Greece Launches Pilot Dual Vocational Education System For Tourism Studies

Greece has launched a pilot dual vocational education and training system for young Greeks that want to pursue a career in the tourism sector and will combine classroom and business, theory and practice, learning and working.

The pilot project was announced in Athens on 12 December by Germany’s deputy minister for education, Thomas Rachel, and Greek ministers of education, Konstantinos Arvanitopoulos and tourism, Olga Kefalogianni.

The project is based on the German vocational training system, which has proved its success over a long period.

In Greece, the pilot project sees the operation of two dual education schools where 30 percent of studies will be followed in a classroom and 70 percent under actual working conditions.

In Athens, the dual education school will operate within the Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) building in Alimos, with classes for the following professions: “cook” and “tourism management assistant.” The school will accept 60 students.

In Crete, the school will operate in Heraklion, with training for the profession of “restaurant specialist.” The school will accept 30 students.

During a period of three years, courses will be conducted in classrooms in the winter and training (apprenticeships) will take place in the summer. Students will be rewarded with 75 percent of the country’s basic salary.

Graduates will receive two degrees (one recognized in Greece and one in Germany).

The final examinations will be taken at the German-Greek Chamber of Industry and Commerce, which makes the qualification valid for the German job market, as well.

Greek enterprises that will offer apprenticeships in the tourism sector for the training of students include Aldemar Hotels, Atlantica Hotels & Resorts, Aquila Hotels, Candia Maris, Creta Maris, Grande Bretagne, Grecotel SA, G. Kipriotis & Sons Lt., Robinson Hellas, Sunshine Village, Elounda Bay Palace and Elounda Blue.

The two pilot dual education schools are supported by TUI Deutschland, University of Osnabrück , the DEKRA Akademie, the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, OAED and Greek and German relevant ministries.