EAfA Member Spotlight: PI CELI’s apprenticeships support young people with qualifications in vocational fields

We spoke about PI CELI's strong potential to organise combined professional training programmes and support the capacity development of other vocational institutes, all while ensuring equal opportunities and gender-neutral best practices.

Please can you provide a short overview of your EAfA pledge?

PI CELI joined the Alliance in October 2025 with a pledge to establish new European educational partnerships, provide work-based learning placements and deliver apprenticeship programmes. Our educational partners play a key role in linking training with labour market needs, supporting investment in training activities, and facilitating learners' transition into employment.

In parallel, at PI CELI, we're focused on building up the quality of VET and apprenticeships and investing in people. So, our pledge also covers exchanging experiences with international VET institutions, strengthening the capacity of the institution's teaching staff, enhancing the quality of VET, and getting involved in Erasmus+ projects.

Why did you decide to submit a pledge and how has PI CELI contributed to EAfA activities since?

PI CELI officially joined the EAfA community in October 2025, in line with its mission to engage in the development of initiatives that highlight the relevance of VET in the context of the current labour market. We also wanted to support learners in making informed educational and career choices and to strengthen the link between education and the needs of the economic environment, which the Alliance enables us to do.

We're also a member institution of the ETF network for excellence (ENE) , which enables VET centres and providers to benchmark their activities against European standards of vocational excellence. The institution became aware of EAfA through its participation in the VET-CONNECT project, implemented by the OeAD and funded by the Austrian Development Agency.

Being part of the EAfA community has already enabled us to diversify our educational and training offer and implement two Erasmus+ projects: 'Innovation in Smart and Digital VET Skills for the Advanced Textile Industry' (InnovaTex); and 'Modernising Moldovan VET in the Digital and Green Transitions by Developing Curricula, Improving Labour Market Participation of Vulnerable Groups, and Modernising School Infrastructure' (MOMO-VET).

InnovaTex supports the modernisation of vocational education and training in the textile sector, with a focus on digital, smart and green skills. So far, the project has delivered updated training content, set up Smart Labs in partner institutions, and launched initial training and capacity-building activities for students, teachers and professionals. These actions are helping VET providers respond more effectively to technological change and current industry needs.

In parallel, MOMO-VET takes a broader system-level approach, supporting curriculum development, improving access to the labour market for vulnerable groups, and contributing to the modernisation of VET infrastructure in Moldova. Initial results include closer cooperation between EU and Moldovan VET institutions and the launch of activities related to curricula, staff development and training facilities.

How have you promoted EAfA membership to your members/partners?

As a newly affiliated member of EAfA, PI CELI has informed its affiliated educational institutions about its membership and the opportunities offered by the Alliance. This was done in particular, during the annual coordination meeting held in October 2025, where representatives of vocational schools and colleges were introduced to the EAfA community and its activities. Additionally, in December 2025, we identified new educational partners so we could provide apprenticeships for learners in both traditional and dual education pathways, including textile products (clothing, footwear and leather goods), electrotechnics and energetics, and hairdressing and beautician services.

In line with this mandate, PI CELI also provides coordination and guidance to vocational education institutions within its field of specialisation and linked to the Centre of Vocational Excellence. For the 2025-2026 academic year, PI CELI coordinates a network of 14 affiliated institutions (13 vocational schools and one college), all delivering training programmes aligned with the Centre's areas of specialisation.

What activities has PI CELI undertaken to achieve the EAfA objectives in your pledge?

PI CELI has strengthened vocational education and training (VET) by expanding dual education, combining school-based learning with practical training. This approach is supported through cooperation with partners including, ADA (Austria), LED (Liechtenstein), UNFPA Moldova, the PRO DIDACTICA Educational Centre, the Association for Education and Development, the Ministry of Education and Research in Moldavia, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Learners' families also play a supporting role.

At the same time, PI CELI is updating its VET offer through accreditation and external evaluation. In February 2026, it applied to Moldova's national quality assurance agency for professional education (ANACEC) for provisional authorisation of programmes in 'Beauty Services Planning and Management' and 'Artistic Design of Stage Costumes'. This builds on progress in 2025, when programmes in Occupational Safety and Health, Upholstery and Artistic Processing of Materials, and Hairdressing and Cosmetology received provisional authorisation, alongside the accreditation of a continuing professional development course for VET teachers.

PI CELI offers complementary services, including optional courses, extracurricular activities, continuing professional training, and validation of non-formal competences. This diversification supports a more flexible approach to training and strengthens learners' employability.

How does PI CELI ensure equal access to apprenticeships for women and girls and support broader EU or national goals for gender equality in employment?

PI CELI promotes equal access to vocational education and training through gender-inclusive programmes and qualifications, using neutral occupational titles such as tailor, sewing operator and hairdresser. This approach is supported by inclusive teaching practices, including staff training and mixed-group activities, alongside measures to prevent discrimination and harassment, promote work-life balance, and strengthen cooperation with public authorities and specialised organisations, backed by regular monitoring.

Within the Centre of Excellence, equal access to apprenticeships is reinforced through micro-credentials and the validation of competences acquired in non-formal and informal learning contexts. The institution also supports the participation of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) through targeted outreach and continued guidance, in cooperation with partner organisations.

In addition, targeted measures address the needs of vulnerable groups. These include a micro-credential programme in Hairdressing for refugee women, delivered under the 'Initiative to Support Refugees' in partnership with the PRO DIDACTICA Educational Centre and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Has PI CELI's work inspired you to get involved in EAfA?

We want to help you connect with likeminded organisations committed to improving and promoting VET and apprenticeships. Become an Alliance Member today by submitting a pledge.

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