A letter of intent to bring about a closer working relationship for Trans Tasman recognition of Aviation qualifications between the Aviation Tourism and Travel Training Organisation (ATTTO), the Australian Transport and Logistics Skills Council (TLISC), and Manufacturing Skills Australia (MSA) was signed in Sydney on Monday 22 June 2009.

The discussions began in 2008 following the launch by TLISC of a new Aviation Training Package in Australia, which, for the first time, delivers nation-wide standards and qualifications for pilots and other Aviation workers in Australia. 

The package cuts through a myriad of state qualifications and provides nationally consistent qualifications, making it easier for people considering a career in the Aviation industry. It allows Aviation workers to move more freely between civilian and defence workforces, and makes it easier for overseas students to train in Australia. Aviation engineering, covered by MSA, was not included in the TLISC package.

ATTTO Chief Executive Elizabeth Valentine says the level of collaboration demonstrated by the Australian Aviation sector is to be applauded, and recognises the benefits for New Zealand in following their lead.

“While New Zealand has a range of existing national training standards and qualifications, as an industry we have yet to achieve the level of quality assurance and true national consistency in setting training standards and in training delivery that the Australian initiative represents,” she says.

The package has meant that all Australian training providers are independently audited for compliance, and should there be any cause for concern, the AQTF (the Australian equivalent of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority) and CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) have the power to jointly audit to ensure that the quality of the training is met consistently across Australia.
 
“We believe this raises an important issue: whether the sector in New Zealand wants to consider this Australian model and in doing so, collaborate to achieve it. We believe that nation-wide standards have the potential to drive training quality up and education costs down, and at the same time, help to regulate training to ensure high quality learning,” says Elizabeth.

“The letter of intent signed between ATTTO, TLISC and MSA is aimed at firstly comparing and contrasting what each of the separate organisations has to offer,” says Bob Paton of MSA. “Once we understand this we can identify where the opportunities and gaps are, and then use our combined workforce knowledge to respond in very targeted and industry-led ways,” he says.

“All three of our organisations use comprehensive workforce planning and development to understand the need of the sectors we work with. It makes a lot of sense to work together to share resources and where possible, reduce costs. Raising the consistency and quality of Aviation training and education is the shared goal on which our organisations have built this relationship,” says Geoff Gwilym, Chief Executive of TLISC.

Elizabeth adds, “The more we can use this alliance to build quality and confidence in the standards and qualifications we develop on a national basis in New Zealand and Australia, the more the regulators as well as the travelling public can have confidence that people working in Aviation have the best possible training and education. It’s early days yet, but there could be real benefits for the whole Aviation sector.”

From Left: Geoff Gwilym, CE TLISC Australia; Elizabeth Valentine CE ATTTO, New Zealand; Bob Paton, CE MSA Australia.

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ATTTO is the Aviation, Tourism and Travel Training Organisation. ATTTO is the national standards setting body for qualifications in these sectors as well as museums. All aspects of Aviation qualifications are covered by ATTTO who register qualifications from Level 1 to Level 8 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) on behalf of the Aviation industry.

The Transport and Logistics Industry Skills Council (TLISC) is responsible for providing ISC service to specific industry sectors including: Road Transport, Rail, Warehouse & Storage, Maritime and Aviation (except Aviation Engineering and Avionics) in Australia.

Manufacturing Skills Australia (MSA) is responsible for providing ISC service to specific industry sectors including manufacturing and automotive businesses including Aviation Engineering and Avionics.

• Wellington based
• Adult Learning Instructional material
• Embedded Literacy expertise
• Excellent project management

This Industry Training Organisation provides a range of services to support the development and application of skills and qualification standards across the vibrant Aviation, Travel, Tourism and Museum sectors.  It promotes and enables the uptake of training programmes in the workplace that culminate in the award of nationally recognised qualifications.   The ITO is responsible for setting the standards for training in their industries, and leading the development and uptake of industry training to support career entry and pathways.

The Instructional Designer will be responsible for designing best practice adult learning instructional materials that include embedded literacy and numeracy. This will involve working internally and externally on the facilitation and development of design briefs and writing plans, and the guidance and monitoring of the writers and graphic design to ensure resources follow the agreed brief and comply with the project managers timeline and budget constraints. 

