Organisation / Partnership

National Tourism Skills Partnership Moldova (NSTP Moldova)
Coordinated by the Employers’ Association of the Tourism Industry of the Republic of Moldova (APIT).

NSTP Moldova is an industry-led national mechanism bringing together tourism employers, education and VET providers, public institutions, destination organisations and European partners to strengthen tourism skills development, employer–education cooperation and European integration.

NSTP Moldova is connected to the European tourism skills ecosystem through the Pact for Skills / Tourism Large-Scale Partnership and related European cooperation initiatives.

Partnership Opportunity

NSTP Moldova is seeking European partners interested in practical cooperation on:

• tourism skills development and implementation;
• apprenticeships and work-based learning;
• stronger cooperation between tourism employers and VET / education providers;
• skills intelligence and anticipation of emerging occupational profiles;
• digital, AI and data skills for tourism SMEs and professionals;
• green and sustainability-related tourism skills;
• upskilling and reskilling;
• modular training and transferable learning solutions;
• peer learning and exchange of good practices;
• participation in European and cross-border projects and consortia.

We are particularly interested in partnerships that can connect European experience with the needs of an EU candidate country and support the adaptation and piloting of proven tourism skills solutions in Moldova.

Objectives

Our cooperation objectives are to:

1. strengthen structured cooperation between tourism employers and VET / education institutions;
2. develop and pilot practical apprenticeship and work-based-learning models for tourism;
3. improve skills intelligence and understanding of current and emerging occupational needs;
4. support digital, AI, green and sustainability-related skills development;
5. adapt relevant European training methodologies, tools and occupational profiles to the Moldovan tourism sector;
6. create opportunities for peer learning, staff exchange and institutional cooperation;
7. develop joint applications and partnerships for EU-funded and other international programmes.

Planned contribution of NSTP Moldova

NSTP Moldova can contribute:

• an established national tourism skills partnership and coordination mechanism;
• direct access to tourism employers and sector representatives;
• cooperation with VET providers, universities, public institutions and destination organisations;
• stakeholder mobilisation at national level;
• identification of skills gaps and employer demand;
• participation in pilot actions and testing of European methodologies;
• coordination of apprenticeship, internship and work-based-learning activities;
• dissemination and replication of project results in Moldova;
• experience in institutional dialogue and tourism skills governance in an EU candidate-country context.

Priority cooperation areas

1. Apprenticeships and work-based learning
   Development of employer-led apprenticeship, internship and practical-learning models in cooperation with VET providers and tourism businesses.
2. Skills intelligence and occupational profiles
   Mapping skills shortages, emerging occupations and future competence needs, including digitalisation, AI, data, sustainability and green transition.
3. Employer–VET cooperation
   Improving the alignment between tourism education and labour-market demand, including employer involvement in curricula, practical training and evaluation.
4. Digital and AI skills
   Supporting tourism SMEs, employees and learners in the use of digital tools, AI, data and emerging technologies.
5. Green and sustainability skills
   Developing competences linked to sustainable tourism, resource efficiency, destination management and the green transition.
6. European peer learning and project cooperation
   Participation in transnational peer-learning activities, joint pilot projects, transferable training models and European funding consortia.

Indicative implementation targets

By 31 December 2029, NSTP Moldova aims to:

• implement at least 3 joint tourism skills, apprenticeship or work-based-learning initiatives;
• involve at least 150 learners, employees, employers and other relevant participants;
• develop stronger and more structured employer–VET cooperation;
• strengthen digital, green and future-oriented tourism skills;
• expand Moldova’s participation in European tourism skills networks, projects and peer-learning activities.

Partners we are looking for

We would welcome cooperation with:

• tourism employers and employer organisations;
• national and regional tourism associations;
• VET providers and universities;
• tourism skills partnerships;
• destination management organisations;
• public authorities;
• research and skills-intelligence organisations;
• training providers;
• European projects and consortia;
• organisations working on apprenticeships, micro-credentials, digitalisation, AI, sustainability and tourism workforce development.

We are particularly interested in partners that can contribute methodologies, training solutions, occupational frameworks, pilot models, peer-learning opportunities or participation in joint European projects.

Geographic scope

Moldova / European Union / European partner countries.

Cooperation format

Possible cooperation formats include:

• joint pilot initiatives;
• European project consortia;
• Erasmus+ and other skills-related cooperation;
• apprenticeship and work-based-learning partnerships;
• peer-learning groups;
• joint workshops and training;
• study visits and exchanges;
• skills intelligence and occupational-profile development;
• adaptation of European tools and training models;
• dissemination and replication activities.

Contact

Sergiu Manea
President
Employers’ Association of the Tourism Industry of the Republic of Moldova – APIT
Coordinator, National Tourism Skills Partnership Moldova – NSTP Moldova
E-mail: office@apit.md