Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic International conference CZ PRES – Tourism Industry Employment and Labour market challenges June 2009 ESF for Tourism – Used Opportunities Blažena Křížová Ministry for Regional Development –Department of Tourism Possibilities of Use of ESF in Tourism

Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic 2 This way? Never !!!

Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic 3 Programming period (2008/09) Operational Program Human Resources Development Funding: 75% from ESF, 25% from the state budget, Priority 4 Measure 4.2 Specific Education 7 projects European Social Fund

Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic 4 1.Training and education of employees in tourism 2.Vocational training of public administration officials in tourism 3.Tourism information 4.Destination management and creation of products in tourism 5.Event marketing for tourism 6.Training for public territorial administration officials and employees in tourism in the conditions of tourism development in protected landscape areas 7.Improvement of the quality of vocational training and education in tourism Projects

Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic 5 (Courses, seminars, training, publications, e-library) Some announced courses: Sustainable development Crisis management Heritage care in relation to tourism Tourism statistics Destination promotion Golf as a specific tourism activity Project’s activities

Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic 6 Next announced courses: Practical activities of information centers, call centers and help line Event Marketing MICE Work with media in tourism Marketing communication regarding destination Local, national and international destination marketing Strategic development of tourism destination Project’s activities

Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic 7 Summary: A total of 68 educational programmes were created 12 professional publications/textbooks 1 teaching DVD was published in these 6 projects A total of about persons were trained (businessmen, employees, officers of public sector) Project’s activities

Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic 8 Project “Improvement of the quality of vocational training and education in tourism “ To analyze and to map the current status of tourism education To prepare comprehensive proposals and suggestions for introduction of an educational system in the tourism sector To prepare a realistic proposal for the use of finances provided by Structural Funds for the tourism sector in schools, life-long and further education of employees and employers, including support for labour market development Project’s activities

Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic 9 in tourism education: Schools providing secondary education with a vocational training Secondary schools and colleges Universities Public administration, regional and local self-administration Life-long education and retraining Tourist guides Employment agencies in tourism Employee unions, professional associations, trade unions in tourism Partial evaluations

Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic 10 2,301 retraining entries were generated to the tourism category 708 questionnaires were distributed among employers in the sector of hotels and similar facilities, travel bureaus and agencies, sports and other recreational services, cultural services 12 ministries were analyzed; as regards regional, city and municipal authorities, the evaluation covered all 13 regional centers, including Prague, 50 cities with more than 20,000 inhabitants, 20 cities with 5,000 to 20,000 inhabitants, 30 rural municipalities and 11 municipalities that are centers of tourism Partial evaluations Summary:

Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic 11 Schools providing secondary education with a vocational training (249) 121 secondary schools with generate certificate of education focusing on tourism and 18 colleges 15 universities focused on tourism were generated out of the total number of 72 university-type schools in the Czech Republic Partial evaluations Summary:

Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic 12 Schools providing secondary education Optimization of number of schools (creation of backbone network) Increasing professional level of teachers and involvement of schools in further education of pedagogues Development of practical training Promotion of cross-border and international cooperation Involvement of employers in further education of employees Ensuring financial participation of employers in initial vocational training Creation of teaching aids for specialized tourism-related subjects Establishment of a system for monitoring of labour market requirements Creation of a life/long learning system –basic education programs –individual education Conclusions

Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic 13 Universities Involvement of students in scientific research Supplementing study programmes with compulsory practical training by cooperation with employers Development of distance and combined forms of study Preparation of further education courses for secondary school pedagogues Creating a module-based solution of further education Introduction of regular evaluation of universities by an independent entity Conclusions

Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic 14 Network of secondary schools, where courses for teacher will take place Recognition of partial qualifications in tourism Solution for students, who couldn´t finish theirs studies at the secondary schools (hospitality and gastronomic services, and other specializations in tourism) and back to school Present and future

Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic 15 Cooperation with Czech TV: Production of 18 episodes of an educational programme cycle –tourism –hotels, other accommodation types –gastronomy –travel bureaus and travel agencies –spa, wellness, rural tourism –guides, congress tourism, events, etc. Production and broadcasting of a 10-part TV cycle designated for general public Production and broadcasting of 3 TV spots Use of results

Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic Thank you for your attention Blažena Křížová Ministry for Regional Development –Department of Tourism