National seminar in Lodz, Poland

On 3rd of September 2015 the National Specialised Seminar entitled Corporate Social Responsibility for Small Hotels and Restaurants: Instruments for Skills’ Development and Recognition was held at the premises of Foundation for Promotion of Entrepreneurship. The participants were: managers of small hotels and restaurants, VET providers, inter alia Regional Centre of Teachers’ Training and Vocational Education in Lodz, students of technical upper secondary schools at the professions Hotel Industry Technician and Qualified Tourist Technician and representatives of companies from the tourism sector.

During the first part of the seminar there was a presentation on RESPONS project concerning the background, objectives and actions taken during the project lifespan. Then the outcomes of HORECA sector survey were presented. Afterwards the expert from the Regional Centre of Teachers’ Training and Vocational Education in Lodz talked about the European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training and European Qualification Frameworks for the profession manager of small hotel and manager of small restaurant. During the next part of the seminar there was a presentation on Handbook for Socially Responsible Management of small hotels and restaurants and on Managers’ Guide for Sustainable Business which were developed by partners in the project.

At the end of the meeting participants discussed on:

– requirements vis-à-vis employees for the job of manager in small hotel and manager in small restaurant,

– the most important skills and competences of managers and owners in HORECA sector and ways to acquire them,

– lacks of skills and competences of students of technical upper secondary schools and basic vocational schools.

They came to the following conclusions:

– people who are working in tourist services claimed that most important in the work of manager in HORECA sector are interpersonal skills,

– students of technical upper secondary schools and basic vocational schools have lacks in communication skills and language skills,

– Handbook for Socially Responsible Management of Small Hotels and Restaurants and Managers’ Guide for Sustainable Business seems to be attractive tools for improvement of skills and competences in HORECA sector.