Scenario-based Learning for Green Transversal Skills in Tourism

The overall objective of TRANS4GREEN was to integrate transversal green skills into tourism VET in Bulgaria, Turkey, and Lithuania, enabling learners and graduates with diverse profiles to benefit...

The overall objective of TRANS4GREEN was to integrate transversal green skills into tourism VET in Bulgaria, Turkey, and Lithuania, enabling learners and graduates with diverse profiles to benefit from emerging career opportunities in sustainable tourism. To achieve this, the project aimed to develop a transferable methodology for teaching transversal green skills in tourism VET and to create a customised, scenario-based learning toolbox applicable in face-to-face, online, and hybrid settings – based on the rationale that transversal skills can be trained in both formal and informal settings. A key was to address the green-skills development needs of regular VET learners, employees participating in on-the-job training, and disadvantaged learners. The project also sought to raise awareness among VET and in-company training providers of the importance of systematic, practice-oriented green-skills development in tourism. In the long term, TRANS4GREEN contributes to increasing the relevance of VET and CVET to the sustainability needs of tourism, aligning training with ESCO, promoting inclusive and holistic learning approaches, and strengthening the capacity of VET institutions and tourism businesses to adapt to the green economy.

Four interrelated activities were implemented within the project. Activity 1 (A1) focused on identifying pathways for integrating transversal green skills in tourism VET. Desk research and needs assessments resulted in country reports. The findings were presented at the international workshop “Green Skills in Tourism” and synthesised in an interactive report. A2 addressed the development of a Methodology for teaching transversal green skills. Three focus group workshops identified effective active-learning approaches. Based on grid analysis, a Holistic Methodology aligned with tourism sector needs and ESCO was developed. A3 involved the development of a Toolbox with interactive learning resources targeting five transversal green skills in line with ESCO and customised to tourism VET. The resources were adapted for disadvantaged learners. An e-platform was developed to support the access and use of the resources. A4 included three piloting sessions with IVET, CVET and disadvantaged VET/LLL learners, validating the A2 and A3 outputs and informing the elaboration of Guidelines for organising green-skills training in VET using active-learning methods. Translation and dissemination were ensured across all project activities.

The project delivered the following outputs: • Report “Pathways to Integrate Transversal Green Skills in Tourism VET”; • TRANS4GREEN Methodology – a holistic pedagogical framework for teaching green skills in tourism VET, defining learning objectives, content, learning materials, evaluation methods, and delivery options for integrating green skills training into existing VET curricula through 6 complementary themes; • TRANS4GREEN Toolbox, consisting of interactive learning resources addressing five transversal green skills in line with ESCO and customised to tourism VET. The Toolbox includes non-linear, scenario-based learning resources simulating real-sector situations and is also adapted to the needs of disadvantaged learners; • Guidelines on the organisation of green-skills training through active-learning methods, supporting VET and company training providers. All outputs were developed in 4 languages – English, Bulgarian, Lithuanian and Turkish – disseminated to relevant stakeholders in the partner countries and made freely accessible to a wider audience via the project website and e-platform. Information about the project and its outputs reached more than 16 000 people, including 143 participants involved in 7 project events