Green Trends in Vocational Education in the South

Topic(s) addressed

• Sustainability

• Inclusion

Target groups

• SEN students aged 16-26 y/o

Methodologies

• The green approach as the main featurre- students working as carpenters and park caretakers

• Maintaining Mediterranean gardens- planting and park designing

• Studying farm building, automatised greenhouse system, operating a computer-controlled nutrient supply and automatised climate control and shading

• The carpenters learnt how to use eco-friendly or recycled materials, made components of cork, and used natural materials for surface treatment.

Environments

• Travelling abroad proved challenging for some students

• However, the internships created a great opportunity for students to gain new professional skills

Teachers

• The teachers learnt:

• new methodologies which, when used properly in SEN training, will reduce early school leaving

• new technologies

• using eco-friendly, natural materials

• They developed outcome-oriented training programs for all professions

• The crucial role of the teachers in the successful implementation if traineeships

Impact

• Thematic days and weeks, career orientation programs and free-time activities as examples of the project outcome integrated into the school’s training programme

• Students’ attitudes changing towards an environmentally conscious life of better quality. 

• The companies in Portugal reported their students returning home as more direct, communicative, and confident in their fields and excellent team players