Adopt a School sends 107 students abroad as part of Erasmus+ Project
Despite delays due to Covid-19, thanks to funding from Erasmus+, RACA’s Adopt a School has completed a project to send 107 students and 26 teachers from Coleg Cambria, Wirral Met College, Middlesbrough College, Hugh Baird College/L20 and City of Liverpool College for 3 weeks’ work experience to hospitality and tourism placements in France, Italy and Spain. Six trips took place between November 2022 and October 2023.
The project, coordinated by Helena Houghton, Adopt a School’s Executive Director, and James Holden, Adopt a School’s North West Regional Chef, aimed to offer students who have had limited work placement opportunities the chance to work abroad, learn a new language and experience a different culture. The Colleges chosen were those that Adopt a School has a relationship with through delivering its Pyramid Project which links up primary and secondary schools with local colleges in the North, to share expertise and resources. Some of the Merseyside Colleges participating in the Erasmus+ project also supported Adopt a School’s recent fundraising dinner at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool on Friday 6th October.
As a result of the Erasmus+ project, students reported that:
80% believe that their chances to get a new or better job have increased
71% believe that they have improved their technical/professional skills and competences
78% believe they are more confident and convinced of their abilities
78% believe they are more able to cooperate with people from other backgrounds and cultures
Some feedback from the students who participated in the Erasmus+ Project included:
“During my work experience in Italy, I learned how to prepare fresh seafood and cook it perfectly. To prepare it, you have to clean it thoroughly and sometimes descale, gut, or fillet it. When cooking, the chefs used different methods like grilling, broiling, baking, sautéing, and poaching. Each method needs different temperatures and cooking times, depending on the type of seafood. For example, delicate fish like sole or trout are better for pan-frying or poaching, while heartier fish like salmon or tuna are better for grilling or broiling. These new skills will be useful in the culinary industry and at home".
A student following their work experience in Salerno, Italy.
"I gained confidence, learned what the industry was run like in a different country, and built on working at a professional standard".
A student following their work experience in Marseilles, France.
"I got the chance to work in a hotel where I was placed as a receptionist and got to learn many new skills while being at the desk. It also improved my confidence to talk to people because I’m usually a quiet fella and I knew that I would learn a lot from people as they were coming from all around the world. The last week and a half I chose to move into the restaurant to gain more skills and knowledge about the hotel and the culinary culture in the country. Working in the restaurant has made me become more practical around the kitchen since being back in England and I’ve learned some valuable lessons and skills, so I’ve inputted them into my life in the last few weeks".
A student following their work experience in Mallorca, Spain.
