The 47thth edition of WorldSkills, a global competition of skills, was held in Lyon last week, from September 10 to 15. The opportunity for European vocational training stakeholders to organize the 3th edition of the Professional Excellence Forum (VET Forum) in the same city and on the same dates. It is in this context that the director of the Pacific Campus of Trades and Qualifications, a system under the supervision of the Polynesian Ministry of Education, went to Lyon to represent, to 700 European stakeholders in vocational training, the Overseas Collectivity, its Campus and its young learners.
More specifically, the CMQP had a stand in the “healthy, sustainable food and tourism” section of the Forum’s exhibitors’ village. Since we are in the village of healthy and sustainable food and tourism, and since we have a Polynesian culinary signature project that goes from land-sea to the plate, therefore from the products to the recipe, I wanted to present local products “, explains the director of the CMQ, who therefore brought Tahitian vanilla, coffee, chocolate and even alcohol in her suitcases, thanks to a partnership with the young local product export company, A’O Pacific development.
« My challenge was also to show that Polynesia is not just a seaside resort, among others. It is also a cultural and culinary experience. “, continues Hina Grepin who, for the event, benefited from the communication supports of Tahiti Tourisme and the help of the dance troupe Tahiti Aloha Show of Terii Taputu for an animation to close the Forum. The director of the CMQ also called on the students of the AEPF of Lyon: ” They coordinated with the Tahiti Aloha Show troupe to finally perform together “, rejoices Hina Grepin. ” It was great. So much so that they hosted the whole evening. “offering” a Polynesian highlight » au VET Forum.
Learner Mobility and Erasmus in the Pacific
In addition to the promotion, the director of the CMQP was responsible for advancing the campus’ files, participating in ” cooperation sessions » dedicated to « learner mobility ». « The challenge of this Forum is also the development of skills on the Campuses, since there is what we call the national training plan. “, adds Hina Grepin, who also sees ” the opportunity to have exchanges, meetings, sharing with actors that we do not necessarily know (…), who have problems or themes close or distant in Europe, and it allows us to establish links to then work with other European people in professional training, with varied and therefore enriching pedagogical approaches ».
On the subject of learner mobility, Hina Grepin mentions on the one hand the ” language skills improvement “, important in a Community where tourism is the main economic driver, “but also see other ways of learning, open up your way of learning a little bit ». « It allows us to get out of our educational framework a little, because there are also other ways of learning and seeing ” assures the director who has already signed an MOU with the Tafe Institute of Queensland in Australia. A rapprochement which notably allowed the young Léon Tehaurai, best apprentice in France, to officiate in a Brisbane restaurant.
In this spirit, the director of the CMQP was able to speak with the France director of Erasmus, an emblematic European program that provides facilities for students from the Old Continent to study in EU member states. The subject of a Pacific Erasmus has been discussed for several years now. The Head of State had also announced the development of a Pacific Erasmus during his last official visit to Vanuatu, in July 2023. For Hina Grepin, the coherent idea for Polynesia and the other Pacific communities would be a specific mechanism to capture part of the 20% of third countries in the program. In other words, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii. We discussed it, it is a real concern with a construction site that should start soon ” assures the director of the CMQP.
« Another concrete step forward is also work on healthy and sustainable food. “. Hina Grepin says in particular that she has ” worked on a support and financing file to be able to deploy our healthy and sustainable food, our land-sea to plate project around the Polynesian culinary signature, around innovation, in particular perhaps a connected kitchen with ad hoc financing “And among the meetings held in Lyon, the director of the CMQP particularly highlights the presence on the Polynesia stand of the outgoing Minister of National Education, Nicole Belloubet, ” who knows Polynesia well ». « We had a great exchange » assure encore Hina Grepin. « She showed a strong and marked interest in the Pacific Trades and Qualifications Campus, and in everything we do in Polynesia. ».
Thierry Marx in Polynesia in October
For the future, the director of the CMQP and her young apprentices are preparing for the arrival, in October, of chef Thierry Marx, accompanied by culinary chemist Raphaël Haumont, from the University of Paris-Saclay. Thierry Marx had been invited by the president of Polynesia Moetai Brotherson to participate, alongside Polynesian chefs, in the development of this famous Polynesian culinary signature.
Thierry Marx should, among other things, meet the homeless people of Papeete in cooking/service training at the Te Vaiete center of Father Christophe, exchange with all the learners of Polynesia and the entire catering industry or even participate in the organization of ” the first day of Polynesian tourism and culinary art professions “, which will mix both professionals and college students. Chef Marx will also travel to the island of Bora Bora, accompanied by chef Teao MAIARII from a Tahitian restaurant for ” create a signature dish “, as part of the international promotion of Polynesian gourmet tourism.
Hina Grepin is also preparing the upcoming departure of young high school students from Bora Bora, Raiatea and Tahiti, in the cooking and services sector, to Australia, to also benefit from the experience that Léon Tehaurai has had. Except that this year, we’re going even further, and we’re starting with the first year students, not the final year students. ” explains the director who justifies: ” you really need to master English “Another change is that while previous classes had classes at the Brisbane Tafe, future classes will still have them, but only in service,” because we said to ourselves that, in terms of priorities, the server is the one who is in the “front office” with the North American “guest” ” Finally, another group, this time in ” eco-agri-tourism » is also due to leave for New Zealand in 2025.
