NESET – NEETs’ Empowerment for Sustainable Employment in the Tourism sector, is a 3-year project, funded by the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Youth Employment which aims at supporting on a large-scale transnational basis the sustainability of youth integration in the tourism labour market in the NESET beneficiary countries (BCs), by creating conditions for NEETs’ employment and entrepreneurship in various forms of tourism, incl. alternative tourism. The NESET beneficiary countries are: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Romania, whereas Iceland is involved in the project’s implementation as an expertise country.

The Project’s approved Proposal stipulates, among others, that training materials for validation of skills in a number of occupations in tourism will be produced to support a Training course addressed to trainees with NEET characteristics in the partner countries. The Modules produced, deal with various types of standards, methods and tools considered to be associated with efforts aiming at strengthening young persons’ skills and upgrading their performance while working in tourism related jobs. Varna Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the Partner, responsible for the elaboration of the NESET validation of skills training material for a number of tourism occupations.

Four Validation of Skills Related Modules have been produced by Varna Chamber of Commerce and Industry, for individual occupations in tourism, i.e. hotel front desk officer (1/4), tourist guide (2/4), operator in amusement, recreation and sport (3/4) and waiter (4/4), whereas this module focuses on WAITER. Varna Chamber of Commerce and Industry would like to acknowledge the NESET team members for their contribution in the Preparation of these Modules.

Varna Chamber of Commerce and Industry

September 2020

AUTHORS’ DECLARATION

The present Module has been prepared solely for training purposes. Its text does not necessarily claim originality, as, besides the authors’ own contribution, it is also based on material from various other sources considered to be relevant, useful for training purposes and transferable. This is duly acknowledged in the text in various ways. The authors however accept responsibility for any failure to fully record all such instances in the text.

Table of contents

Learning objectives

Section 1. Validation of skills – importance for the tourism industry

1.1. Validation of skills in tourism – literature review

1.2. NESET Competence Gaps Surveys – implications for tourism occupations’ selection for validation of skills

Section 2. Validation of Skills in Tourism – Waiter

2.1. The validation process – steps, methods and tools

2.2. Waiter – competences, knowledge and skills

Section 3. Self-Assessment Forms

3.1. Questionnaire for ex-ante self-assessment of training participants’ knowledge and skills on the occupation-specific validation process

3.2. Questionnaire for ex-post self-assessment of training participants’ knowledge and skills on the occupation-specific validation process

3.3. Sample questionnaire for assessment of specific training associated elements

Annexes

Annex 1. Validation Procedure Plan

Annex 2. Initial Exploratory Survey Questionnaire

Annex 3. Curriculum Vitae Template

Annex 4. Assessment and Validation Sheet

Annex 5. Validation Certificate

Learning objectives

After following this module on validation of skills in tourism for the occupation waiter, training participants should be able to:

1. Define the concept of validation of skills;

2. Understand validation of skills’ importance for the tourism industry;

3. Identify the factors determining the use of validation of skills;

4. Explain the benefits of validation of skills at individual level, as well as for the economy and society;

5. Follow the steps of the validation process for the above-mentioned occupation and employ the respective methods and tools;

6. Demonstrate that they are able to make use of the occupation-specific competences, using the associated knowledge and skills.

Section 1. Validation of skills – importance for the tourism industry

Tourism is a very dynamic sector worldwide, and even in mature tourism destinations where growth is slowing due to a degree of saturation, its future prospects remain strong. Many trends are impacting the skills needed to perform competently in tourism-related jobs. With the expected long-term growth of the global tourism market, the competition for labour and skills is increasing rapidly, calling for a larger labour force. Moreover, tourism is in competition with other sectors of the economy that are often seen as more attractive on the labour market.

The increasing gap between labour demand growth and labour supply, as well as significant changes in labour force composition (i.e. fewer young people entering the labour force due to a contraction in these age groups, and a ballooning of the senior segments experienced by most developed countries), is putting pressure on employers to improve tourism industry attractiveness and the retention of workers. Thus, many countries have a dual challenge, as they are facing both a labour and a skills shortage in tourism. The complexity of the tourism industry and the very large number of private and public sector stakeholders also require that national governments take a lead in developing a long-term workforce development strategy.[1]

1.1. Validation of skills in tourism – literature review

Competency-based training programmes rely on occupational standards that address the competencies required to professionally carry out the duties associated with the great variety of jobs in the tourism industry. These standards are a job analysis or job profile that contains criteria-based performance statements, knowledge requirements of the job, and contextual information. They are benchmarks against which occupations (or a set of skills), and the proficiency of people in those occupations, are assessed and validated.

