Erasmus+ Small Scale Partnership project “Advancing Food Services

NGO Rimavičius together with its partners Riga Technical School of Tourism and Creative Industries is implementing an Erasmus+ Small Scale Partnership International Project to contribute to the innovation of vocational education and training and to adapt vocational education and training to the needs of the labour market (No: 2023-1-LT01-KA210-VET-000157824). The project involves 30 vocational school students, 3 teachers and 4 Rimavičius employees.

The aim of the project is to digitise and modernise the learning process in vocational education and training, using a mobile app as a learning platform. By using advanced tools and innovative learning methods, vocational school students will be able to strengthen their competitive position in the labour market and meet the needs of enterprises. This approach aims to increase the attractiveness of vocational training by integrating engaging, modern and innovative learning tools into the curriculum.

The project will develop a learning platform, based on a suitable app template, which will become a useful tool for students learning the waiter profession. The app will be used to study various topics, prepare for tests and exams. In addition to 20 video lessons, it will also include tests, theory and an exam. The flexibility of the learning app on the phone will give students the freedom and choice to study at a convenient time and place. The gamified learning process would increase students’ motivation to learn. For lecturers, it will be a great tool to simplify the monitoring and management of the learning process. Such developed, tested and adapted vocational training models will help to adapt to the needs of the labour market and facilitate students’ employability. This tool will enable educators to better adapt to the digital transformation taking place in the education sector. By improving students’ skills and enhancing their employability, the project aims to reduce the skills gap between the subjects taught in vocational schools and the skills needed in the labour market.

The project started with a meeting of the two teams in Riga in October 2023 to discuss the progress of the project and, by mutual agreement, due to the availability of the school and the project participants, the filming of the video lessons was postponed until January 2024. Both partners presented the project separately to their partners and business representatives: the Palanga Hotel and Restaurant Association and the Riga Hotel and Restaurant Association. A total of 20 business representatives in Lithuania and Latvia have already been introduced to the project idea.

After the New Year, all 20 videos were filmed and edited by students from the Riga Technical School of Tourism and Creative Industries.

The video lessons are currently being systematised, the school teachers are creating tests and collecting theory. Teachers will be trained on how to use the app in April, then the app will be tested by a group of students and integrated into the waiter training module later this year. Later, the project, the results and the app itself will be presented to representatives of vocational schools in Lithuania and Latvia, as well as representatives of the restaurant business. This will encourage other schools to try out the learning tool and interest the business in integrating the app into staff training.