Nowadays, one of the most common problems in the education field is dropout prevention. The reasons for this are manifold—finding an employment, lack of motivation, financial problems, and right down to problems in family or personal life. This tendency is particularly visible in the education programs related to catering. With this project, we wish to encourage students to have and to develop the courage to have a career in the catering field, as well as to motivate them to continue the studies they have started. The aim of the project is to create motivation and understanding about the wide choice of possibilities in catering so that students would continue their studies. The tasks of the project: - To create an understanding about the wide range of possibilities in catering, promoting catering field and chef’s profession; - To develop peer suggestions for motivating the students in the catering field by organising exchange of experience with schools that have catering programs; - To promote entrepreneurial skills of the students. It is planned to involve six students, aged 16 to 18, and 2 accompanying persons from each partner school in the project. Students who are currently studying in educational programs related to catering field will be involved. In each of the partner school it is planned to involve around 50 students locally, to whom the results of the project will be presented and who will be able to participate in interest groups on the theme. The exchange of good practice will be carried out via short-term student group exchange, during which the participants will take part in informal activities, discussion groups, food-preparation workshops; they will research and compile the good practice examples, as well as develop suggestions to their fellow students. In each partner country during the exchange, it is planned to carry out various tasks based on the good practice and research of the current situation in that country. As a result of the project, the students will gain a motivational boost to continue their studies, because they will have seen the good practice examples both in their home country and abroad, in an international environment. The participants will develop their entrepreneurial skills, and English skills; they will expand their knowledge in the catering field and in food production, and they will have a chance to share their ideas with their peers who study similar professions. The project will help the students to get an international experience, it will also encourage to reach their goals and continue their education.
Before this project and during its implementation we researched current problems in schools with catering-related programmes, which are the following—early school leaving without receiving a professional diploma, which, in turn, threatens the employment chances of graduates later on, and the failure on the part of students to realise the wide array of opportunities that the chef’s profession and catering, in general, can offer. We reached the aim of project activities, which was to explore possible motivational tools that allow the students to realise the potential of their chosen profession in relation to catering. The new student generation geared towards developing their entrepreneurial skills, and cross sectoral competencies. Taking into account that the school is the one that offers practical training placements in the chosen profession and that early dropouts do not gain the necessary work experience, we emphasised the importance of education and its continuity – provided the opportunity for the students to get to know the real, successful examples (chefs, SME owners, baristas, etc.) so that they felt encouraged to have a career in catering. During the project activities two main aims were fulfilled: 1. we created the motivation and understanding with regard to numerous options that catering offers; catering, in general, and chef’s profession was also popularised; 2. good practice examples were explored and experience was exchanged with the schools that carry out catering-related education programmes, in order to promote the acquisition of skills and competencies and to find appropriate motivational tools for potential dropouts. Learning activities and exchange of experience in the project were necessary, because each country has a slightly different situation with students who study catering. However, one thing was in common in all project participant schools – all students in each country have to raise their motivation not to drop out of the school, and to be able to see the path and potential of catering profession. We reached the aim of the project—to create motivation to study the chosen profession and not to drop out before the qualification is gained, which is very important to all project partners. During the learning activities (a week in each partner country) students and teachers were able to explore a common theme; they also improved their English language skills, teamwork and cooperation skills, their social and cross-cultural skills, and involved local students, as the workshops were open to all local school’s students.