As a prerequisite for a stronger involvement in vocational education and training reform, CCE secured funding under ERASMUS+ KA3 for the project "Strengthening the Capacities of the Chambers and Partners to Help SMEs to Engage in Apprenticeship" - Cap4App, which started in October 2016.

This project, worth more than half a million euros, aims to strengthen the organizational capacity of the CCE by educating CCE employees (especially employees of 20 regional chambers) in order to provide the best possible support to small and medium-sized enterprises, already participating or planning to participate in vocational training programs. In addition, one of the objectives of the project is to improve the perception and popularity of certain vocational professions as well as raise employers’ awareness of the importance of participating in vocational education programs.

Project outputs include twenty educated CCE employees to assist companies to engage in vocational education programs, developed quality criteria for the approval of training companies, manuals for Apprenticeship Advisors, companies and in-company mentors and developed educational programme for in-company mentors. In the next six months, a database and register of SMEs which have the conditions to participate in in the programs of vocational education with the accompanying mentors who are employees of these companies will be developed, and twenty mentors from SMEs will go through a training program.

Through collaboration with Austrian Federal Economic Chamber and the introduction of good practices, project partners acquired knowledge and experience that will be applicable in the Croatian context.