Validation can be defined as: a structured process for in-depth identification, assessment and recognition of competences, knowledge and skills that a person has, regardless of how they were acquired. Validation usually leads to certification.

A number of challenges arise, related to the labour market dynamics and the increasingly frequent change of job within the professional career:

employers are increasingly looking for competencies in their employees, such as problem-solving and analytical skills, self-management, communication, language proficiency and generally “non-routine” skills;
individuals need to be able to demonstrate and transfer their skills to the new conditions and organisations, thus making full use of the competencies they have in the labour market.

Thus, the education and training acquired by young people within the formal system is no longer sufficient to meet the labour market requirements. People need continuous upgrading of their qualification level, and in many cases retraining, and this should not be the sole responsibility of formal education and training institutions. Alternative forms of learning, such as the on-the-job training, internships, etc. are crucial for the development of job-specific skills. In this context, the systems of education, training and retraining shall develop mechanisms for the recognition of the full range of learning outcomes (formal, non-formal and informal) within an integrated approach to the validation of skills. The latter is associated with a number of benefits for the single individual, for the economy and for the society as a whole and, at the same, time depends on a number of factors, determining its utilisation at national and European level (see Figure 1 below):

Figure 1: Validation of skills – benefits and underlying factors

1.2. NESET Competence Gaps Surveys – implications for tourism occupations’ selection for validation of skills

The NESET Project started with conducting Competence Gaps Surveys among young adults and employers in order to, among other things, obtain information about the attractiveness and skills’ mismatches / workforce shortages of NESET pre-defined occupations from respectively their own and employers’ perspective. A comparative analysis was made of the responses to both surveys conducted in NESET beneficiary countries (BCs), the results of which can be summarised in the table below, which is also available in NESET Synthesis Report on ‘Young People in The Tourism Industry – Skills Mismatches and Workforce Shortages in the NESET Beneficiary Countries’.

Table 1. Attractiveness, skills’ mismatches and workforce shortages of NESET pre-defined occupations (consolidated indicators)[2]

Occupations	*Attractiveness, skills’ mismatches and workforce shortages of NESET pre-defined occupations (consolidated indicators)*
	Young adults	Employers
	Attractiveness	Skills mismatches’ severity	Workforce shortages’ severity
1. Bartender	3.72	3.15	3.32
2. Conference and event planner	3.97	3.34	3.37
3. Cook	3.55	3.33	3.52
4. Hotel front desk officer	3.51	3.49	3.47
5. Hotel maid	2.91	3.24	3.35
6. Tourist guide	3.95	3.49	3.50
7. Operator in amusement, recreation and sport	3.92	3.53	3.42
8. Travel agent	3.82	3.32	3.22
9. Waiter	3.24	3.64	3.70
OCCUPATIONS’ AVERAGE	3.62	3.39	3.43

Source: Young People in The Tourism Industry – Skills Mismatches and Workforce Shortages in the NESET Beneficiary Countries. Synthesis Report

Based on the conducted analysis and the results presented in Table 1 above, it has been concluded that there are several occupations, which are viewed as both attractive by young adults and in skills mismatches /workforce shortages according to employers. As per the values in the table above, these occupations are ‘hotel front desk officer’, ‘tourist guide’, ‘operator in amusement, recreation and sport’ and ‘waiter’. These results have been used to guide the NESET partnership as to the tourism occupations for which validation standards have been developed.

Section 2. Validation of Skills in Tourism – Waiter

Definition of the occupation: Take food orders and serve food and beverages to patrons in dining establishments.

2.1. The validation process – steps, methods and tools

The procedure to be followed for recognising the skills of validation candidates for the occupation waiter includes the following steps:

Provision of basic project-related information to the validation candidates

Validation candidates shall be briefly acquainted with the aims of the NESET project, the learning objectives of the training module and the validation process. Thus, the information provided at this stage of the validation, shall focus on the following aspects:

background of the project;
theoretical background and benefits of validation;
validation procedure – how the validation will be carried out;
certification – how the results will be documented.

