A host of tourism and hospitality bodies has rolled out free online training programmes for stakeholders to stay relevant and strengthen their industry knowledge and skills during the coronavirus downtime.
The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) has launched an online training programme, dubbed DOT Online Training which is done via video-conferencing app Zoom, to upskill tourism stakeholders and facilitate transition to recovery.
DOT secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said in a statement: “This was conceptualised as an alternative to the regular training programmes being conducted by the Office of Industry Manpower Development. This is our vision in embracing a new normal for our industry.”
She added that the course covers two subject areas, namely, Tourism Enterprise which involves monitoring, evaluating and learning from past and present situations to enable stakeholders to prepare better for the future; and Filipino Brand of Service which applies the seven Filipino values or “7Ms” that characterise Filipino hospitality – May Likha, Makatao, Makakalikasan, Makabansa, Masayahin, May-Bayanihan and May-Pag-asa.
“We can turn the temporary inactivity during lockdown into an opportunity to enhance the quality of tourist services. We can objectively look back at our past and current performance and utilise the breathing space to plan how we can further upgrade our services in our respective areas in the industry with the values of Filipino hospitality,” Puyat said.
She added that the DOT is set to develop additional modules on other topics “to enhance skills, assist and encourage stakeholders to cope, transition and move towards recovery”.
As well, the IATA is offering free access to online training courses for up to 5,000 aviation workers, to support the sector’s recovery.
Current employees, or those who wish to become a part of the aviation or related industries, can select one from eight of IATA’s most popular e-learning courses: Aviation Competition Law, Destination Geography, Travel Agency Fees: A Professional Approach, Accounting and Financial Management for Travel Agencies, Geography in Travel Planning, Distribution and Airline Retailing Diversity and Inclusion, and Aviation Law – Fundamentals.
Courses will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis for 5,000 online training opportunities, with applications to be received before April 27, 2020.
Also providing free education to the industry is global hospitality learning platform Typsy which launched the Typsy COVID Support Plan offering individuals, businesses, and schools free online access to its platform and library of over 650 hospitality video lessons, until September 30, 2020.
Typsy CEO Jonathan Plowright said in a statement: “The negative impacts on hospitality and tourism are devastating, however, a stronger community is building. People are rallying to provide initiatives that give the industry the best chance at a strong rebound in the future. Being able to offer free access to Typsy at this time allows us to support not only our existing customers, but we can also help many more people whose lives and businesses have been disrupted by the effects of Covid-19.
“Community has never been more important than it is now, and providing online learning is a positive and accessible way to help people stay productive, connected and engaged with their employers and the hospitality industry.”
Typsy is backed by the Swiss-based education group Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL); and counts dozens of global groups, including Radisson, Delaware North, Wyndham and Hyatt, as clients.
“Our clients have been impacted enormously, both commercially and operationally, which has had a ripple effect on all suppliers. Whilst our revenue has taken a major hit, we are incredibly fortunate to have strong backing from our partner, EHL, who is steadfast in their resolve to help support the industry. This puts us in a fortunate position whereby we can invest in the increased computing and other costs necessary to provide free access to the platform during this difficult period,” Plowright added.
Typsy courses are led by world-class instructors and designed for hotel and restaurant chains, learning institutions, small businesses, as well as individuals looking to upskill and improve their resume and job opportunities.
The Typsy course library consists of lessons in a variety of categories including leadership, beverage, service, hotel and culinary. Endorsed certificates are earned for every course completed on Typsy.
To address ways in which hospitality practices can evolve and adapt to deal with the impact of Covid-19, the company has also released a Covid-19 course which includes topics such as how to serve guests safely during take away service. A Health and Wellbeing for Hospitality course will also be released this month, covering topics including the effects of stress, stress management, common myths about mental health, and substance use in hospitality.
