Abstract:
The article focuses on findings developed by the School&Work project (Programme: Erasmus+ KA2 – Strategic
Partnership) within a partnership involving six countries: Italy, Belgium, France, Lithuania, Romania and Spain. The
main objectives of the project aim at improving the job orientation services and experiences offered by schools and at
establishing a more concrete and effective cooperation between schools and the world of work. The article highlights
the role that key competencies can play in enhancing students’ learning experience and in motivating them to learn and
complete their studies. Besides learning about a range of subjects students need to learn how to learn, how to
communicate with others, how to think independently and be motivated to learn throughout their lives. All this is
requested by the job market and valued by companies when recruiting staff. Based on thorough research on existing
data and findings of similar European projects the project provides school teachers, advisors and counsellors with the
necessary skills and tools to enable students to identify their interests and aptitudes and match them with a possible
future career. The article states that an appropriate correlation between students’ personal aptitudes and interests and the
skills that are requested by the job market may motivate students at risk of early school leaving to continue their studies.
