By implementing this project, we aimed to increase the acquisition of new vocational knowledge and skills for independent and professional work in tourism and hospitality. We wanted to provide students with the experience of working abroad, where they would be exposed to other cultures and ways of thinking, and develop their intercultural competencies and communication skills by actively using English as a working language. Due to the workload during the season and the lack of motivation from mentors, employers in our region cannot offer a sufficient number of adequate job positions (leaving students to work simple maintenance jobs or being left to their own devices), so through this project, we wanted to provide our students with quality professional practice abroad, specifically in Ireland, which has a highly developed education system with quality practical training. This project enabled our students to receive education and practical training at a European level, enabling them to acquire skills and competencies that will be of great importance when entering the EU job market.
Tourism and Hospitality School Split educates students in vocational programs for the professions of chef, waiter, hotel and tourism technician, tourism and hotel salesperson, as well as assistant chef and assistant waiter. Our students live in a region where tourism is the most important industry, and the number of those interested in education at our school has been steadily increasing for years. The lack of new skills required by specific forms of tourism, insufficient emphasis and hours on practical teaching result in low student output skills, especially in certain specific situations such as the COVID situation. Therefore, the school has focused on the internationalization of the school and practice abroad to educate our students and provide practical training at the European level, thus acquiring skills and competencies that will be of utmost importance to them when entering the unique labor market in the EU. The Erasmus+ KA1 project "Practice for Life" is part of the solution to these challenges, which has enabled us to improve the scope of practical teaching. The project has improved student motivation, encouraged enthusiasm, and rewarded students who have made exceptional efforts in their education during the COVID.