The main objective of the project was to strengthen the executive and practical education of students in high school specializations without graduation by increasing student motivation to education and improving practical skills with an emphasis on students’ fulfilment in their future employment.

The project consisted of two interconnected activities – a cycle of workshops and executive and practical weeks. The cycle of workshops assumes the form of two intersecting parts – executive skills and practical education. It will be implemented as twelve workshops in total and their objective is to develop executive skills and expand students’ practical fulfilment. The workshops will encompass, among other things, an organised all-day seminar, for example courses on molecular gastronomy, seafood, traditional Czech cuisine, etc.

Conclusions of the project:

The best students were selected based on the tasks and activities and they participated in the executive and practical weeks. The assumed participation was about 15–40% for the best students. The purpose of the executive and practical weeks was to create after-school activities aimed at developing key competencies and especially the students’ practical skills. The executive and practical weeks were each a five-day event for 25 students from four schools. The executive week was focused on development of students’ skills with regard to their practical fulfilment (communication, teamwork, employment, etc.). The practical week was focused on the students’ practical skills in gastronomy (special seminars, e.g., work with modern technologies, preparation of game, fish and seafood, etc.). Students received certificates from courses and also a free one-year membership in the Association of Chefs and Confectioners of the Czech Republic (Asociace kuchařů a cukrářů České republiky).

13 schools were involved in the project:
– Střední škola pedagogická, hotelnictví a služeb, Litoměřice,
– Střední škola zemědělství a služeb, Město Albrechtice,
– Střední odborná škola a Střední odborné učiliště Písek, Písek,
– Integrovaná střední škola, Jesenice,
– Střední škola hotelnictví a společného stravování, Teplice nad Metují,
– Střední škola hotelová a služeb Kroměříž, Kroměříž,
– Střední odborná škola a Střední odborné učiliště, Vlašim,
– Střední odborná škola a Střední odborné učiliště, Kladno,
– Střední škola živnostenská Sokolov, Sokolov,
– Střední škola obchodu, gastronomie a designu PRAKTIK s. r. o., Olomouc,
– Střední odborná škola a Střední odborné učiliště Horky nad Jizerou, Horky nad Jizerou,
– Obchodní akademie a Hotelová škola Havlíčkův Brod, Havlíčkův Brod,
– Střední škola služeb a řemesel Stochov, Stochov.

Project team: Vítězslav Malý, Adéla Šmejkalová