The project addresses two general objectives and a set of correlated specific objectives. The first general objective of the D-Tasting Project was to innovate vet training through digital in order to transform a problem (covid-19) into an opportunity for innovation for VET providers, trainers and trainees. Specific Objectives: develop innovative digital competencies (digital tasting) in food and wine professionals. develop innovative e-learning courses for vet providers. increase youth and women employability through e-learning courses and competence certification. The second general objective of the D-TASTING Project consists in increasing youth and woman employability through e-learning course: 1) in a format that is very usable (microlearning), also in “pills”, in a form that does not need work-based training, not possible under pandemic restrictions; 2) increasing the course info and enrollment towards unemployed women and youth groups; 3) certifying the new digital competence acquired in a digital way (Open Badge). Specific Objectives: innovate vet training through digitalisation increase youth and women employability in the food and wine sector.
We applied for this project to increase innovation in the VET training sector and employability in the post-pandemic phase, especially in the EU wine and food sector. In the wine & food sector, new digital practices were born, such as digital and virtual tasting. More and more companies were shifting to online strategies to become more resilient. As many people expect to continue with new digital media behaviours even after the pandemic ended we decided to create an online course for organising virtual tastings. This new wave of digitalisation forced by pandemic requested new skills training to be transformed into an opportunity for social and economic development. The combination between social distancing requirements and the closure of enterprises have made practical and workbased learning - so crucial for the success of vocational education - difficult to be implemented. In this context, to develop digital solutions (e-learning) that are able to close the gap between VET and the workplace is necessary more than ever. Nevertheless, the digitalisation of VET training courses should not be considered just a solution to overcome the pandemic, but as an opportunity to introduce innovative learning methods in the VET training.