At Rinova, we are proud to be part of MAAS (Match, Attach and Sustain), a European initiative aimed at improving job placement in the tourism sector, with a special focus on refugees and job seekers, particularly those from Ukraine. The project, co-financed by the European Union, brings together nine organizations from seven countries, including public employment services, private sector partners, tourism boards, and universities.
Addressing Key Challenges in Tourism & Employment
Tourism is one of Europe’s largest industries, employing over 25 million people, with demand for 5 million more jobs expected in the next decade. However, despite its economic importance, the sector faces severe skills shortages and a mismatch between vocational education and training (VET) and the needs of the industry. This leads to:
- Gaps in job-related and soft skills, including digital literacy and customer service.
- A poor image of tourism careers, particularly in hospitality, where jobs are often perceived as low-paid, unstable, and lacking career progression.
- Limited employer engagement in VET, despite EU policies encouraging greater involvement of businesses in shaping training programs.
At the same time, Europe is experiencing an unprecedented humanitarian challenge, with millions of Ukrainian refugees granted Temporary Protection status, giving them the right to live, work, and study in any EU country. Supporting their economic independence and social integration is an urgent priority, and tourism presents a valuable opportunity due to its high demand for workers and diverse career pathways.
However, job seekers—especially refugees—require specialized support to successfully access and sustain employment. Job Brokers play a crucial role in this, acting as matchmakers between job seekers and employers. Yet, they often lack the sector-specific knowledge and digital tools needed to effectively connect people to opportunities.
MAAS in Spain: Supporting Job Brokers and Employment Services
In Spain, Rinova and Sexta Planta are implementing MAAS by collaborating with employment services, tourism employers, and training institutions to ensure that the project’s tools and resources meet the needs of the local job market. Our work focuses on:
🔹 Mapping and engaging stakeholders – We are working closely with employment agencies, career counsellors, and tourism businesses to identify challenges and opportunities in job placement.
🔹 Developing digital tools – We are supporting the creation of an eGuide for job brokers and an eTracker tool to help monitor and support job seekers in their transition into employment.
🔹 Facilitating Communities of Practice (CoP) – We are participating in transnational and local workshops, bringing together experts to share best practices in employment services, tourism workforce development, and refugee integration.
Building on Rinova’s Work in Employment & Job Brokerage
MAAS aligns with Rinova’s commitment to tackling unemployment and breaking down barriers in the labour market. It builds on our Job Broker programme (developed with VMST in Iceland and Dimitra in Greece), which professionalized job brokerage across Europe, and insights from Good eGuidance Stories (developed with the Berlin Senate in Germany and the Local Government in Sardinia in Italy), enhancing career guidance practices.
The project also integrates blended career counselling techniques from DISCO (developed with TrimTab and Folkuniversitetet in Sweden) and draws from dTour and Hospitality Skills Swap (developed with SextaPlanta, Spain), where we addressed tourism skills shortages through digitalisation and work-based learning models.
By building on these initiatives, MAAS delivers sector-focused tools for job brokers, improving job placement in tourism – particularly for Ukrainian refugees and other job seekers.
Collaborating for Impact
Through interviews and consultations, we are gathering insights from career advisors, employment experts, and training providers to refine our approach. We are particularly interested in learning from educators in tourism schools and business institutions, as well as from professionals with expertise in academic research on tourism trends.
Get Involved!
If you are a career counsellor, employment service provider, tourism employer, or educator, we invite you to connect with us and contribute to shaping practical solutions for job seekers and employers in the tourism sector.
MAAS actions are led by Trim Tab AB, and collaboration with RINOVA, Vinnumálastofnun, Vinnytsia Institute of Trade and Economics, Larnaka Tourism Board , DIMITRA , Sextaplanta, Folkuniversitetet , Szkoła Główna Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego w Warszawie.
Stay updated by following Rinova and MAAS on our social media channels:
website: www.maas-project.eu
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/1434003053993026
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9579346/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MAASMatchAttachandSustain
The MAAS project was co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
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