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I. Aliyeva,
Azerbajan Tourism and Management University VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROBLEMS IN TOURISM SPHERE OF AZERBAIJAN
Introduction. In modern age competitive production in the world market and sustainable economic growth is mainly driven by human capital. As a result of World Bank surveys in 192 countries, it was found out that 16% of our economic growth happened because of physical capital, 20% natural resources, 64% human capital. Moreover, according to western research the rate of return on investment in human capital in developed countries at least twice as much as the profit from the shares. In this regard, human capital development has become one of the major tasks of each state, as the main productive force of society. Among the factors that contribute to the development of human capital, one of the key areas is the effectiveness of investments directed to people's education, particularly vocational training. In general, the experience of developed countries shows that vocational education has an indispensable role in ensuring sustainable economic development and high living standards.
Vocational tourism education
The main focus of the tourism education in the world is on vocational education. In general, vocational education is defined as "the process by which individuals in a society are able to be professional and develop the skills of the individual in terms of physical, intellectual, emotional, social and economic aspects, giving them the knowledge, skills and practical application skills required by the profession" [2]. Tourism education should not be perceived as different from general education and needs to be done in general education. The aim of the training is to increase the knowledge and skills of the people and to make them a good citizen. In parallel, tourism education and training includes the process of raising productivity in the labor-driven tourism sector, providing direct services to tourists, and attaining behavior standards to balance the competencies, abilities and responsibilities of staff. The nature of the tourism sector as a social phenomenon and its relevance to all segments of the society at a certain level includes not only the focus of professional formation but also the social aims of this sector.
It is difficult to put a determinate date on the start of tourism education but seems it was during the 1960s that a number of key changes had been in tourism, in education and in society more generally, led to the emergence of tourism "both as a clear area of study in its own right and as a subject for study to diploma and degree level and for research. During that decade many of the early tourism programs began. The tourism programs of the 1960s and 1970s were highly vocational in aim and content, highly restricted in the knowledge base on
which they could draw, and highly based on economics and business studies [3].
As noted earlier by the author (Airey, 1995, p.4), the growth of tourism as an activity, the expansion of further and higher education, as well as an increased recognition and respectability of vocational education provided a fairly potent set of influences that encouraged what would now be called "educational entrepreneurs" to launch the first tourism programmes. Tourism education began as a development of technical/vocational schools in Europe. These schools highlighted training in foundation abilities such as hospitality, hotel management and related business skills. Need and call from the public and private sectors influenced prompt growth of tourism studies and the development, and establishment, of departments of tourism at institutions of higher education in addition to technical schools (Butler 1999, p.7-25).
Tourism education in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan has the potential to attract a large number of international tourists. Tourism is increasingly becoming an important part of Azerbaijan's economy. In Azerbaijan, 2011 has been declared the "Year of Tourism." Today works are carried out to draw tourists from foreign countries. The successful oil strategy shows itself on non-oil sector in fast-growing Azerbaijan Republic. Tourism industry is one of the important fields of non-oil sector. Due to the potential of increasing incomes to the state budget, Azerbaijan Government targeted to develop tourism industry and make it the most sustainable and competitive part of the economy. According to experts, the demand to tourism personnel will be more than 75000, until 2023. But now, professional cadre shortage on tourism is one of the main problems, preventing the development of perspective tourism industry of our country.
Tourism personnel are trained on
• Primary vocational special education - in vocational schools and vocational high schools from 3 to 6 months;
• Vocational secondary education - in colleges for 2-3 years.
• Bachelor education - at universities up to 45 years.
• Master education - at universities up to 23 years.
• Doctorate education - up to 3-5 years [7].
Organization and development of vocational education of Tourism industry is one of the main tasks of our government recent years. So, below indicated articles of State Program on development of tourism, » approved by the President's decree dated on April 6, 2010
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were purely related with the education of tourism in Azerbaijan.
• Approval of special tariff handbook of Tourism personnel.
• Establishment of national tourism training center under the Azerbaijan Institute of Tourism.
• Improvement of relevant study program at universities, high schools and vocational schools preparing tourism professionals.
• Realization of Special events, courses and trainings for the personnel working in the tourism industry.
• Implementation of sanitary and hygiene study programs in tourism enterprises.
• Preparation of proposals about the implementation of international practices and new education opportunities of tourism.
