Welcome to RAISE, the project that aims to raise awareness and interest in STEAM employment.
Project Number: 2017-1-MT01-KA202-026978
The project is Co-funded by Erasmus+ programme of the European Union
The STEAM field is one of the main agents of change in the 21st century. Efforts need to be made to create more awareness and interest in STEAM employment. The RAISE project is a step towards achieving this goal across several European Union Countries.
The European Commission is currently working towards reducing the skills mismatch being observed around Europe. Policies are being drafted to address these skill shortages and surplus due to changes in the employment sector which require Europe’s population to develop new skills. Through the project, we will be able to provide information on the qualifications and soft skills required by employees for particular STEAM careers, with VET education being given a priority. By doing so, we would be empowering individuals whilst ensuring that everyone has equal access to knowledge about opportunities in the job market not only in their home country, but in a total of 5 European countries.
A New Skills Agenda for Europe (2016) states that by raising awareness on Vocational Educational employment, more people would make vocational education as their primary choice (European Commission, 2016, p. 3). Surveys (Rosa, Pisa & Timss) show that 13-15 year olds in developed countries do not believe that science is important for their careers (inGenious, 2014) and very few aspire to become scientists (ASPIRES, 2013).
Furthermore, most students and families are not aware of what science can lead to in terms of careers (ASPIRES, 2013). The technological application produced in this project will provide guidance and counselling on VET careers in Europe, with primary focus being placed on the partner countries, and would help to motivate users to take up a career in STEAM.
A number of open education resources will be developed throughout the duration of the project which will be available for educators and science communicators to download and use with their respective students and visitors. Career Cafés and Career Days will be organised to encourage dynamic, two-way interactions between students and professionals working in the field.
Training will also be provided to partner organisations who will hold sessions with educators from partner countries to build a network of STEAM Ambassadors who will all work towards achieving the objectives of the project.
Project Duration:
37 months: 20/11/2017 till 19/12/2020
What are the objectives of the project?
- To develop an app to raise interest and increase awareness in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) employment.
- To make Vocational Education and Training (VET) careers a priority within the STEAM field.
- To support inclusive education by making VET career information more accessible to put an emphasis on vocation applied learning.
- To de-stereotype stereotypes in STEAM professions and shift gender perceptions in relation to STEAM careers.
- To provide career guidance in STEAM careers and labour market information so that people can make well-informed decisions.
- To provide guidance on the skill-sets required for STEAM careers to bridge the skills gap.
- To raise importance on work based learning in skills acquisition.
- To inspire students to take up STEAM subjects through interaction with STEAM professionals, exhibits and science communication events.
- To increase the science capital of families and as a result, the likelihood of children taking up STEAM careers.
- To help tackle the issue of Early School Leavers by offering VET as an alternative education and career pathway.
RAISE 