The association for New Zealand’s travel and tourism businesses, Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA), is working with government agencies and academics to identify future skillsets needed in the industry and develop relevant courses in response, and has introduced a data insights resource to help members access “good information for good decisions”.
These initiatives, join many others that TIA is operating to “make development and upskilling business capability more accessible and available for our members”, shared TIA chief executive, Rebecca Ingram.
Elaborating on the skillset forecast, Ingram told TTG Asia that the workforce scenario of the future will consider issues such as skills needed, where such specialists will need to be deployed in the country, what training is needed, and the availability of relevant courses now to meet future need.
She said: “It’s a really long term, strategic way of looking at tourism and making sure that we are planning for the future.”
She noted that essential skills in travel and tourism are evolving, and there is now a need for people to be able to take initiative on tasks, be flexible, show leadership, and identify different trusted information sources and use data for decisions.
“These are all really important skills for life, and we want to make sure that our young people are building up those skills that are going to be transferable, no matter what tourism career they’re choosing to embark on,” she stated.
For this initiative, TIA is leveraging its relationship with the Tourism Teachers Aotearoa of New Zealand to take tourism education into secondary schools, thus paving a “strong pathway into tertiary education”.
“I really want our young people to see the breadth and depth of what a career in tourism could look like. There is definitely a job to do to help our young people, and also their parents, understand the possibilities available with a career in tourism (and being involved in) global businesses where they can transfer around the world,” Ingram added.
When asked about other recent and significant capability-building projects, Ingram pointed to the Women in Tourism Career Accelerator programme, conducted in partnership with Powrsuit. The programme enjoys “overwhelming interest” and has awarded three scholarships at press time.
Ingram shared that the programme supports a diverse profile – the first batch of beneficiaries includes one who works for a holiday park, one for economic development agency Tataki Auckland Unlimited, and one for Hammer Springs resort town.
To qualify for scholarship consideration, candidates need to be nominated by others. Submissions are then reviewed by TIA.
Ingram said there is no limit to the number of scholarships the programme will offer.
Another successful programme at TIA is the online learning management course for members, which comprises 12 modules covering “case studies, readings, activities to cement their learning”.
Available free for all, the course has more than 450 learners to date, with a high completion rate.
Ingram emphasised that TIA approaches capability building investments with a view from the individual level as well as the macro level “to make sure that we can continue to deliver for years to come”.