NOTE TO TRAINERS: The information above shall be provided via the general validation of skills’ presentation No.1 to be delivered to participants in the beginning of the validation course (see the general presentation, appended to the NESET validation of skills’ modules).

Presentation of the validation procedure and standards

A detailed overview of the different stages of the validation procedure and the content of the occupation-specific validation standards (incl. competences, knowledge and skills) shall be delivered to validation candidates. Thus, all participants in the NESET validation of skills training workshops shall be acquainted with the validation standards for the four occupations covered by the training course, namely: ‘hotel front desk officer’, ‘tourist guide’, ‘operator in amusement, recreation and sport’ and ‘waiter’, irrespective of the expressed preferences at the previous stage of the validation process. At this stage, a plan of the individual steps of the validation procedure shall also be shared with the validation candidates.

NOTE TO TRAINERS: The presentation of the validation procedure and standards above shall be delivered via the general validation of skills’ presentation No.2 (which will cover in detail the validation procedure stages) and the presentations on the occupation-specific validation standards for each of the above occupations in tourism (see the presentations’ package, appended to the NESET validation of skills’ modules).

IMPORTANT! The validation procedure plan (Annex 1 to the present module) shall be common to all validation candidates, irrespective of their preferences regarding the occupation they want to be validated for.

Initial exploratory survey

Prior to the beginning of validation, an initial exploratory survey shall be carried out among validation candidates. Its purpose is to clarify the individual expectations regarding validation and obtain information about the challenges that participants have faced on the workplace. The initial exploratory survey shall be used to determine:

the validation candidates’ preferences regarding the occupation they want to be validated for;
the validation candidates’ attitude to and experience with validation;
the validation candidates’ expectations and ambitions;
the main difficulties they have encountered or still face at work.

NOTE TO TRAINERS: The initial exploratory survey shall be conducted using a brief, customised questionnaire (see Annex 2 to the present module).

IMPORTANT! The initial exploratory survey shall be conducted once among all participants in the validation course.

Diagnosis and identification of skills

This stage of the validation procedure aims at acquiring information, which would allow for identification of the qualification characteristics of the validation candidate. More specifically, the diagnosis and identification of skills aims at:

Revealing the occupation-related characteristics of the participants;
Highlighting the occupation-related skills of the validation candidates;
Encouraging self-analysis and self-assessment on part of the trainees;
Presenting all the evidence of the occupation-related skills of the participants.

In order that validation candidates identify the competencies they have, they need good self-awareness and the ability to communicate about their competencies. The foundations of these abilities are laid down in a well organised qualification portfolio. Usually, existing documents, e.g. diplomas, certificates and testimonials only provide summarised information about the educational and vocational background of the individual participant. These should therefore be supplemented by detailed information, describing their educational achievements and work experience. Besides the existing portfolio, the process of performing one’s job duties is just as important. Among other things, the preparation of a qualification portfolio helps individuals increase awareness about their own skills and improve their ability to communicate about them, thus making them more recognisable for prospective employers.

NOTE TO TRAINERS: As mentioned above, the diagnosis and identification of skills, specific to the occupation the participants want to be validated for, is performed through the preparation of a qualification portfolio. The latter shall comprise:

§ Curriculum vitae (see Annex 3 for a CV template);

§ Documents for completed education (diplomas, certificates, testimonials obtained in the course of formal and / or non-formal education, etc.);

§ Documents for professional experience (employment contracts, references from employers, etc.).

The following approach shall be observed, while preparing the qualification portfolio:

The validation candidate shall gather all diplomas, certificates and testimonials, related to the occupation s/he wants to be validated for;
The participant shall provide a detailed description of his/her education, training and/or work experience in cases when the documentation or the information therein is incomplete;
As a last step, the candidate shall prepare a CV, following the template provided in Annex 3.

Assessment and validation of skills

The next step in the validation process is conducting assessment interviews with the validation candidates. The interviews shall be based on each validation candidate’s qualification portfolio and the information contained therein. Furthermore, this stage of the validation procedure aims at:

recognition of the skills, possessed by the validation candidates;
obtaining information about how the participants make use of the occupation-related competences;
enriching the information, gathered during the previous stages of the validation process through individual interviews with the validation candidates.

