The Deputy Minister of the national Department of Tourism (NDT), Ms Tokozile Xasa, has called on both the public and private sector to work together to address the skills shortages that the sector is facing. Some of the scarce skills in the sector as highlighted in the 2007 Skills Survey report are managerial positions, chefs, tour guides and tour operators. The Draft National Sector Strategy launched in May this year has also indicated that the tourism sector does not attract or retain quality people of all service levels. This is attributed to amongst others poor training and development, career progression and low salary levels.
Tourism is one of the seven key priorities of government aimed at alleviating poverty through job the creation of decent employment.
Speaking at the media launch of the National Tourism Careers Expo in Johannesburg today, Deputy Minister Xasa said, the national Department of Tourism together with the sector is in the process of developing a framework for decent work that seeks to encourage tourism businesses to comply with the broad principles of providing good working conditions.
She added that the sector is currently busy with the placement of students for experiential learning in the different tourism organizations to better expose them to the industry. The other initiative the tourism sector will undertake to address the skills shortage in the sector will be to train about 800 youth as chefs early next year. Xasa said the training programme will be financed through the Social Responsibility component of the Department of Tourism.
The third annual National Tourism Careers Expo (NTCE), which will take place from 28 to 30 September 2010 at the Durban International Convention Centre, provides a platform for young people to interact directly with the industry and access information about the available education and training opportunities. NTCE will be celebrated under the theme Own Your Dream. It is a collaboration between the national Department of Tourism, The Tourism, Hospitality, Sports Education and Training Authority and the KwaZulu Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism. About 15 000 learners are expected at the Expo and the target group is from Grade 9 – 12 and the unemployed graduates.
Media enquiries can be referred to:
Trevor Bloem
Head of Communications, National Department of Tourism
Tel: 012 310 3631
Cell: 082 771 6729
For more information on the NTCE please visit www.tourismcareers.co.za.
Issued jointly by the national Department of Tourism, the Tourism Hospitality, Sports Education and Training Authority and the Kwazulu Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism
