FORMATION OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE OF FUTURE HOTEL AND RESTAURANT SPECIALISTS AT THE INITIAL STAGE OF TRAINING

Abstract

The article examines the theoretical, organizational, and methodological foundations of the formation of professional competence of future hotel and restaurant specialists at the initial stage of training in higher education institutions. It is substantiated that the first year of study is a crucial period of students’ professional development, during which they adapt to the university environment, develop professional motivation, acquire an initial understanding of their future professional activities, shape their professional identity, and master basic models of professional behaviour. It is proved that this stage lays the foundation for students’ professional worldview, fosters a positive attitude towards the chosen profession, develops their readiness for continuous professional growth, and facilitates their successful integration into the hospitality industry.

The structure of the professional competence of future hotel and restaurant specialists is defined as comprising motivational and value-based, cognitive, practical and activity-based, communicative, digital, personal and reflective, as well as ethical and service-oriented components. It is established that the effective formation of professional competence is ensured through the integrated combination of theoretical training, practice-oriented learning, the development of digital competences, professional communication, customer orientation, service culture, and the personal development of students.

The role of the academic discipline «Introduction to the Specialty» is revealed as an integrative component of initial professional training, providing students with knowledge of the structure of the hospitality industry, professional functions, current trends in the development of the hotel and restaurant business, service standards, the specific features of hotel and restaurant enterprises, opportunities for academic mobility, international cooperation, and professional career development. It is determined that this discipline contributes to the formation of professional motivation, stimulates students’ interest in their future profession, enhances their awareness of employers’ expectations, and familiarizes them with the specific features of professional activity in the context of the digital transformation of the hospitality industry.

The pedagogical conditions for the effective formation of professional competence are systematized, including practice-oriented learning, interactive teaching methods, digital technologies, case-study methodology, educational field visits, role-playing of professional situations, project-based learning, guest lectures, cooperation with employers, and reflective assessment of learning outcomes. Particular attention is paid to the development of students’ digital competences through the use of modern information and communication technologies, online booking systems, digital services, elements of artificial intelligence, and the formation of critical information analysis skills.

The study proposes an original structural and logical model for the formation of students’ professional competence during the first year of study. The model provides for a gradual transition from professional orientation and adaptation to the development of professional motivation, acquisition of fundamental knowledge, gaining initial practical experience, development of digital competences and soft skills, formation of service culture, reflective practice, and readiness for further professional training. The necessity of integrating classroom-based, digital, and practice-oriented components of the educational process is substantiated, along with the early involvement of hospitality industry enterprises in the training of future specialists and the establishment of continuous cooperation between higher education institutions and employers in order to improve the quality of professional education and enhance graduates’ competitiveness in the labour market.