NOTE TO TRAINERS: The assessment and validation of the occupation-related skills shall be performed via assessment interviews, using the assessment and validation sheet (see Annex 4 to this module). For getting a complete picture of the validation candidate’s skills, the occupation-specific competences shall be presented by validation candidates from a number of different perspectives, such as:

§ how does the candidate make use of each occupation-specific competence (description of the main steps, needed to implement the associated tasks)?

§ what associated knowledge and skills does s/he use and how did s/he acquire these knowledge and skills?

§ what are the challenges, associated with practicing each competence?

§ does the validation candidate collaborate with other people and how?

§ what materials and equipment are needed to implement the tasks associated with the occupation-specific competences?

Certification

The way of documenting the results is of key importance to the validation process. The validation standards focus on ability to carry out work tasks – this should therefore be reflected in the validation certificate. The aim is thus to provide certification, which presents a picture of an individual’s personal profile. When documentation of this type is issued, it is important that the certificate is informative enough, so that the reader receives a clear picture of an individual’s validated skills within his/her vocational area.

NOTE TO TRAINERS: To improve the recognition of the certification, the certificates issued by the different NESET partner organisations, conducting the validation of skills training workshops in the beneficiary countries, shall:

§ be prepared as per a common template (see Annex 5), thus making them recognisable and adding value to them for prospective employers, to whom they will be presented;

§ signed by the respective NESET partner, which has conducted the validation and the Lead Partner – the Varna Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which operates a Vocational Training Centre and is certified to conduct vocational trainings for various tourism occupations.

Key actors in the validation process

The people responsible for the practical implementation of the validation are the mentors and the assessors (both referred to above as ‘trainers’). It is recommended that their functions are performed by different members of the NESET partners’ teams, so that any subjectivity in the validation process is eliminated. Thus, mentors and assessors perform the following tasks within the validation procedure:

mentors – provide overall support and counselling to validation candidates at each stage of the validation process, prior to the final steps, associated with the assessment and validation of skills, namely:
- provision of basic project-related information to the validation candidates – acquainting the participants with the aims of the NESET project, the learning objectives of the training module and the validation process;
- presentation of the validation procedure and standards – deliver a detailed overview of the different stages of the validation procedure and the content of the occupation-specific validation standards (incl. competences, knowledge and skills) to validation candidates; present a plan of the individual steps of the validation procedure;
- initial exploratory survey – clarify the individual expectations regarding validation and obtain information about the challenges that participants have faced on the workplace with the help of a customised questionnaire;
- diagnosis and identification of skills – initiate, supervise and provide assistance to participants (if necessary) with the preparation of the qualification portfolio;
assessors – implement the final steps of the validation procedure, related to the assessment and validation of skills, demonstrating:
- knowledge of the occupation-specific validation standards;
- high level of communication skills and empathy;
- credibility and impartiality;
- positive attitude to validation.

2.2. Waiter – competences, knowledge and skills

The qualifications, necessary for performing the waiter occupation are divided into three categories: competences, knowledge and skills. Below, for each of the category, a number of entries are provided, arranged by importance which shall be used as standards in the validation process.

A. COMPETENCES	1. Takes order from patron for food or beverage, writing order down or memorizing it.
	2. Relays order to kitchen, or enters order into computer.
	3. Serves meals or beverages to patrons.
	4. Observes patrons to respond to additional requests, and to determine when meal has been completed or beverage consumed.
	5. Presents menu to patron, suggests food or beverage selections, and answers questions regarding preparation and service.
	6. Obtains and replenishes supplies of food, tableware, and linen.
	7. Serves, or assists patrons to serve themselves, at buffet or smorgasbord table.
	8. Computes cost of meal or beverage.
	9. Accepts payment and returns change, or refers patron to Cashier.
	10. Removes dishes and glasses from table or counter and takes them to kitchen for cleaning.
	11. Prepares hot, cold, and mixed drinks for patrons, and chills bottles of wine.
	12. Garnishes and decorates dishes preparatory to serving.
	13. Cleans and arranges assigned station, including side stands, chairs, and table pieces, such as linen, silverware, and glassware.
	14. Carves meats, bones fish and fowl, and prepares special dishes and desserts at work station or patron’s table.
	15. Prepares salads, appetizers, and cold dishes, portions desserts, brews coffee, and performs other services as determined by establishment’s size and practices.
	16. Fills salt, pepper, sugar, cream, condiment, and napkin containers.

