WeSkill employer survey report

Brief overview of Report on SPA AND WELLNESS EMPLOYER SURVEY AND VET PROVIDER SURVEY

The survey was carried out within Erasmus+ Sector Skills Alliances project “WeSkill”, which aims to design and implement development of VET curriculum for corresponding needs of labour market based on the elimination of the skill and competency gaps in the period from March 2021 till May 2021.

Within the project, two surveys were conducted in each of the countries involved in the project – one for industry employers and the other for VET providers.

The aim of the employer’s survey – identifying skills, competences and qualifications needed at the workplace for Spa and Wellness sector, from the perspective of industry. Its main focus is on working tasks performed at the workplace, their change in importance and the preparedness of the workforce to cope with tasks that are becoming more important.

The main aim of the VET providers survey – to identify skills, competences and qualifications that are needed at the workplace for the Spa and Wellness sector from the perspective of VET providers. VET institutions need continuously to adapt to increasingly rapid changes in the Spa and Wellness industry and adjust to demand for new skills and competencies in labour markets.

Spa and Wellness employer survey was filled by more than 150 companies from all seven countries of Europe Bulgaria, France, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Serbia, Slovenia, as well as by WeSkill project partner FEMTEC. Vocational education and training provider survey was filled by more than 165 institutions from all seven project’s partners countries of Europe, as well as by WeSkill project partner FEMTEC.

Comparing survey results of Spa and Wellness employer opinion with VET providers, the TOP in-demand skills are quite similar for both stakeholders. Client relation skills, inter-personal and communication skills, foreign language knowledge for Spa terminology, honesty, integrity, loyalty, reliability and precision, product and service sales skills – all were mentioned by both stakeholders. Spa and Wellness employer also additionally mentioned Total Quality Management.

When speaking about the increase in the skill requirements, both Spa and Wellness employers and VET providers had the same opinion that customer-oriented communication skills, knowledge of foreign language and employee motivation or personality will have the largest increase. Large increase was mentioned by Spa and Wellness employers was also collaboration skills and complying with related legislation, occupational safety and health, fire protection and hygiene regulations and commitment skills. However, VET providers outlined also technical skills like use of new technologies of Spa, social skills and Spa and Wellness services design skills.

In the importance of knowledge, Spa and Wellness employers and VET providers as the most important knowledge both stakeholders mentioned knowledge about the Spa and Wellness services and products, knowledge of foreign languages, knowledge about time management, knowledge of Spa and Wellness services design, knowledge about the psychology of sales and marketing. Spa and Wellness employers also highlighted importance of knowledge about the work organisation. However, VET providers mentioned importance of the knowledge about related legislation, occupational safety and health, fire protection and hygiene regulations.

When speaking about lack of skills that have the highest negative impact, both Spa and Wellness employers and VET providers had the same opinion that customer handling skills, technical, practical or job-specific skills, oral communication skills, problem solving skills and team working skills would have the most negative impact. Spa and Wellness employers also mentioned management skills. However, VET providers outlined also knowledge of foreign language.

Current activities

Currently, all project partners are working on work package 3 “Defining skills gaps and training needs” which is the research phase of the project. Next project activity for all project partners will be organization of focus groups and in-depth interviews with opinion leaders and experts. The results from them will be available soon.

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