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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Co‑Creation with Employers – A Skills-Match Approach

💡 Aligning training with real-world hospitality needs is key. Engaging employers ensures that vocational learning delivers relevant green and digital skills for circular hospitality.

🔍 Evidence-based insights:
• Research shows European SMEs with no dedicated green-skilled staff are significantly less likely to implement resource-efficiency practices. Those perceiving skills gaps are more likely to plan future action (https://www.solas.ie/f/70398/x/2e26383ae0/hospitality-skills.pdf)

• A 2022 study across eight European countries revealed that environmental skills—like energy/water efficiency and waste reduction—are widely assessed by hospitality managers, but most workers had not received related training (Dijkmans_et_al_Environmental_Skills_Gaps_in_Tourism_and_Hospitality_Organisations.pdf)

• Skills gap reports consistently note that employers benefit when vocational providers co-design curricula with them—resulting in greater uptake, relevance, and retention. In hospitality, soft skills and real workplace training are most closely tied to job competence (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10963758.2024.2316338)

🔍 Why this matters:
• Co-creational approaches ensure training aligns with employer needs—from sustainable procurement to guest engagement and circular operations.
• Employer input helps define needed competencies and update curriculum modules accordingly.
• Collaborative pilots build trust: learners practice in real kitchens and hotels, while employers support applied skills development.
• This matched model increases employability and ensures workers contribute effectively from day one.

Through the Eco Smart Hospitality project, we engage employers alongside VET providers, co-designing a circular-hospitality curriculum and digital tools. Together, we pilot learner training in real settings, ensuring that what participants learn is exactly what businesses need.

🔗 Learn more: https://ecosmartproject.eu/
🔗 Project (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/company/ecosmart-hospitality-project/

Partners:

#EcoSmartHospitality #SkillsMatch #EmployerEngagement #GreenSkills #CircularEconomy #HospitalityTraining #ErasmusPlus

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