B. KNOWLEDGE
Customer and Personal Service	Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services including needs assessment techniques, quality service standards, alternative delivery systems, and customer satisfaction evaluation techniques
Mathematics	Knowledge of numbers, their operations, and interrelationships including arithmetic, algebra, statistics, and their applications
National Language	Knowledge of the structure and content of the national language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar
Sales and Marketing	Knowledge of principles and methods involved in showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategies and tactics, product demonstration and sales techniques, and sales control systems
Psychology	Knowledge of human behaviour, performance, and mental processes
Public Safety and Security	Knowledge of rules, regulations, precautions, prevention, and the protection of people, data, and property
Food Production	Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting of food for consumption including crop rotation methods, animal husbandry, and food storage/handling techniques
Communications and Media	Knowledge of communication and dissemination techniques and methods including alternative ways to inform via written, oral, and visual media
Computers and Electronics	Knowledge of computer hardware and software, including applications and programmes
Mechanical	Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, benefits, repair, and maintenance
Biology	Knowledge of plant and animal living tissue, cells, organisms, and entities, including their functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment
Sociology and Anthropology	Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, cultures, their history, migrations, ethnicity, and origins
Chemistry	Knowledge of the composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods
Clerical	Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing systems, filing and records management systems, stenography and transcription, forms design principles, and other office procedures and terminology
Economics and Accounting	Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, and the analysis and reporting of financial data
Geography	Knowledge of various methods for describing the location and distribution of land, sea, and air masses including their physical locations, relationships, and characteristics
Physics	Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, and applications including air, water, material dynamics, light, atomic principles, heat, electric theory, earth formations, and meteorological and related natural phenomena
Foreign Language	Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation
Fine Arts	Knowledge of theory and techniques required to produce, compose, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture
Telecommunications	Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems
Philosophy and Theology	Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, and practices, and their impact on human culture
Production and Processing	Knowledge of inputs, outputs, raw materials, waste, quality control, costs, and techniques for maximizing the manufacture and distribution of goods

C. SKILLS
Service Orientation	Actively looking for ways to help people
Active Listening	Listening to what other people are saying and asking questions as appropriate
Speaking	Talking to others to effectively convey information
Writing	Communicating effectively with others in writing as indicated by the needs of the audience
Social Perceptiveness	Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react the way they do
Mathematics	Using mathematics to solve problems
Product Inspection	Inspecting and evaluating the quality of products
Coordination	Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions
Monitoring	Assessing how well one is doing when learning or doing something
Problem Identification	Identifying the nature of problems
Reading Comprehension	Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents
Solution Appraisal	Observing and evaluating the outcomes of a problem solution to identify lessons learned or redirect efforts
Equipment Selection	Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job
Identification of Key Causes	Identifying the things that must be changed to achieve a goal
Learning Strategies	Using multiple approaches when learning or teaching new things
Judgment and Decision Making	Weighing the relative costs and benefits of a potential action
Persuasion	Persuading others to approach things differently
Instructing	Teaching others how to do something
Information Organisation	Finding ways to structure or classify multiple pieces of information
Systems Perception	Determining when important changes have occurred in a system or are likely to occur
Information Gathering	Knowing how to find information and identifying essential information
Visioning	Developing an image of how a system should work under ideal conditions
Management of Financial Resources	Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures
Operations Analysis	Analysing needs and product requirements to create a design
Management of Material Resources	Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work
Equipment Maintenance	Performing routine maintenance and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed
Time Management	Managing one’s own time and the time of others
Critical Thinking	Using logic and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
Repairing	Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools
Operation Monitoring	Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly
Idea Evaluation	Evaluating the likely success of an idea in relation to the demands of the situation
Troubleshooting	Determining what is causing an operating error and deciding what to do about it
Idea Generation	Generating a number of different approaches to problems

Section 3. Self-Assessment Forms

3.1. Questionnaire for ex-ante self-assessment of training participants’ knowledge and skills on the occupation-specific validation process

How would you rate your level of knowledge on the validation process for the occupation waiter before following this Module on validation of skills in tourism?

