuania and Portugal – Organisation of networking events and local workshops addressing entrepreneurship in rural areas, its challenges and opportunities, while promoting contact between students and entrepreneurs and creating opportunities for employment, learning and collaboration.
Materials
Handbook and Training Guide
Training resource adapted to the needs of vocational education and training students, providing guidance and content aimed at strengthening entrepreneurial skills, employability, innovation and the ability to adapt to labour market challenges.
Check material