In response to challenges surrounding inclusion, sustainability, and youth employability, the C4T – Companies for Trainees project, led by KASA|PT, offers a concrete, innovative, and strongly European answer. Its ambition? To engage more companies in hosting international interns and thus promote a more inclusive, sustainable, and enriching transnational mobility for trainees.
Rethinking professional mobility in Europe
C4T is part of a transformative approach. Its goal is clear: to open mobility programmes to a broader audience, especially to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, by removing the barriers that prevent companies from actively participating. At the same time, the project seeks to promote ecological practices in the context of mobility and to foster intercultural awareness and a sense of European citizenship.
Transnational mobility is not only an opportunity for young people; it also serves as a strategic lever for companies, helping them to open up to new cultures, innovate within their organisations, and strengthen their social impact.
Concrete actions in three european countries
To reach its goals, the project relies on a series of activities jointly conducted in Germany, Portugal, and Ireland. First, fieldwork and research are carried out through questionnaires and focus groups, aiming to better understand the hesitations companies may have about hosting foreign interns.
In parallel, best practice exchanges are organised among project partners. These include three transnational meetings, six online conferences, and eighteen collaborative video sessions. A Focus Group and a hybrid conference will also be held in each participating country to cross-analyse experiences and reinforce collaborative dynamics.
In total, the project will involve 24 potential host companies, 9 vocational education and training centres, and 15 educators.
An action plan to shift mindsets
The project’s main output will be a comprehensive Action Plan built around three key areas. First, it will identify the perceived barriers companies face in hosting foreign interns—whether logistical, administrative, or cultural. Second, it will propose concrete solutions to overcome these challenges and encourage more active participation. Finally, the plan will highlight the direct and indirect benefits of transnational mobility for host companies, educational institutions, and interns alike.
This deliverable will serve as a roadmap for any organisation wishing to engage in international internship hosting within the framework of European programmes such as Erasmus+.
A vision driven by KASA|PT and its partners
For KASA|PT, the C4T project is an opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to a more united, inclusive, and sustainable Europe. By placing young people, companies, and communities at the centre of its thinking, C4T actively contributes to reshaping learning pathways in real-world work contexts.
Beyond the expected outcomes, the project paves the way for stronger transnational cooperation and a broader recognition of the added value of mobility experiences for all parties involved.