Vocational tourism schools in Azerbaijan
Vocational schools and high schools are the initial phase of the training of personnel in tourism educational institutions. Currently, the following educational institutions are available in the level of primary vocational schools:
• Baku Tourism Vocational School,
• Vocational Training Centre of Tourism and Hotel Business in Gabala
• Vocational Training Center in Ismayilli.
Due to the high demand of vocational education of tourism, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan Republic signed a decree of establishment of vocational training schools in the regions of Azerbaijan [7].
These are relevant tourism specializations due to the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan Republic about the approval of the classification of the professions of primary vocational education.
The first trade cantor apprenticeship school was founded in Azerbaijan in the basis of 3 year education, due to the decree of Cooperatives Union for the South Caucasus in 1927-1928 academic years in order to pro-
vide trade and service enterprises of Baku and Azerbaijan with the professional employees.
The name changed several times and called Baku vocational School in this educational institution was realized already the preparation of waiters, cook-confectioners and travel guides. It was considered to establish Baku Tourism Vocational School under the Azerbaijan Institute of Tourism due to the clause 19 of the action plan related with "Tourism Year" declaration of current year approved with Azerbaijan President's order, dated July 20, 2011 and implemented with the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan Republic dated December 6, 2011.
The following vocational classes are taught to the pupils studying barman, bartender and waiter: Customer service management, the culinary characteristics of lunches, Bar and buffet equipment, Food physiology, Beverage making technology
Conclusion. Tourism is one of the most important sectors today due to its important place in the gross national product of the countries. Therefore, tourism needs to be important. Even if qualified infrastructure can be built, it will reduce the importance of tourism in the long term when it cannot be filled with qualified personnel. The way of providing qualified staff also lies through education. Tourism education in Azerbaijan is given as vocational and higher education. According to the results of research we can list the aims of vocational tourism education as follow:
■ Establish the relationship between theoretical and practical education;
■ Contribute to the development of the sector;
■ Creating a positive tourism awareness over the citizen;
■ To reveal the interest of people in the tourism;
■ To increase the knowledge and skills of the employees in the sector;
■ The following suggestions regarding vocational education can be made;
■ The establishment of a committee to supervise the adequacy of the courses given in the higher education institutions and should be provided with workers from the sector;
■ Curriculums should be organized to meet the needs of the regions;
■ The pyramid of International Labor Organization should be taken into account while calculating the quotas for higher education;
■ Whether alumnus from vocational tourism schools or higher tourism educational institutions one-year vocational qualification internship should be done. In addition, a proficiency examination should be given by teachers and vocational teachers in tourism in every 5 years;
■ The amount of funds allocated from the state budget for the vocational education in the country should be increased several times;
■ Within the framework of state investments, new high school lyceums should be built in the capital and
Classification of the professions of primary vocational education
Name of specialty group Specialty name
Commercial Tourism agent
Catering services Waiter
bartender
waiter, bartender, barman
Confectioner
Cook
The barman-waiter
Hotel receptions
Employee of sanitary department
Ski Tourism Ski tourism guides
Travel guide Ecotourism guides
The national park guides
Local guides
Source Azerbaijan Ministry of Tourism Report, 2011.
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all regions, existing ones should be reconstructed accordance with modern requirements;
■ Low level of teacher's salary at vocational schools does not allow to involve employees in this field. From this point of view, salaries of employees here should be increased.
References
1. Baum, T. (2002). Skills and training for the hospitality sector: A review of issues. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 54(3), 343-363.
2. AYMANKUY, Yusuf veAymankuy, Simal. (2002). OnlisansveLisansDtizeyindekiTurizmEgitimiVerenYti ksekogretimKurumlanninBulunduklariYerlerinAnalizi veTurizmEgitimi [inOneriBir Model, TurizmEgitimi Konferansi/Workshop 11-13 Aralik, s: 29-42), Ankara.
