UPGRADING SKILLS AND COMPETENCES ACROSS THE TOURISM SECTOR

The tourism sector is a very complex industry, encompassing a wide range of economic activities in every region of Europe and involving a substantial investment in human capital. The issue of up-grading skills and competences across the tourism sector is a key factor for improving both the competitiveness and employment opportunities within tourism. It is one of the 8 priorities set out by Commissioner Bienkowska for the future European strategy.

From our perspective, a holistic approach which is broader than training is needed to meet the increased demands on the skills of the workforce. The holistic approach should embrace both education, training in training institutions, incompany training and other processes on the job.

The most critical cause behind the skills gap is that the tourism industry in general has problems in 1. Attracting skilled labour to the sector; 2. Retaining and developing skilled labour in the sector; 3. Supporting micro-enterprises at regional and local level for improving competitiveness through the development of labour.

 There is a need to

1. Identify the main training needs of the different stakeholders in tourism, especially workers and managers of SMEs, the principal obstacles encountered in upgrading their skills, and future requirements.
2. Identify strategies and measures at national, regional and local level (including instruments, innovative solutions etc.), designed to upgrade skills in the tourism industry.
3. Assess the existing contribution and potential of relevant Community policies and programmes.
4. Determine scope for greater co-operation between authorities concerned, and for better use of Community instruments and programmes.

 Priority Issues

• Increasing the Attractiveness of the Industry.
• Transparency and Validation of Qualifications/Mobility/Career-paths.
• Human Resource Management.
• In-company Training.
• Staff Recruitment and Retention.
• Skill-needs derived from E-business and Sustainable Development.
• E-learning

 Key Areas of action

1. Providing learning
2. Improving skills
3. Improving the quality of learning
4. Enhancing/supporting innovation and continuous improvement in the sector
5. Promoting shared knowledge
6. Detecting learning needs and acting as a catalyst in the areas
7. Providing strategic information, raising awareness on key issues and guidance
8. Facilitating a bottom-up process: building partnerships, enhancing cooperation between the stakeholders concerned and enhancing the aggregation of the tourist product (on the basis of learning actions)
9. Supporting the insertion of skilled people in the sector (attracting, training and inserting)
10. Developing a dynamic approach to local demand for tourism training in order to attract labour
11. Supporting and developing specific programmes for managers in SMEs and microenterprises focusing on Human Resource Management.

 Target Groups

• SMEs (Managers, owners and workers)
• Educational institutes (Public and Private)
• Regional/local development organisations (e.g. Tourist Boards)
• Local authorities

 Main Stakeholders

• SMEs (micros) (managers and workers)
• Educational/research institutes (Public and Private)
• Regional development organisations
• Public authorities
• Social partners and Local community

The following stakeholders could assume the role as leader:

• Regional development organisation
• Local/regional authority
• Learning Centre (Public and Private)
• Local social partner