training fields) and those who had training in the field of administration and services benefited most from their VET mobility training abroad. The given groups of research participants, more often than other learners, claimed they gained more practical professional skills and enhanced their communication, team-working and interpersonal competences. Finally, they claimed they gained more transferable skills and learnt more elements of the profession that they would not have been able to learn at their school or college in their home country. When looking at the further education and career paths of the participants, many of them acknowledged that they can use the skills gained during their placements abroad in their careers and personal life. This refers, in particular, to their soft skills, such as interpersonal and team-working skills. When discussing the relevance of placements for the current requirements of the labour market, the participants believed that references to their placement enhance their CV and give them advantages over those who do not have similar experiences. Some of the participants provided specific examples of skills that proved to be crucial in the recruitment processes (e.g. teamwork, leadership and adaptability). However, it must be taken into account that many of the research participants are still at the early stage of their careers. Thus, the mobilities’ impact should rather be considered with regard to assessing the relevance of the skills acquired by the participants during their placements in terms of gaining and performing their first jobs. Putting the job expectations of the participants under scrutiny, it can be observed that the most important aspects are related both to having decent and stable work conditions (a well-paid job with a contract on a legal basis that allows them to keep a work-life balance) and to having a satisfactory job with possibilities of acquiring new knowledge and skills. This means there is a mix of significance given to intrinsic and extrinsic work values, however the approach towards job opportunities looks different in individual countries which, most likely, stems from the specificities of the given national labour markets (i.e. the importance of having a well-paid job was less frequently mentioned in the Western European countries). When looking at those participants who have continued their education at secondary or tertiary level, it can be concluded that their studies were often undertaken simultaneously with their job. This also reflects the current situation in the European labour market, where many young people study and work at the same time or continue their education after starting a career. Moreover, the participants’ remarks show that most of them are aware that their first job is more or less temporary as it is consistent with other priorities in their lives,
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