3. Airey, D., & Tribe, J. (2005) Issues for the future. In: D. Airey, & J. Tribe (Eds.), an international handbook of tourism education (pp. 501-506). 4. Mardanov M.C. (2005). Education Policy of Azerbaijan, p. 25-28 (M.C.Mardanov, 2005, Azarbaycanintahsil siyasati, s.25-28). 5. Hacioglu, N. (2008). Ttirkiye'de TurizmEgitimi. Ankara: DetayYayincilik, 11-17. 6. KIZILIRMAK, Smail, "MeslekYtiksek Okullari Turizmve OtelcilikProgramlarininGtintimtizTurizmSek tortintinBeklentileriDogrultusundaDegerlendirilmesi", http://yayim.meb.gov.tr/dergiler/147/kizilirmak.htm, erisim: 10/10/2012. 7. Report Azerbaijan Ministry of Tourism, access on 23 August, 2017, http://mct.gov.az/ styles/doc/hesabat_2011.pdf. 8. Ministry of Culture and Tourism, access on 27 August, 2017. URL: www.mct.gov.az. 9. Azerbaijan Statistic Committee, access on 25 August, 2017. URL: http://www.stat.gov. az/ source/tourism/.
Алieва I. Проблеми професшноТ освгги Азербайджану в сфер! туризму
З огляду на той факт, що туризм е важливим сектором у 33 галузях, не можна заперечувати його впливу на економiку. Туризм, як найважливша альтернатива, розглядаеться як рушшна сила в еконо-мiчному розвитку кра!н, що розвиваються. У зв'язку з цим багато кра!н почали збiльшувати число турис-тичних пiдприемств рiзними шщативами, щоб отримати бiльшу частку доходiв в туризмг Спеща-лiзованi кадровi ресурси вiдiграють ключову роль у туризм^ з огляду на той факт, що туризм е людським сектором. Важливе значення мае отримання прак-тичних знань на вах етапах туристично! освiти. На-явшсть квалiфiкованого персоналу е одним з основ-них крошв для продовження зростаючо! конкурен-ци. Це можна зробити тшьки ефективно i профе-сiйно за допомогою освiти в галузi туризму та пра-цевлаштування випускникiв професiйно-технiчних училищ в цьому секторi. Тому в цьому до^дженш тдкреслюеться важливiсть професiйного навчання для задоволення потреб квалiфiкованих кадрiв в ту-ризмi.
Ключов1 слова: професшна освiта, освiта в сферi туризму, робоча сила туризму.
Алиева И. Проблемы профессионального образования Азербайджана в сфере туризма
Учитывая тот факт, что туризм является важным сектором в 33 отраслях, нельзя отрицать его влияния на экономику. Туризм, как самая важная альтернатива, рассматривается как движущая сила в экономическом развитии развивающихся стран. В этой связи многие страны начали увеличивать число туристических предприятий различными инициативами, чтобы получить большую долю доходов в туризме. Специализированные кадровые ресурсы играют ключевую роль в туризме, учитывая тот факт, что туризм является человеческим сектором. Важное значение имеет получение практических знаний на всех этапах туристического образования. Наличие квалифицированного персонала является одним из основных шагов для продолжения растущей конкуренции. Это можно сделать только эффективно и профессионально с помощью образования в сфере туризма и трудоустройства выпускников профессионально-технических училищ в этом секторе. Поэтому в этом исследовании подчеркивается важность профессионального обучения для удовлетворения потребностей квалифицированных кадров в туризме.
Ключевые слова: профессиональное образование, образование в сфере туризма, рабочая сила туризма.
Aliyeva I. Vocational education problems in tourism sphere of Azerbaijan
It is not hard to perceive the dimensions of the effects on the economy of countries as the tourism sector is a challenging area for 33 different sectors. Tourism is seen as the most important alternative to the industry, and the driving forces of economic development in developing countries. In this sense, in order to get more share from the tourism movements, many countries have started to rapidly increase the number of tourism businesses and their capacities with various incentive measures. Due to the labor-intensive nature of the tourism sector, the importance of trained skilled labor force in the tourism sector arises [6]. Individuals shall be taught practical knowledge and skill in every stage of the tourism education. In order to be able to survive in increasing competition environment qualified workforce is one of the basic steps. And this can only be actualized by efficient and qualified tourism education and employing the vocational school of tourism graduates in the sector. Therefore, the research conducted to emphasis the importance of vocational training for fulfilling the need of qualified personals in tourism.
Keywords: vocational education, tourism education, tourism workforce.
Received by the editors: 26.09.2017
and final form 22.12.2017
Економiчний вюник Донбасу № 4(50), 2017
