We have curriculums in Food and Catering (cooks, bakers, confectionaries, catering services etc.), Hotel Service, Beauty Service and Commercial Studies. Our focus is on providing education in levels 4 and 5 (European Qualification levels). There are approximately 700 students in our school. The study period varies from 1-3 years, depending on the speciality.
| Educational department | Curricula |
| 1. Catering | cook, butcher chef, pastry chef, vegan chef, cook assistant, senior waiter, waiter, waiter assistant |
| 2. Accommodation service | hotel service, hotel receptionist, hotel management |
| 3. Beauty service | spa therapyst, nail technician |
| 4. Food production | baker and pastry-cook, confectioner, baker assistant |
| 5. Commercial | sales organizer, consultant of telemarketing, goods displayer |
| Comprehensive and General studies | |
| Adult training | different training courses for work-based learning that take place in the evenings |
| Administrative services |
Studying possibilities
1. Based on basic education (63%)
1.1 Based on basic education with vocational secondary school study
- hotel service (EstQF 4) – 3 years
- cook (EstQF 4) – 3 years
- baker and pastry-cook (EstQF 4) – 3 years
- waiter (EstQF 4) – 3 years
1.2 Based on basic education, with vocational secondary school study
- nail technician (EstQF 4) – 1 year
- consultant of telemarketing (EstQF 4) – 6 months
2. Based on secondary school vocational education (34%)
2.1 Based on secondary school vocational education or secondary education
- butcher chef (EstQF 5) – 6 months
- confectioner (EstQF 4) – 1 year
- cook (EstQF 4) – 1-2 years
- hotel management (EstQF 5) – 1 year
- hotel receptionist (EstQF 4) – 1 year
- pastry chef (EstQF 5) – 6 months
- vegan chef (EstQF 5) – 6 months
- spa therapyst (EstQF 4) – 1,5 years
2.2 After secondary school vocational education based on secondary education work-based study
- sales organizer (EstQF 5) – 2 years
- senior waiter (EstQF 5) – 1 year
3. Without basic education requirement vocational education (3%)
- baker assistant (EstQF 3) – 1 year
- goods displayer (EstQF 3) – 1 year
Additional education
- Courses from 1 day until 3 months (paid or in cooperation with Unemployment Insurance Fund or ESF)
Studies in our school
- are free (state school)
- are from 6 months to 3 years
- are ordinary – 5 days a week – 90% of students
- 9% of students studies work based (1/3 of lessons only in school)
- possibility of distance learning
- curriculas in Estonian 55%, in Russian 45%
- are integrated with real jobs
Distribution of lesson hours
- 1 year = 1600 lessons = 40 study weeks
- 26 hours student work = 1 credit point (EKAP)
- 8 to 18 weeks practice (on-the-job learning) (from 40 weeks yearly)
- from 26 lessons could be for example 2–26 lessons, 2–24 is individual work, could include some e-learning lessons or on-the-job learning
- from all 120 weeks 30 weeks are comprehensive studies and 30 weeks comprehensive studies integrated with vocational training
Curriculum structure
- Comprehensive study modules
- Selected subjects
- Modules consist of different study tasks that are assessed when the module is finished on basis on study output.
Volume of practice in the curriculum (for example, cook)
- On basis of secondary school
- In the 1st course: Assistant cook 8 EKAP, 208 hours + big company kitchen 13 EKAP, 338 hours
- In the 2nd course practice in restaurant 13 EKAP + extra specializing 11 EKAP + basics of service + 4 EKAP and restaurant service 2 EKAP
- Baker-confectioner practice time by employers 18 weeks per schoolyear
Changing the study system
There are 4 terms in a school year: 9 study weeks and 1 assessment week
– In the groups there are 20 students + assistant teacher
Precise obeying the study rules
– Grants
– Teacher training
Changes in the study system
- Every class have a calender with all the study weeks, assessment weeks and student events
- Tests are arranged before assessment weeks
- During the assessment week all teachers are at school
- Dates for deleting study debts are included into the timetable
- Modules are assessed by integrated tasks performed during the assessment week
- Practice is defended according to the timetable
- Applications have improved – it is hard to plan
Partnership
Our partners in employers organisations
- Estonian Association of Hotels and Restaurants
- Estonian Traders Association
- Estonian Association of Bakers
- Estonian Chefs Association
- Estonian Association of Small and Medium Businesses
Cooperation with employers
- working out the curricula
- taking part in students’ admission
- an annual round table to improve the organization of studies
- practice guidance
- taking part in examination boards while profession is being granted
- taking part in competition juries
- lectures on specific subjects, practice in specific fields
- sponsors
Cooperation work between schools
- Teko is member of European Association of Hotel and Tourism Schools
- Competitions (almost all professions), Foodfest, EuroSkills (Noor Meister – Young Master), WorldSkills
- Teachers’ organisations and their activities
- Cooperation work for creating new curricula between vocational schools
Estonian Association for advancement of Vocational Education
- Twice a year seminars with Ministry, all vocational schools, Innove, employers’ representatives;
- Taking part in compiling and discussing draft bills;
- Our representatives are in different organisations for supporting the development of vocational education.
