GAEA TRAINING PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

The GAEA project offers a holistic approach, and it aims not only to train women to become agri-preneurs or pursue a career in agribusiness, based on the identified training needs, but also to up-skill professionals involved in the training and support of women. More specifically, the results from the “GAEA D2.1 Training Needs Mapping Report'' have shown that most women, and particularly NEET and migrant women have specific training needs and face various challenges in accessing resources and opportunities to participate in agri[1]preneurship and there is a need for educating and facilitating their access to training and life-long learning in agri-business. Their challenges include limited access to finance, land ownership, technology, market information etc (FAO, 2011; European Commission, 2021a). Further results from the GAEA D2.1 need analysis revealed that most female farm managers have only practical experience, which further strengthens the need for the development of training programs aimed exclusively at women. Women also face significant constraints, they must reconcile family and business life and take care of many other things (children, household, elderly etc.), which leave them very little time for business-related activities, training, networking or equal time and possibilities to find access to labour market (Demetra, 2021). Women also face traditional female stereotypes, discrimination, and attitude while only 28.7% of farm managers in the EU are women but promising this percentage is increasing (Eurostat, 2018). Overall, these results indicate how challenging and difficult the participation of women in entrepreneurial activities in the agricultural sector can be. They also highlight the necessity of proper education not only for the women themselves but also for the professionals, trainers, career consultants and advisors who are involved in the sector. These professionals play a critical role in designing and delivering training programs and providing consulting activities that are gender-responsive and address the unique training needs, characteristics and challenges faced by women. Under this scope the proposed training structure by GAEA includes: A) Four curricula − Two curricula, one for women higher education (HE) students at EQF level 6, and one for women at VET level and particularly at EQF level 5 for training them to start their own businesses (entrepreneurship) or pursue a career (intrapreneurship) in agribusiness (agriculture, agrifood, agrotourism) − One curriculum for the upskilling of VET trainers and career counsellors − One curriculum in the form of micro-credentials for agribusiness knowledge angels B) The training and assessment methodology proposed for all curricula C) Suggestions for the validation and accreditation of the proposed training schemes at HE and VET level curricula design. Each curriculum sets the framework for planning the learning experiences. Depending on its type and educational purpose, it defines among others the objectives, learning outcomes, contents, EQF level, duration, ECTS credits and pre-requisite knowledge where necessary. The development of the learning outcomesfollows the definition of the European Parliament and Council Recommendations on the establishment of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) for lifelong 5 learning (2008) where learning outcomes are defined as the “statements of what an individual should know, understand and is able to do at the end of a learning process, which are defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competences”. ‘Knowledge’ means the outcome of the assimilation of information through learning. Knowledge is the body of facts, principles, theories and practices that is related to a field of work or study and is described as theoretical and/or factual. ‘Skills’ means the ability to apply knowledge and use know-how to complete tasks and solve problems and are described as cognitive (involving the use of logical, intuitive, and creative thinking) or practical (involving manual dexterity and the use of methods, materials, tools, and instruments). ‘Competence’ means the proven ability to use knowledge, skills and personal, social and/or methodological abilities, in work or study situations and in professional and personal development, is described in terms of responsibility and autonomy.”

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