Dr Antonia Ypsilanti presented a paper at CEDEFOP's workshop

Intergenerational learning: An effective strategy for work-based learning in CVET
By  Ropes Donald, Holland University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands and Dr Ypsilanti Antonia, South East European Research Center, Thessaloniki, Greece
 
Work-based learning (WBL) is becoming increasingly important to enterprises because of decreased training budgets as well as the realization that effective VET is embedded in the workplace itself. Furthermore, enterprises are more aware of the need to involve all ages in the CVET process. One way to do this is to organize intergenerational learning in the workplace. Intergenerational learning (IGL) is a type of work-based learning involving knowledge building, learning and innovation between generations in an organization.It is an effective way people from different ages, learning styles, values and motivations learn together (Ropes 2013). Examples of IGL include mentoring programs, mixed-age teams, and training programs specifically aimed at promoting interaction and learning among generations. This paper aims to illustrate the possibilities of IGL as WBL by presenting the results of a large-scale applied research project on organizing IGL in 43 enterprises across six EU countries. The IGL Toolkit (see www.intergenerationallearning.eu) was developed and systematically tested for efficacy together with 43 enterprises in four different sectors. Cultural and sectoraldiversity were considered throughout the entire process. Findings show IGL as an effective strategy for work-based learning in CVET, particularly in enterprises interested in capitalizing on the experience of older employees.Many barriers and critical success factors for implementing IGL were also found. IGL provides a unique and sustainable learning environment. This research can help policy makers to understand how to implement IGL as well as other types of WBL effectively.