Can vocational training be combined with non-formal and intercultural education? Absolutely — and in fact, it should be. That’s exactly what a group of students from Ipari Technikum in Veszprém discovered when they joined us for a two-week Erasmus+ VET training programme.
Every morning, we worked together in Urban Lab on web design and development. The students were given a real challenge: to build a website from scratch, step by step. Code, structure, functionality — no abstract theory detached from reality. It was hands-on practice at its best and an opportunity to test themselves in a task they might just as well face in their future careers.
But we wouldn’t be ourselves if we limited their stay to technology alone. In the afternoons, we added elements we consider just as important: language, communication, teamwork and different perspectives. Workshops led by our team helped them open up, practise English and truly feel part of an international group.
We also introduced them to a bit of Podkarpacie. Visits to Łańcut Castle, the Rzeszów Underground Route and the Podkarpackie Innovation Centre gave them a sense of where we live and work — and of the regional context in which they spent those two weeks. These experiences blended education with discovery: a bit of history, a bit of innovation, and a bit of local atmosphere.
As part of the project, the students also developed a website dedicated to Hungarian thermal baths. It was inspiring to see their technical skills meet their own culture and creativity.
And perhaps the best part? This wasn’t just a project that started and ended on paper. Real connections were built. Alexa — one of the participants — became so interested in our European volunteering opportunities that she might return to join us again, this time for a longer stay. And moments like that are always the most rewarding.
Two weeks passed quickly, but they left behind a lot of positive energy and meaningful experiences — on both sides.