Предизвикателства пред професионално-практическото обучение в специалност „Туризъм“ при Икономически университет – Варна
Challenges in Professional and Practical Training in the „Tourism“ Speciality at the University of Economics – Varna

Author(s): Krasimira Yancheva, Katina Kostadinova Popova
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Economy, Education, Sociology, Higher Education , Sociology of the arts, business, education, Tourism, Socio-Economic Research
Published by: Университет за национално и световно стопанство (УНСС)
Keywords: professional training; internship; University of Economics – Varna; Tourism speciality
Summary/Abstract: Globalization and the competitiveness of the tourism sector bring new demands for specialized professional training in fields related to tourism and leisure. Alongside the detailed theoretical knowledge that students acquire in relation to their professional training, internships and industrial practices are a distinctive feature of tourism education, and this is no coincidence. Tourism is an industry in which the workforce creates most of the product's value. If workers are not well-trained and do not possess the necessary skills to operate in a dynamic environment, the competitive advantages of the sector lose their strength. These arguments justify the choice of the topic and its relevance and significance. The report aims to outline the main barriers and limitations to professional and practical training in the oldest tourism specialization in Bulgaria by identifying the weaknesses in accounting for the mandatory internships of students after the third year of their study. The paper posits the hypothesis that the University of Economics – Varna, through its „Tourism“ speciality, could become an example and best practice for conducting professional training, but only if several key issues are addressed, primarily related to the environment and conditions in which the professional training of students takes place. Most of these students are representatives of Generation Z, who are shaping new trends in the tourism labor market. The situational analysis and the data from the survey regarding the overall satisfaction of interns and employers indicate that there are significant discrepancies between the students' training and the requirements of the business. This could only be addressed through the modernization and digitalization of education in a way that meets the demands of the contemporary tourism market.

• Details
• Contents