<< Background >>A receptionist in today’s thriving business world is so much more than someone who answers the telephone. She or he is the first person that customers meet, so the impression she or he makes represents the entire business. Faced with new kinds of systemic risks, like COVID-19, receptionist must also perform more demanding tasks for risk mitigation and they are the first persons that face the customers. They must always become ready for what comes next and safeguard the company’s guests and staff, in particular having the knowledge, skills and competences to respond to their safety, comfort and accessibility requirements. Fitch estimates that COVID-19 will cause a major drop in European hotels' occupancy and these will not recover until 2023. It is sure that when reopening comes, the demand for receptionists will raise. Taking into consideration the fact that many of the existing workforce was forced to select different career paths and the new challenges the recent pandemic revealed, the need for competent training will be apparent. WELCOME comes to address this need by developing and offering a modern online digital platform with training content in the form of 3D simulations (role play scenarios based on a service design mapping approach). The high-fidelity 3D realistic simulations that will be created with Unity (game engine) will offer advantages such as high user engagement, interactivity and feedback. Leading from the impacts of the coronavirus situation and prevention measures, the platform will include also COVID-19 management-related scenarios. Social distancing, sharing information about the virus, techniques and tools limiting person-to-person contact, techniques to identify and deal with risky situations and much more will be part of these scenarios. The platform will offer a fast and affordable way of training front desk officers, shortening learning curves. The trainee will run the scenarios interacting with virtual visitors at a hotel reception and at the end of each scenario will be able to see (in a form of animation with the same avatars) the proper behaviour and identify possible mistakes. The scenarios will be categorized under different topics that will be selected through the organization of focus groups in each country (taking into consideration existing qualifications in each country). It is expected that the platform will significantly increase the average recall rate of trainees compared with existing methodologies. The platform will be accompanied by an authoring tool where the scenarios would be easily translated and modified to address specific needs. Authorized users will be also able to create new scenarios according to their needs. The platform will consist of self-study elements in the form of 3D simulations as described above (accessible through the web and mobile devices) but will also offer an online assessment tool through real time interaction between the assessor(s) and the trainee inside the virtual environment of the reception (using cloud networking servers). A management tool will be dealing with the organization of the online assessments that will be taking place at set dates and times. Email notifications will be automatically sent to the trainees at set time before the assessment. The interaction during each assessment will be saved in a narrative form.<< Objectives >>The objectives of the project are to: -develop an innovative online platform for the training of hotel receptionists on communication skills. -create a number of simulation scenarios that will be role-played by the trainee inside the platform - develop an online synchronous 3D assessment tool that will be used in order for the trainees to interact with assessors as if they were customers and receive a certification. -train tutors to use the platform in order to be able to translate and customize the scenarios to specific needs (different cultures, circumstances, etc).-train assessors to be able to organize and perform online assessments -disseminate the results of the project through tourism associations, professional communities, VET networks, EPALE, etc.<< Implementation >>The project will start with desk research on existing qualifications for receptionists in each country. The communication modules of these qualifications will be identified and the learning outcomes will be categorized. Additional learning outcomes as revealed due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be added to the previous ones. ENAT will assess if these learning outcomes include social inclusion and disability issues and corrective action will take place (addition of more learning outcomes or update of the existing ones). Upon the learning outcomes will be finalized, focus groups will be organized in each country to provide further input relevant to receptionists training, existing barriers in online and in class training and the envisaged functionality of the 3D training platform and assessment tools. A final list of learning outcomes will be produced along with national reports presenting the work in Result 1 (including platform requirements). The list of the learning outcomes will feed the narrative scenarios writing process. The technical partner will provide templates for the scenario writing process in order these scenarios to be easily transferred to the 3D platform. In parallel with the scenario writing, the development of the 3D training platform starts [Result 2]. The requirements as documented during the focus groups and the previous experience of the technical partner will lead to a development of an easy to use and intuitive 3D platform that will be putting trainees in the shoes of receptionists receiving guests at the hotel reception. The development of the scenario editing tools will also start and the scenarios will be transferred online. The assessment tools will also be developed along with management tools for planning the online assessments (3D sessions). After the completion of the tools in Result No 2 and the scenario uploading to the platform, the pilot trainings will start. The certification of the trainings will take place [Result No 3] using a certification scheme that would have been developed after the completion of the 3D training and assessment tools. Finally, after the evaluation, the platforms will be fine tuned to the final requirements and the development of a training and assessment guide (replication guide) will take place that will enhance WELCOME's sustainability as it will contains all the necessary information to use the tools and provide certifications. Trainers will be trained in each country to use the guide, support their trainees in their self directed development and enhance the offering through the addition of more scenarios. Multiplier Events in all countries will disseminate project results.<< Results >>The outcomes expected from WELCOME project include: A. during the project: -A list of narrative scenarios and service design maps, presenting proper behaviours covering the communication skills needs of the modern receptionists, based on a body of knowledge developed by professionals, users and stakeholders. -An online 3D platform offering game-based learning to receptionists through simulation scenarios (for receptionists). -An online platform for editing existing and creating new scenarios (for tutors). -An online platform for organizing and performing synchronous assessments along with a certification and assessment guide (for assessors) -100 certified front desk officers that will follow the project's pilot trainings -25 trainers trained in how to run WELCOME training and assessment sessions. B. on the project's completion: - To have raised awareness on the project results, offering a fast and competitive way for training hotel receptionists. - Open Educational Resources in 3-D Game-based learning for further development by the hospitality industry and VET providers. -To have ensured sustainability by (a) proving the added value of the developed platform, (b) having convinced decision makers through dissemination and communication activities and project results, and, (c) by creating an easy to use authoring tool and a trustworthy assessment tool with which assessors will be able award certifications (increasing their profitability and reducing assessment costs).