DAMAS project and the challenge of virtual mobility in the automotive sector

The DAMAS (Digital Apprentices Mobility in the Automotive Sector) project aims at testing virtual mobility in the automotive sector. Virtual training and mobility in the automotive sector create challenges that the partners of DAMAS want to face: one of the most pressing problems facing Vocational Education and Training (VET) relates to apprenticeship and Work-based Learning (WBL). A commonly asked question by VET providers at the moment is if future mobility will be physical, virtual or blended. The 2020 saw the unforeseeable rise of learning virtual mobility as one of the most powerful and impactful tools promoted by the EU to foster the personal and professional growth of learners. The partnership involves the following countries:  Sweden- leader (Borås Municipality – Adult Education), Belgium (GO! Education of the Flemish Community and EARLALL), Italy (Training2000) and Germany (BBQ Bildung und Berufliche Qualifizierung gGmbH).

The DAMAS project aims at motivating and supporting the development and use of digital applications for the VET providers to manage autonomous and social learning processes in vocational education on an individual basis, through the improvement of the digital facilitation of learning processes. The following are the results to be achieved through the project:

IO1: State of Affairs – a Collection of existing practices and recommendations in using ICT in teaching VET at distance

IO2: Guidelines on the implementation of digital training and virtual mobilities in automotive professions

IO3: Platform with content and OER for blended VET mobility training

IO4: Curriculum for a training course for VET teachers and company trainers

Taking all of this into consideration, the DAMAS results will be part of a wider experiential education, building  a digital learning platform that motivates different types of stakeholders in VET to use innovative technologies and digital applications including gamification and virtual reality to support and challenge the learner.

The project will ensure direct contribution to the development of quality in teaching and learning and to the promotion of work based learning through digital tools, setting up a platform and a dialogue with main target groups and stakeholder: Teachers and trainers (at VET centers), VET learners/apprentices, policy makers, Local and regional officers and ultimately pupils in VET but industry and SMEs are essential partners to accomplish a digital shift in teaching VET.

The project will build a strong networking of stakeholders committed in the automotive sector at national and international level; the partners are in contact with many associations and agency of the Automotive clusters around Europe in order to create the basis for this new network.

The project will develop a model of learning approaches through the use of online/digital/virtual tools that will not only be useful for the target groups, but will also have a good potential for further development in different variations which in practice increase its reliability and effectiveness to other possible subjects of interest at international level.

For further information please visit the page of DAMAS project available here.