Support Tool for Employers in Onboarding and Training New Employees and Trainees
European Union Erasmus+ programme small-scale partnership project in vocational education and training Nr.2024-2-FI01-KA210-VET-000293288
“WORKING LIFE FINDS THE INDIVIDUAL EXPERT – W-LIFE”
Project period: 01.01.2025 – 30.06.2026 Budget: EUR 60,000
Lead Partner: AhlmanEdu, Finland
Lead in Methodology Development: Yebisu Eesti, Estonia
Partner: Bulduri Technical School, Latvia
About the Project
How can employers successfully onboard new employees and trainees with different competence levels, previous experience and individual support needs?
This was one of the key questions addressed by the W-LIFE project.
Bulduri Technical School, together with AhlmanEdu and Yebisu Eesti, explored how learners and new employees are welcomed, guided and supported when starting an internship or employment in the green sector, particularly in landscape construction, horticulture, green maintenance and tree care.
The project aim was to support employers and workplace mentors in organising effective and inclusive onboarding and training for new employees and VET learners.
EQF-Aware Onboarding
An important methodological basis of the project was the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). People at different competence levels may require different approaches to workplace guidance. Some need clearer instructions, practical demonstrations, visual support and regular feedback, while others are ready for greater independence and responsibility.
One of the key project insights was that difficulties during onboarding do not always result from a lack of skills. They can also arise from unclear instructions, unspoken expectations or insufficient communication. Successful onboarding therefore depends both on the employee’s competence and on the employer’s ability to recognise different learning and support needs.
Employers and Learners Involved
In September 2025, a survey among green sector employers and workplace mentors was carried out in Finland, Estonia and Latvia. In Latvia, 34 industry professionals and employers contributed their experience and recommendations, providing an important basis for further project activities.
The project included a 30-hour international training programme, two learning mobilities for VET learners in Finland and Latvia, company visits and practical testing of workplace guidance methods.
During the mobility in Finland, Latvian learners explored the Finnish green sector working and learning environment and its best practices. They also created three video instructions for the Recipe Library, while developing teamwork, international communication, problem-solving, digital and reflection skills.
Hackathon at Bulduri Technical School
One of the concluding activities was a Hackathon at Bulduri Technical School on 21–24 April 2026.
Participants visited major Latvian landscaping companies, met professionals responsible for onboarding and discussed experiences with Bulduri trainees. The aim was to identify real-life onboarding bottlenecks and validate the methods and guidelines developed during the project.
The experience confirmed that relatively small actions — clear instructions, practical demonstrations, checking understanding and timely feedback — can significantly improve the workplace integration of new employees and trainees.
Recipe Library – Practical Support for Onboarding
The main project outcome is the Recipe Library – a collection of practical tools and recommendations for employers, workplace mentors, teachers and learners.
Based on employer feedback, international workshops, company visits and practical testing, it supports users in onboarding new employees and trainees:
· creating clear and accessible work instructions;
· recognising different competence and support needs;
· adapting communication and guidance;
· reflecting on workplace situations and possible improvements.
The Recipe Library will remain openly available online, supporting wider use by VET institutions, employers, workplace mentors and learners beyond the project period.
Better onboarding benefits everyone – learners, employees, employers and the green sector as a whole.
THE PROJECT IS CO-FINANCED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION
Educational content licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 ·
© WLife project partners 2026
Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Finnish National Agency for Education, EDUFI. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
