IO5 is an innovative, flexible and digital learning resource that completes the suite of skills swap pedagogical resources - this time for VET practitioners working with employers to setup inter-company skills swaps in hospitality and to put the concept into practice. . It will therefore complement the IOs that are focused on supporting the employers (IO3) and providing the employees and apprentices participating in skills swap with an accompanying 'etracker' (IO4). Conceived as a self-directed learning resource, in the form of a ‘Toolkit’, it will provide digital and online resources to be used by VET practitioners, pulling together the learning from across the project to produce an e-learning resource that will support practitioners’ needs in relation to performing the role set out in IO2. The digital toolkit will be designed through an editorial framework and interface so that VET practitioners are in a position to access digitised and new and interactive resources ‘at their desk’ or in mobile locations.

The need for this IO derives from the demand for professional development resources and approaches that incorporate the potential offered by current technology. Therefore itenhances the accessibility of the Skills swap approach, as digital engagement platforms enable flexible resources produced in a variety of media. It will present a comprehensive
menu of activities, initiatives and ideas that can be used by VET practitioners when engaging with hospitality sector employers to design, implement and review skills swaps in a WBL context. The Toolkit will contain innovative content based on new narratives and include case studies of types of intervention, templates and reporting documents, handy hints and tips on designing and delivering effective skills swap interventions, methods and templates for collecting evaluation and feedback. In terms of innovation, this represents a cultural shift in the approach to how VET professionals can immediately and easily access a variety of resources for use in interactive sessions and for illustrations. The toolkit will also be able to facilitate a range of multilingual elements, some of which will be generated originally in the partner’s own language whereas other aspects will be translated, enhancing both its
transferability and impact. It will draw upon identified innovative and good practices in the adaption of the skills swap approach, as validated in the trials set up to by the partners staff VET practitioners to validate IO3 and IO4 with companies and work-based learners.

The Toolkit will contain a range of methods, or ‘tools’ that will describe and highlight quality standards, success criteria and good practice in skills swaps in hospitality. This is anticipated to include:
a. Guide to the Skills Swap concept
b. Case studies, good practice, do’s and don’ts
c. Keeping up to date with contemporary developments in hospitality
d. Employers’ Organisational Needs Analysis
e. Employees’ Individual Needs Analysis and Action Plan
f. Devising your Skill Swap Network
g. Swapping and sharing skills through 'challenges' - team-based project tasks
h. The eTracker - supporting apprentices and employees -
i. Making a start
j. Implementation, communications and monitoring
k. Review and evaluation