Tackling future challenge in Digital skills for VET Trainers: Digital WBL showcase in Barcelona
Barcelona, February 24, 2025 – The UOC – University of Catalonia hosted the final event of the Erasmus+ “Deal with Digital WBL” project, bringing together education experts to discuss the integration of digital technologies in work-based learning environments.
The three-year Erasmus+ project “Deal with Digital WBL” culminated in a showcase of practical tools designed to help Vocational Education and Training educators navigate the digital transformation of work-based learning. UOC Professor Albert Sangrà emphasized that “digital transformation of work-based learning goes beyond using sophisticated tools to support practical activities—it changes how we conceptualize teaching and learning, allowing us to share with students how technologies will impact future work.”
Ivana Russiello from SFC Sistemi Formativi Confindustria presented the project’s development framework and key outcomes, initiating a dialogue with medical professional school representatives. The discussion revealed that even spontaneous approaches to digitalization prompt structured reflection on pedagogical approaches and methodologies needed to incorporate digital elements into student curricula.
Key project outcomes
The event highlighted several practical tools developed during the project:
- Guidelines for Designing Digital WBL & Remote Experiential Activities – presented by UOC group of researchers.
- Training programs for VET trainers engaged in digitalizing work-based learning – presented by Rossella Brindani from CIS
- Blueprints for addressing challenges and supporting collaborative projects among digital transformation stakeholders – presented by Laura Eigbrecht from DHBW
- Digital WBL Toolkit – presented by Christian Wildt from Hanse Parliament.
All resources are available on the project website (https://digitalwbl.com)
Digital WBL: criticalities and opportunities of a unstoppable process
The second part of the meeting, led by Laura Eigbrecht (DHBW), featured testimonials from digitalization experts Elena Senís (Hospital de Mar FP Sanitària – formation professionel) and Luis Villarejo (Immersium Studio), who outlined the advantages and challenges of immersive environments in education.
In the medical sector, digital tools are essential, making trainer preparation strategically important for professionals who will work in increasingly digitalized environments. Immersive environments offer powerful simulations for both technical interventions and relational situations, such as telemedicine technologies or simulators for managing dialogue with patients and families in stressful situations.
Digitalization also enables cost-efficient training by providing learning situations that are less expensive and more controlled than real-environment simulations. It creates a “protected” learning environment for developing emotional management skills, as demonstrated by the “Implementation of Gender-based Violence Project” by Immersium Studio in Barcelona, which focuses on developing communication skills in difficult contexts.
Challenges in Digital Transformation
Despite its benefits, digital education faces critical challenges. Zoltan Keleman from IPOSZ addressed the imbalance in digital equipment distribution in schools, which creates additional workload for teachers managing both equipped and non-equipped student groups.
Currently, schools approach digital transition primarily through individual teacher initiative, but this doesn’t guarantee consistent expertise across educational institutions due to staff turnover. While teacher competencies are essential for guiding digital transition in work-based learning systems, they cannot substitute for a comprehensive medium and long-term digital change strategy.
As Albert Sangrà emphasized, beyond developing a digital transition strategy in education, there is an emerging need to prepare leadership capable of implementing such strategies.
Call to Action
From the dialogue with stakeholders, Digital WBL project partners gathered valuable insights to build upon the recently concluded project’s foundation.
Key recommendations included implementing comprehensive digital skills & strategy assessments for VET providers, engaging trainers in digital pedagogy professional development, fostering industry collaborations to identify emerging workplace technologies, and creating practice-sharing communities.
Stakeholders also emphasized the importance of integrating the Deal with Digital WBL Blueprint and Toolkit into curriculum planning. Industry partners were encouraged to provide WBL students with access to industry-standard digital tools, create mentorship programs pairing digital experts with VET trainers, and co-develop workplace-authentic digital simulations.
The meeting concluded with a call to action emphasizing the urgency of embracing digital transformation in work-based learning as a powerful educational innovation while maintaining focus on student outcomes. Stakeholders participate in
About Deal with Digital WBL
The Erasmus+ “Deal with Digital WBL” project is a three-year initiative focused on developing the competencies of VET educators to address the digitalization of work-based learning and advance the challenge of digital transformation in education.
