The project would take four groups of trainees on two week long European work placements. Two groups of Hospitality students, studying NVQs in food preparation and service at levels 1, 2 and 3 will be placed in Mainz through our partner BBS1 in February 2015 and February 2016 and two groups will be placed in IAL's catering school in Aviano in April 2015 and April 2016. Placements will be at our host partners' teaching kitchens and restaurants and in Mainz our trainees will spend a few days at external restaurants, alongside host trainees. Our aim is to give trainees a valuable experience which would not usually be open to them, increasing their vocational skills with knowledge that they would not gain in the UK and giving them increased confidence by helping them to meet new challenges and coming completely out of their comfort zones. Trainees will be aged anywhere between 16 and 60s, typically with a concentration of those in their late teens. Our college specialises in re-engaging students who have not had previous success academically or in the labour market, and giving them the skills that they need. The students on this project will typically have had low levels of attainment at school, often caused by learning difficulties. 63% of our students overall are classed as disadvantaged, based on background, basic skills needs etc. Many hospitality students of all ages are required to undertake literacy and numeracy courses alongside their vocational course as they have not reached the required standard (GCSE grade C or equivalent), including 80% of our full time students. The opportunity to undertake a placement in Europe is not something that they would previously have considered as a realistic option for them, and certainly not something which they could fund themselves. In the short term it really opens up a new perspective and new possibilities for them, increasing their self-reliance, confidence and helping them to realise their capabilities. The longer term outcomes are improved employability, increased success rates on their course (100% of trainees who have been on placements with us since 2010 achieved their qualification) and increased rates of positive progression - most progress to employment in their chosen vocation or a higher level course, even if they had not previously planned to continue training. We have asked previous participants who were placed with these partners for feedback after the trip, and one year later for the group who went to Mainz. This has been overwhelmingly positive with trainees saying that their confidence has improved, they have an increased passion for their vocation and are motivated to travel again in the future. This is confirmed by their teachers and are outcomes which we expect from our proposed project.