	*Highly inadequate*	*Inadequate*	*Moderate*	*Adequate*	*Highly adequate*
	1	2	3	4	5
I can define the concept of validation of skills
I understand validation of skills’ importance for the tourism industry
I am able to identify the factors determining the use of validation of skills
I know how to explain the benefits of validation of skills at individual level, as well as for the economy and society
I am able to follow the steps of the validation process for the above-mentioned occupation and employ the respective methods and tools
I can demonstrate that I am able to make use of the occupation-specific competences, using the associated knowledge and skills

3.2. Questionnaire for ex-post self-assessment of training participants’ knowledge and skills on the occupation-specific validation process

How would you rate your level of knowledge on the validation process for the occupation waiter after following this Module on validation of skills in tourism?

	*Highly inadequate*	*Inadequate*	*Moderate*	*Adequate*	*Highly adequate*
	1	2	3	4	5
I can define the concept of validation of skills
I understand validation of skills’ importance for the tourism industry
I am able to identify the factors determining the use of validation of skills
I know how to explain the benefits of validation of skills at individual level, as well as for the economy and society
I am able to follow the steps of the validation process for the above-mentioned occupation and employ the respective methods and tools
I can demonstrate that I am able to make use of the occupation-specific competences, using the associated knowledge and skills

3.3. Sample questionnaire for assessment of specific training associated elements

After attending the training workshops for validating your tourism-related skills for the occupation waiter, how would you assess the various elements of your training?

	*Very* *poor*	*Poor*	*Neutral*	*Satisfactory*	*Very satisfactory*
	1	2	3	4	5
TRAINING MATERIAL
§ Training Handouts distributed
§ Multimedia presented
§ Other resources suggested
TRAINING METHODS USED
§ Face-to-Face lectures
§ Group Activities & Discussions
§ Customised Learning Platform
TRAINERS INVOLVED
§ Knowledge of the subject
§ Level of preparedness
§ Effectiveness in knowledge transfer

Annexes

Annex 1. Validation Procedure Plan

PLAN FOR VALIDATION OF SKILLS’ PROCEDURE IMPLEMENTATION

*Session 1*
*Date(s)*	[date(s) shall be entered here]
*Duration*	2 hours
*Type of session*	group
*Actors involved*	mentors and validation candidates
*Activities*	Ø General validation of skills’ presentation No.1, covering: o background of the project; o theoretical background and benefits of validation; o validation procedure – how the validation will be carried out; o certification – how the results will be documented. Ø Questionnaire for ex-ante self-assessment of training participants’ knowledge and skills on the occupation-specific validation process – circulated, filled in by participants and collected back by respective partner’s project staff.
*Session 2*
*Date(s)*	[date(s) shall be entered here]
*Duration*	2 hours Note: The duration of Session 2 was calculated assuming that the occupation-specific validation standards for each of the 4 NESET tourism occupations will be presented during this session. If the validation standards for part of the NESET occupations are presented, the duration of Session 2 shall be reduced proportionately.
*Type of session*	group and individual
*Actors involved*	mentors and validation candidates
*Activities*	Ø General validation of skills’ presentation No.2, covering in detail the validation procedure stages. Ø Presentations on the occupation-specific validation standards for each of the 4 NESET tourism occupations. Ø Initial Exploratory Survey Questionnaire – circulated, filled in by participants and collected back by respective partner’s project staff.
*Session 3*
*Date(s)*	[date(s) shall be entered here]
*Duration*	2 hours
*Type of session*	group and individual
*Actors involved*	mentors and validation candidates
*Activities*	Ø Creation of qualification portfolio – explanation of the process of portfolio preparation and the documents to be included therein. Ø Giving assignment to participants to prepare a CV and supporting documents (education diplomas, certificates, testimonials, employment contracts, references from employers, etc.) – provision of short group instructions, followed by brief individual consultations with validation candidates on the content of their portfolios.
*Session 4*
*Date(s)*	[date(s) shall be entered here]
*Duration*	6 hours
*Type of session*	individual
*Actors involved*	assessors and validation candidates
*Activities*	Ø Construction of portfolio in 4 group sub-sessions, incl. review of prepared CV and supporting documents – each sub-session to be designated for candidates for validation in the respective occupation. Ø Individual work with candidates to support them in the preparation for the assessment interviews – discussion of occupation-specific competences and associated knowledge and skills as per the assessment and validation sheet provided in Annex 4.
*Session 5*
*Date(s)*	[date(s) shall be entered here]
*Duration*	6 hours
*Type of session*	individual
*Actors involved*	assessors and validation candidates
*Activities*	Ø Review of qualification portfolios – in separate sub-sessions (1 for each of the 4 NESET occupations) assessors shall review candidates’ portfolios, incl. CVs and supporting documents. Ø Assessment interviews – shall be held individually with each candidate on the respective occupational standards in order to assess his/her knowledge and skills in the respective occupation; assessment and validation sheet shall be completed for each candidate (as per the template provided in Annex 4).
*Session 6*
*Date(s)*	[date(s) shall be entered here]
*Duration*	4 hours
*Type of session*	remote
*Actors involved*	assessors
*Activities*	Ø Assessment and validation – assessors shall perform general evaluation and validation of participants’ knowledge and skills for the respective occupations based on the results from the previous session. Ø Certification – certificates for validation of candidates’ skills in the respective occupation shall be prepared.
*Session 7*
*Date(s)*	[date(s) shall be entered here]
*Duration*	2 hours
*Type of session*	group
*Actors involved*	mentors, assessors and validation candidates
*Activities*	Ø Wrap-up of the results achieved by validation candidates during their participation in the project. Ø Questionnaire for ex-post self-assessment of training participants’ knowledge and skills on the occupation-specific validation process – circulated, filled in by participants and collected back by respective partner’s project staff. Ø Questionnaire for assessment of specific training associated elements – circulated, filled in by participants and collected back by respective partner’s project staff. Ø Award of NESET certificates to validated candidates (as per template provided in Annex 5).

