The IECD builds on the tremendous leverage for economic and social development provided by tourism to create or strengthen hospitality schools for young people who have limited access to education and who are forced to accept the most insecure jobs with a view to helping them to participate in the economic development of their country and integrate into society.

The students follow a comprehensive program designed to make them professional and responsible adults. In one or two years, they acquire a strong technical knowledge of the primary business aspects of the hospitality-catering industry (cooking, waiting, maid service, reception, bread and pastry making). At the same time, they benefit from general training focused on the acquisition of cross-cutting skills required for their personal development as well as for their integration into the world of work. This complementarity ensures them every chance of success.

The syllabus alternates between theoretical lessons in the classroom and practical training in the hotel-restaurant training center. The experience acquired during work placements and collaboration with sector professionals at all stages of the training ensure the young people’s employability at the end of the course.

Instruction alternates between theoretical lessons in the classroom and practical workshops in the training centers’ application laboratories (hotel, restaurant, bakery, etc.), which, apart from developing students’ skills, allow them an initial contact with actual customers. The experience acquired during work placements and collaboration with sector professionals at all stages of the training are all additional levers that ensure the young people’s employability at the end of the course.

2017 was marked by the opening of a new French bakery school in Ho Chi Minh City and by the development of the IECD’s activities in Myanmar (support for a new training center and launch of the project to create a French bakery school in Yangon). The IECD is also devoted to strengthening the economic model and, therefore, the financial viability of establishments, most of which are social enterprises. Thus, La Rizière Hospitality School in Madagascar had a self-funding rate estimated to be 82% at the end of 2017 (compared to 74% in 2016), thanks to the efforts of its hotel-restaurant.

Finally, the IECD has continued its support to the ASSET-H&C network, bringing together vocational training centers that combine a social objective and an innovative economic model in Southeast Asia. It now has 15 member schools in 5 countries.  With their help, about 2,250 young people benefit from high-quality training that helps them toward professional integration.