ERASMUS+ ETPXAVIER

 We have had the pleasure to receive a team of teachers and managing staff from the Vocational Training school REDU in Rovaniemi, Finland. Apart from enjoying together our beautiful city and surroundings, we had time to share and make plans for a future collaboration. This is just a first step forward to a friendship and teamwork.

  From April 24 to 28, 2023, I had the opportunity to participate in an international training mobility program in the field of Logistics and International Trade in Hamburg and Hannover (Germany), financed by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union. It has been a very powerful experience to learn first-hand how DUAL Vocational Education and Training is organized in Germany and to see its implementation in practice. With participants from other schools, we visited and spoke with heads of the chambers of commerce, directors and teachers of the educational centers, with companies and students. The great involvement of the companies, from the students' selection to the curricula's definition, the active role of the Chambers and the demand and form of evaluation of the students, have been some of the features that have had the most impact on us. In addition, we enjoyed the visits to the Port of Hamburg, the DHL Airport Logistics Centre in Hannover and The MegaHub fast...

 If we had to define our experience in Finland, we would describe it as awesome! Now, we will tell you the reasons. First, we had the opportunity to learn about different aspects… not only about the culture but also about the weather, the language, the scenery, the gastronomy… and we met very kind and professional colleagues. We even discovered the Saami culture near Inari. For all this, we conclude that it was a great experience for us both professionally and personally! During our stay we visited two different schools (Redu), one located in Rovaniemi and the other in Sodankylä. We learnt about the educational system in Finland and the vocational training courses offered in both organisations. They also showed us the facilities not only in the headquarters but also around the town. We took part in an Erasmus meeting and we had a chance to meet students in different lessons and exchange impressions with them. We also visited a company where an Erasmus student from Alicante was doin...

 On the first day I was able to discover new landscapes and unexpected gifts… I visited the School of Health, which is the section of the Polytechnic University of Algarve that includes five degrees: Nursing, Medicine, Physiotherapy, Dietetics and Biomedical Sciences. I was welcomed by the pedagogical director of the University School and the director general of the University. They showed me the school and introduced me to different professionals in charge of the training areas as well as a few teachers. After this experience I am happy to say that the level we teach in the medium degree in nursing at ETP Xavier is very adequate and complete. We can be proud that our students acquire a good standard of patient care and well-being. Many civilizations have left their historical mark on Faro, a beautiful city full of beautiful colours. I appreciate the management team and the Erasmus coordinators for the opportunity I had to do this exchange.

 My experience in Lille In May, I had the opportunity to spend a week in Lille, a city in the north of France, thanks to the Erasmus+ exchange program. I was at Lycée Cam ille de Lellis, a vocational training institute situated in Lambersart, a neighborhood of the city. It is composed of a professional Lycée, a Continuing Education Center, and an Apprenticeship Formation Unit. There, students can train in healthcare, social care, catering, commerce, sales, etc. As a language teacher and linguistic coordinator in ETP Xavier, I was with the foreign language teachers of the school: English and Spanish, and I could see different methodologies of learning. One thing that surprised me was that in all vocational training students must study French and two foreign languages! Moreover, I could have time to visit and enjoy the city (when the rain allowed me!). Lille is an extraordinary small city with a mixture of French and Flemish culture, because of its geographic situation (it is only 18...

I’m an eternal learner, always curious and openminded. Therefore, I am absolutely grateful for this opportunity of an Erasmus stage in May 2023. I gained personal and professional experience and got new ideas and plan new cooperative projects for the next course. For four days I visited the vocational school for Transport/Logistics and Tourism in Munich, Germany. I observed with interest different language and technical classes and could compare two different educational systems.  Just to finish, I would like to reiterate my gratitude to the hosting school, the teachers who welcomed me with such kindness and to my school management that gave me this unforgettable opportunity.