Piloting Virtual Practical Trainings for Culinary Arts VET Erasmus Project

Project Title

Piloting Virtual Practical Trainings for Culinary Arts VET

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Partnerships for Digital Education Readiness

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Open and distance learning; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Recognition, transparency, certification

Project Summary

COVID19 pandemic set a serious challenge before the educational sector and reconfirmed the need to integrate digital resources in education. Still, the transition to digital education has been much smoother and easier to organise for some vocational fields than for others. The professions and qualifications that rely on human creativity, attitude and interactions have not been considered as appropriate for distance learning. Though there are some attempts for digitalization of VET for service-sector professions (besides the IT-based ones), the practical trainings and examinations are still delivered in-class and through physical presence in most EU countries. Accordingly, the practical trainings in VET curricula for obtaining qualifications in these professions were severely affected and interrupted during COVID19 lockdown regimes as VET-providers were not prepared to organise them in distance or blended mode. However, the provision of uninterrupted VET programs is vital for keeping VET learners in training and for preventing drop-outs.

VET@HOME is designed to create and pilot a standard unit-based syllabus model for virtual practical training courses (training practice) within the VET for the profession “Cook”. It allows the sustaining of vocational training in extreme circumstances as the one caused by the pandemic. The project introduces a new approach to the delivery of practical training courses leading to qualifications that are adapted for distance and blended-mode delivery, usage of alternative learning facilities and the new operational circumstances of the food-and-beverage sector across the EU. The approach is also applicable for disadvantaged learners who have difficulties to be present physically in the training premises on daily basis.

The overall aim of VET@HOME is to reinforce the ability of VET institutions to provide high-quality, inclusive digital education in culinary arts adapted as to the post-COVID19 operation standards in the food-and beverage industry.
The specific objectives are to
– develop a model unit-based syllabus for virtual practical training courses in VET for the profession “Cook”,
– create an on-line platform for the virtual delivery of practical training courses for partial qualification for the profession “Cook”,
– equip VET-providers with a common protocol and guidance how to utilise virtual resources in practical training,
– sustain the attractiveness of VET in the culinary arts and post-crises recovery by outlining paths for recognizing the outcomes of practical training in distance mode.
Hence, the target groups of project are VET providers with their staff, trainers for practical trainings and company tutors, VET learners and VET regulating institutions.

VET@HOME activities include the development of intellectual outputs, transnational project meetings, joint staff training, evaluation, dissemination and sustainability. The main project outputs and results are:
– A model unit-based syllabus for virtual practical training courses in VET for the profession “Cook”,
– An e-learning platform for the delivery of the virtual practical training courses for partial qualification for the profession “Cook” with 4 pilot courses, adapted for distance-mode guided or semi-guided delivery,
– A Protocol and Guidebook for trainers and company tutors in culinary arts on how to conduct on-line VET practical training courses,
– А Roadmap for integration of distance-mode practical training learning outcomes in VET qualifications, including recommendations for policy reforms in VET in the partners’ countries that facilitate the delivery of VET practical training in distance mode and alternative learning environments,
– A joint-staff training for VET-experts,
– National-level conferences “Practical VET in the Digital World” in the 5 project countries –
– Peer coaching.

The intended longer-term impact of the project refers to:
– Increased availability of tailor-made resources to support VET-providers and learners to sustain learning processed in extreme circumstances,
– Valorisation of digital resources for practical training in VET,
– Enhanced transnational cooperation in the digitalization of VET,
– Better integration of the learning outcomes from distance-mode training in VET qualifications,
– Increased capacity of VET to include and accommodate disadvantaged learners.

VET@HOME is a partnership initiative involving three established VET-centres, a CSO for LLL, a business entity and a national qualification authority from Bulgaria, Spain, Portugal, the Republic of North Macedonia and Croatia.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 140963 Eur

Project Coordinator

KOLEZ INTERNATIONAL & Country: BG

Project Partners

• FORMACION Y ASESORES EN SELECCION Y EMPLEO, SL
• AGENCIJA ZA STRUKOVNO OBRAZOVANJE I OBRAZOVANJE ODRASLIH
• PROANDI CONSULTORES ASSOCIADOS LDA
• Leantick ltd.
• ZDRUZENIE INSTITUT ZA RAZVOJ NA ZAEDNICATA