The Project

An innovative and accessible learning ecosystem

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgency of digitising the food and accommodation sector. Compared to other fields, this sector had to rapidly adopt tools such as online booking systems, customer loyalty apps, cloud-based inventory management platforms, and advanced data analytics solutions.

Despite this progress, the lack of digital skills remains a significant barrier. Today, 79% of sector workers do not use digital technologies, and 70% have never attended specific training courses.

USMED was created to address these challenges, aiming to develop an innovative and accessible learning ecosystem.

Project Goals

Develop innovative tools to identify and bridge digital skills gaps.

Offer personalized training pathways to support digital transition.

Introduce Europass digital certifications to officially recognize acquired skills.

These actions aim to enhance businesses' competitiveness, workers' employability, and the sector's ability to successfully tackle the challenges of the digital economy.

The Objectives

Design and test personalized digital training pathways to meet the reskilling needs of food and accommodation sector operators.

Develop innovative training resources and digital tools to help training providers deliver digital skills tailored to the needs of the digital economy.

Raise awareness among key sector stakeholders about the importance of digital skills for business competitiveness and employability.

Target

Professionals in the food and accommodation sector, especially those in micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) with limited digital capabilities.

Vocational education and training (VET) providers and academia, to promote the adoption and further development of the project's results.

Chambers of commerce, professional associations, and trade unions representing the target group.


National and EU policymakers, so that the project results contribute to policy development in the sector.

Other consortia and initiatives funded by EU programs, to facilitate knowledge transfer from the project and create synergies.

Deliverables
Methodological Framework and Assessment Tools
Specific methodologies and tools to identify digital skills gaps for workers of the sector
Interactive e-learning modules and innovative resources to engage workers.
Official recognition of developed skills.
Events, publications and a policy paper to encourage the adoption of digital solutions in the sector.