WeSkill Wellness and SPA sectors' skills gaps summary
Cluster news
Brief overview of WeSkill Report on Wellness and spa sector skills’ gaps summary report
WeSkill – The Erasmus + project “Wellness and Spa Tourism Sectoral Skills’ Development”, Ref. No. 621401-EPP-1-2020-1-BG-EPPKA2-SSA aims to develop and implement a curriculum for VET (vocational education and training) institutions in line with labour market needs, based on addressing skills and competency gaps in the spa and wellness sector.
The aim of the first phase / activity of the “WeSkill working package 3” was to summarize the research carried out in the project partner countries, the analysed data carried out at the national and regional level on the existing skills and competences gaps in the spa and wellness sector, which will be followed by surveys of employers and VET providers on the skills, competencies and qualifications required at the workplace by companies in the spa and wellness sector. An important activity in “Working package 3” was the organization of focus groups, in-depth interviews with opinion leaders and experts in the “WeSkill” partner countries. At the end of the 3rd stage of the working package, a final report “Wellness and Spa sector skills’ gaps summary report” was prepared in period August 2021, 4 skills gaps, competency gaps were identified, for which study programmes will be developed according to the needs of the labour market in the spa and wellness sector.
Based on the desk research, survey and focus group analyses, following Spa and Wellness sector establishment skills were indicated as most important:
- Knowledge of foreign language for professional Spa and Wellness terminology (English language)
- Communication and customer service skills (including written and spoken communication, interpersonal communication, and customer communication as well as customer handling skills, client relation skills)
- Problem solving skills
- Teamwork (including collaboration skills)
- Digital competences (including computer skills)
Also Knowledge about the Spa and Wellness services and products and their design was mentioned.
On November 10, 2021, the partners of the EU project WeSkill met to evaluate and analyse the 4 research reports, their results and to decide on the most relevant skills in the Spa and Well-being sector that need to be improved, developed and for which 5 training programmes will be developed in the next phase of the project:
- Customer oriented communication and service skills + problem solving skills
- Design of SPA and Wellness products
- Digital marketing skills for SPA and Wellness products and services
- Digital skill
- Sustainable development
Between December 2020 and August 2021, 4 studies were carried out in the 7 participating countries and in additional 4 EU countries outside the partnership, resulting in 4 reports:
- A report on the results of research on skill gaps in existing data sources, desk research on a national level.
- A report on the results of the survey of employers and vet representatives in the spa and well-being sector.
- A report on the focus groups organised by employers and professionals in the spa and wellness sector and their results.
- The final report on the skills that need to be improved, developed for the spa and wellness sector
Current activities
Currently, all project partners are working on Working package No. 4, where curricula will be developed according to the needs of the labour market in the spa and wellness sector.
More about WeSkill:
WELLNESS AND SPA TOURISM SECTORAL SKILLS’ DEVELOPMENT – WESKILL
WESKILL EMPLOYER SURVEY REPORT
