About project

Why is the transition from high school to the professional world challenging?

The transition from high school to the professional world can be a challenging steppingstone. While recent high school graduates possess incredible potential and energy, they haven’t always had the opportunity yet to develop the specific practical, digital, and soft skills that modern employers require. At the same time, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are eager to connect with fresh, adaptable talent but often lack a structured way to train and integrate them. Project REOPEN was created to serve as a supportive bridge during this crucial transition.

How do we strengthen collaboration between education and business?

We aim to foster strong, practical links between higher education institutions, SMEs, and business support organizations. By working together across borders, we can directly enhance youth employability while strengthening the regional economy.

What impact will the project create?

For Young People: We will empower 300 youths from our partner countries by boosting their employability through targeted training, resulting in recognized certificates (including ECTS credits). Furthermore, 150 of these young people will land fairly paid internships, securing vital real-world experience, fair compensation, and professional letters of reference to kickstart their careers.
For SMEs & Organizations: Local businesses will gain direct access to a pool of motivated, newly upskilled talent ready to contribute immediately, while building a stronger cross-border professional network.

What are the key steps of the project?

We have broken our project down into three straightforward steps:

1. We build strong partnerships between universities, local businesses, and support organizations across Latvia, Estonia, and Finland.

2. We enroll 300 young people into three core training modules focused on the practical skills employers value most: soft skills, digital and green competencies, and field-specific knowledge.

3. We transition 150 of our trained participants into fairly paid internships at hosting SMEs, ensuring they leave the program with hands-on experience and a strong reference letter.