Offering our construction students a alternative work experience meant finding for them a host organisation who could expose them to the world of road construction. This project was made possible through the help of Mr Ernst Kirnbauer, Regional International Coordinator. The students spent a few days in school getting prepared in basic language and cultural understanding. When they joined the road construction company, they were able to really feel the culture of the road workers. The students describe the experience as "amazing", "once in a life time" and "never to be forgotten". How can they forget about the re-positioning of a highway lane, which was moved by 6 meters to make space for a new lane?!?!

"We interacted very well with the Austrian culture and the people made us feel very welcome" - Malcolm

Students from the Diploma in Hairdressing (2nd year) were given the opportunity to participate in a Leonardo da Vinci 3-week work placement either in Austria or Sweden. After interviews were held, the chosen beneficiaries followed a very intensive preparation process with the International Coordinator. The aim of the project was to give the students a work experience different from the one they get when they work in local salons. All the students spent the first few days at the host school and then the rest of the time in a salon. In the time at the salon the students were able to observe and work with different new techniques, different hair types and different cutting and coloring methods. The students who went to Sweden were hosted in families, and then hosted a Swedish student in Malta for 3 weeks.

"It was fun living with families because we had a chance to see how the Swedish families live" - Vanessa

"It is very different from Malta, which is good as we got to see different things" - Moira

"My host family was really great and I will miss them a lot" - Charmaine

"Among the new techniques, I learnt how to do hair extensions" - Zak

"If only I could press the rewind button and go back ..." - Tiziana

"Apart from hairdressing I leant how to be more independent" - Michelle

"It was a very enriching experience which helped me grow professionally" - Elisa

"We learnt a lot of new techniques and we were given the chance to practice on models and clients" - Gail

Between the 3rd of July and the 1st of August 2004, six students from MCAST Gozo Centre, travelled to Ireland on a 4-week Leonardo da Vinci work placement. The students, Frans Azzopardi, Marlon Grech, Geoffrey Attard, Joe Martin Cefai, Simon Gatt and James Lupi Spencer, have just finished the National Diploma in IT delivered at the Xaghra campus. All work placements allocated to students were in the field of networking, software development and web development. The students were all highly praised by the hosting organisations for their motivation, their skills, their willingness to learn new skills and their determination to succeed. Lodging for the students was provided in host families in the areas of Ballybrack, Shankill and Cabinteely. Residing within Irish families immersed the students within the Irish culture, lifestyle and traditions. While in Dublin, the students had the opportunity to meet with the Maltese Ambassador for Ireland HE Richard Muscat and the Second Secretary Mr Fabio Pirotta. This placement was part of the MOVE project hosted by MCAST and financed by the Leonardo da Vinci EU programme.