Page 25 - Monaco Economy 131
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Bonnal, then Director of National Education.
          She goes on to say: "The advantage of this
          kind of learning is that it introduces pupils to
          ways of solving problems that are different
          from traditional school-based approaches.
          It also helps pupils to acquire many of the
          skills that are essential if they are to evolve  © Direction de la communication
          in the professional world of the 21  century:
                                    st
          building logical reasoning, being creative,   Agora des Métiers
          developing computer skills, communicating
          and working as part of a team, developing   with a vocational baccalaureate in the hotel   Principality's economic fabric: with a total of
          adaptability and risk-taking skills, and being   and catering sector from the Lycée Rainier III   7,075 companies throughout the Principality
          independent". To help understanding concepts   quickly find a job in this area where there is   by 2022, these skills are in high demand," says
          through the manipulation of a physical object,   high demand for qualified staff.  Isabelle Bonnal.
          educational robots have been made available   Since the start of the 2021 academic year,
          to pupils in primary schools: Bee-Bot for   the Lycée Rainier III has also been offering an   • Is this the end of the bad reputation of the
          nursery schools and Smart Train for primary   apprenticeship certificate in catering services   former G stream, seen as a dead end for
          schools. "In secondary schools, the teaching   (CAP PSR), a vocational reference course   those excluded from general baccalaureate
          of algorithms and programming is done mainly   designed to enable students to acquire the   courses?
          through the Scratch software, invented by the   skills needed for employment in the fast-food,   "The recent creation of a new vocational
          Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of   canteen and cafeteria sectors. People with this   stream at the Lycée Rainier III, - the vocational
          Technology (MIT). This royalty-free software   certificate can therefore be directly employed   apprenticeship certificate for catering services
          enables students to develop programmes   in a sector that was previously not covered by   (CAP PSR) - is a sign that manual trades are
          using simple commands", explains the former   vocational training in Monaco.  still very much in demand. The representatives
          minister, pointing out that in high school, "every   Outstanding graduates from the Lycée   of professional organisations in the hotel
          student follows a course in digital science and   Technique et Hôtelier include Christian Garcia,   and catering sector say that they are having
          technology (NST) where they are introduced   head chef at Monaco's Palace since 1987. "Luc   particular difficulty recruiting qualified staff",
          to programming using the Python language".   Rouanet won the culinary technology teaching   observes Isabelle Bonnal, who believes that
          Although it's too early to say whether this   competition and is now sharing his knowledge   government policy "is part of the desire to
          teaching has led to any vocations being   with students at the Rainier III lycée, as well as   enable new generations to fulfil their potential
          born, "secondary school technology teachers   subscribers to his "local cuisine" video channel.   and find a place in society". In the collective
          have noticed that pupils arrive with more   At the end of 2021, Juliette Moreau, a graduate   imagination, intellectual professions are
          programming skills, which is the first sign of   of the BTS MHR, was crowned best junior   considered to be at the top of the hierarchy and
          the effectiveness of this early learning policy",   receptionist by the Amicale Internationale   manual professions at the bottom. In such a
          says Isabelle Bonnal.               des Chefs de Réception," remarks the former   hierarchy, where should a surgeon be placed?
                                              Minister of Education.               And a watchmaker?" asks the former minister,
          • What about the Hotel and Catering industry,                            referring to the notion of qualifications. "The
          the other major sector in Monaco?   • Accountancy and management: are these   higher the level of training, the greater the
          122 students are studying Hospitality and   courses also at the forefront of technical   chances of finding a good quality, well-paid
          Catering, from high school through to the   education?                   job. That's where we need to focus all our
          BTS (Advanced Technician Certificate). "The   "The 'Management and Administration'   efforts...".
          Principality boasts a number of luxury hotels,   baccalaureate, which became 'Assistance in   With this approach, "the case of the former
          such as the SBM group hotels and the Fairmont,   the Management of Organisations and their   G stream is a textbook case in terms of the
          as well as gastronomic restaurants, brasseries   Activities' (AGOrA) at the start of the 2020   process of changing the way it is perceived by
          and snack bars", says Isabelle Bonnal. That's   academic year, now has 59 students in the   families. Known in France since 2012 as STMG
          why the Rainier III technical and hotel college   first and second years . Since the start of the   (Business Administration and Technology
          offers vocational baccalaureate qualifications   2023 academic year, the school has counted 41   Management), it lived through the reform of
          in 'cookery' and 'marketing and catering   students on the BTS accounting-gestion (CG)   the baccalaureate, which came into force at
          services' (CSR), as well as a technological   and licence 2 and 3 accounting-management   the start of the 2018 academic year. Like their
          baccalaureate in science and technology   diplomas, previously based at the Lycée   peers in the general stream, students in the
          in the hotel and catering industry (STHR).   Albert I . They will be joined by 25 students   technological stream take three specialities
                                                    er
          "Graduates of these courses can go on to   from the Support in Management Action   in the first year of high school, which are
          study for the two-year BTS MHR (advanced   BTS (SAM) at the start of the 2024 academic   reduced to two in the final year, out of which
          vocational diploma) in hotel and catering   year. As a result, the number of students   they must choose their major: management
          management to acquire the skills needed to   enrolled in accounting and management   or accounting. The general and technological
          manage a hotel and catering business. (...) At   courses is as high as that in the hotel and   streams are now built on the same principles",
          the end of their secondary education, students   catering sector. This is a good reflection of the   she adds, before pointing out that "the French

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