Hotel internship program: Get qualification on time! (HIP: GET QUALIFIED)
The “Erasmus+” project “Hotel Internship Program-Get qualification on time!” implemented by Junior Achievement Macedonia strives to improve key skills and competencies of 15 students from 3 professional VET tourism schools from Republic of North Macedonia.
The project will be implemented by a consortium of the VET schools: SUGS Lazar Tanev, Skopje; SOU Vancho Pitosheski from Ohrid and SOU Naum Naumovski Borche from Krushevo, Junior Achievement Macedonia and supported by the hosting organization, Bulgarian Youth Forum from Varbovo, Bulgaria. The project objectives aim to increase employment, job quality and productivity, with an emphasis to enhance the attraction of vocational education and training, and improve work-based learning and strengthen teachers’ knowledge in professional skills and capabilities.
The practical internship will be implemented between 2 and 15 September, 2021 at high quality hotel in the Bulgarian resort Ikantalaka (Kavarna) where the students will be guided through a two weeks’ process as similar to the real-life job.
They will be introduced to innovative pedagogical methods focused on the student, on learning by doing and learning the best practices. The multicultural work environment will create lasting partnerships with neighboring country’s organizations and tourism sector. The hotel will offer high quality service and readiness to participate in the education of students.
At the end, the students will receive certificates of successful internship from the hotel, Junior Achievement Macedonia and the hosting partner, along with the Europass Mobility Document. By studying the European models for on-the-job training in the tourism sector students will get familiarized with the VET system in an EU country. The project will prepare the students for the rapid changes on the European Labor Market and improve their knowledge needed to successfully complete their education.
Some of the expected results from the internship are: Improved student’s knowledge, skills and competences, as well as language and communication skills, thus increasing the employability and increased knowledge and competence by the accompanying teachers to make positive improvements in the curricula and pedagogical methodology.
Besides the directly involved beneficiaries, the results from the project will impact on the rest of the VET schools and wider community, businesses and the educational institutions, thus positively influencing the whole tourism sector in Republic of North Macedonia.