In South-East Asia, where tourism accounts for 12% of regional GDP and generates 11% of total employment (World Tourism Organization), the need for qualifying vocational training in the hospitality, catering and tourism sectors is considerable.

Since 2002, the IECD has supported a certain number of vocational training schools and centers in Southeast Asia that offer training in hospitality-catering careers with a view to openings in sustainable professions.

The IECD’s experience in Southeast Asia has helped to become aware of the shared challenges for Hospitality-Catering schools and, in 2016, it took the initiative to create a regional mutual support network: the ASSET-H&C network (Association of hospitality-catering social training enterprises in Southeast Asia).

It now has 13 member schools in six countries and enables the sharing of experiences, the pooling of resources, the promotion of good practices and, ultimately, the improvement of the results of each of the schools.

Thus, every year, 1,580 young people and adults in difficult economic, social and/or educational situations benefit from high quality training that helps them towards social and professional integration.