Through implementation of this project, IEK Edessa aims at increasing the professional and personal competencies and experience of its students in order to support and facilitate their preparation for entering the European labor market. The organization seeks to enrich the educational work produced within its ranks, with complementary activities that will have a clear positive impact on the professional and personal development of students, but also highlight the organization’s European dimension. The main objective of this project is to:1) Assist with professional orientation2) Enhance occupational prospects3) Designate prospects for further studies4) Provide with contemporary theoretical and practical training5) Facilitate contact with innovative business practices6) Facilitate professional experiences in other EU countries7) Facilitate personal experiences and strengthen confidenceThis project is designed to provide training for students of IEK Edessa currently attending the Culinary Art Technicians courses. Participants share certain common features and basic educational needs, such as:a) Limited access to practice outside the organizationb) Limited access to modern professional standards due to distance from urban centersc) Limited knowledge of actual requirements existing in their sector and how to cope with themd) Being at crossroads just before entering labor market and in need of guidance prospectsThe project focuses what distinguishes a good cook from good professional cook. A professional chef or culinary art technician, is obliged to be aware of all specificities regarding food, health and safety regulations, so that he or she may ensure the quality of the end product and at the same time manage properly and adequately kitchen supplies, thus contribute to savings by minimizing losses.The educational content of the project addresses various factors related to hygiene and food safety and the ways in which these factors affect overall efficiency of a professional kitchen environment. Reference is made to microbiological factors that must be considered, packages to need to be checked when receiving supplies, the treatments of raw materials during production, ensuring hygiene standards and implementing quality control procedures. Moreover, the project goes a step further and familiarizes students with concepts and issues of consumer health, such as allergies, intolerances and contamination.The project will be implemented in Germany with the participation of 20 students, who will be accompanied by a professor of IEK Edessa. The activity will last 14 days, plus one extra day for the return trip. The receiving organization is the European Centre of Education (Europäisches Fortbildungszentrum), based in Essen.This plan is based on the organization’s need to upgrade its role in the local and regional vocational training scene. The impact of achieving the project’s objectives is expected to be immediate, as it promotes the organization’s European dimension and creates conditions for seeking further interaction and cooperation at European level, in view of future mobility activities, and possibly medium term strategic partnerships.The address of IEK Edessa pursues to set an example for other vocational education institutions, and educational institutions in general. Through disseminating the project’s results, the impact can go beyond local level, and extend to regional level, even national. The organization’s executives trust that this effort will assist in redeveloping the ways that the important issue of undertaking dynamic vocational education initiatives is addressed, even more when it comes to smaller and remote representatives of the sector, who have limited access options towards this direction