Annex 2. Initial Exploratory Survey Questionnaire

VALIDATION OF SKILLS’ INITIAL EXPLORATORY QUESTIONNAIRE

What are your preferences, regarding the occupation you want to be validated for under the NESET project? (please, mark only 1 answer):

hotel front desk officer
tourist guide
operator in amusement, recreation and sport
waiter

What are your expectations about the NESET project? (you can select more than 1 answer)

To acquire new knowledge and skills
To establish new contacts
To improve my chances to find/retain/change a job
To get an appraisal of my job-related knowledge and skills
Other (please specify): ……………………………………………………………………………

Have you been previously involved in a process of recognition and validation of the skills acquired by you in training/work?

Yes
No
Not sure

Do you think the project will help you find/retain/change your job?

Yes
No
Not sure

What are the main difficulties you have encountered or still face at work? (you can select more than 1 answer)

Insufficient recognition of skills on the part of employers
Unreasonably high job requirements and unclear work tasks
Occasional failure to fulfil customers’ expectations
Poor cooperation with colleagues
Other (please specify): ……………………………………………………………………………

Annex 3. Curriculum Vitae Template

CURRICULUM VITAE

Personal information

Name		[Surname, First name Middle name]
Address		[House number, street name, postcode, city, country]
Telephone
Fax
E-mail

Nationality

Date of birth

[dd/mm/yyyy]

Work experience

• Dates (from-to)		[Add separate entries for each relevant post occupied, starting from the most recent.]
• Name and address of employer
• Type of business or sector
• Occupation or position held
• Main activities and responsibilities

Education and training

• Dates (from-to)		[Add separate entries for each relevant education/training course you have completed, starting from the most recent.]
• Name and type of organisation providing education and training
• Principal subjects/occupational skills covered
• Title of qualification awarded
• Level in national or international classification (if applicable)

Personal skills and competences

Acquired during the course of life or professional experience, not necessarily certified with an official document or diploma

Mother tongue

Other languages

		[Language]
• Reading proficiency		[Define the level: excellent, good, basic]
• Writing proficiency		[Define the level: excellent, good, basic]
• Conversation proficiency		[Define the level: excellent, good, basic]

Social skills and competences

Living together with people in multicultural environment, in situations requiring communication and team work shall be essential (for example in the sphere of culture or sports), etc.