The Instructional Designer will need to have the following:

• Able to demonstrate a high level of knowledge, experience and skill in instructional design and embedded literacy;
• A proven ability and track record to include the appropriate tools and techniques of instructional design and embedded literacy into resources materials;
• The ability to work with staff and clients to raise literacy awareness and assist them to develop skills and increased capability in supporting workforce literacy needs
• High level of knowledge and experience in working with unit standards and NZQA qualifications;
• Industry training experience;
• Project management experience;

The position is a 12 month fixed term contract, and is based in Wellington. 

For more information and/or a position description contact Liva Asi via email or phone 04 499 6570.  Applications close 3rd July 2009 and need to be emailed to

ATTTO is in the final stages of developing new, comprehensive student and teacher packages for the Tourism Gateway programme.

Complete with manuals, assessments and value-add handbooks, the packages will be available for purchase by the end of June 2009.

More information about these vibrant new resources will be communicated shortly.

To make it easier for teachers, Activity 8 in the US 24732 Teacher Manual [part of the National Certificate in Tourism (Introductory Skills)] has been updated.

Feedback advises that the statistics have been difficult for students to find on their own. We have now provided step by step instructions for teachers to assist them. 

Click on the links below to see the updated pages, which can be printed and used to replace the existing pages in the Teacher Manual.

Page iv

Activity 8

Further feedback

Please continue to send through your feedback on our resources.  ATTTO currently prints on demand, which means that any grammatical or formatting amendments can be made easily, and incorporated into all new ordered manuals. 

Please email any feedback to The Hub at

New National Certificate in Tourism (Core Skills) (Level 3) [Ref: 0876]

ATTTO has updated the new National Certificate in Tourism (Core Skills) [Ref: 0876], and is progressively launching resource materials for each unit standard within it.

Not only do these resources have a new look and feel, they also have a totally revamped instructional approach, designed to enrich classroom learning for your students, and make life easier for you as tutors.

Click on the links below to:

• View prices of new resources
• Pre-order new resources now

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New Student and Teacher Manuals (plus Common Assessment Tasks) are now available for:

• US 23755 Identify and self-evaluate the demands of a specific role in a tourism workplace

• US 23768 Describe the legal rights and responsibilities of employees and employers in a tourism workplace

• US 23758 Demonstrate knowledge of communication and customer service theory in a tourism workplace

• US 18237 Perform calculations for a tourism workplace

• US 23761 Read and comprehend work-related documents in English for a tourism workplace

• US 23767 Demonstrate knowledge of and use the Internet in a tourism workplace

• US 23759 Provide customer service experiences in a tourism workplace*

• US 23766 Demonstrate knowledge of the tourism industry**

* CAT only, no ATTTO Student or Tutor Manuals will be developed for this unit standard.
** An alternative text book is available now - The World of Tourism and Travel, A. Collier, 2008. An accompanying ATTTO Answer Guide is in development and is due for release in mid 2009. No ATTTO Student or Tutor Manuals will be developed for this unit standard.

Student and Tutor Manuals (plus Common Assessment Tasks) to be released mid August:

• US 23769 Demonstrate knowledge of the sales function within a tourism workplace

• US 23764 Demonstrate verbal communication skills in a wide range of tourism contexts

• US 24872* Produce documents for a workplace using a computer

• US 23763 Describe and process retail payments in a tourism workplace

• US 24871* Complete forms in a work-related context

• US 24873* Demonstrate knowledge of teamwork and its importance within a workplace

* CATs are available to download now

Delivery timeframes 

Although resources have staggered delivery timeframes, they are available to order today.

All Student and Tutor Manuals ordered will automatically be sent to customers as they become available. CATs will be available to download from the ATTTO website.

Delivery takes up to 10 working days from the order confirmation date. No urgent orders are available.

More Information

If you would like any further information about these timelines, or require more specific details, please contact The Hub at

ATTTO Qualifications Developer Lara Franklin began her career as a travel agent, working in both retail and wholesale travel.

“I liked the idea of becoming a veterinarian or a criminal lawyer – but all those years of full time study seemed too much! My mum suggested I do something with people, so becoming a travel agent made sense,” she says.

Following eight years as a travel agent, Lara became a travel and tourism tutor at a tertiary provider.

“Working as a travel agent gave me an insight into how the industry works, as well as the customer contact. Moving into tutoring was an opportunity to share the knowledge I had learnt, and give back to those wanting to enter the industry. I could share real stories about what the job was actually like.”

Lara has now come full circle, working as a Qualifications Developer at ATTTO for the last three years.

“I’ve done the job, passed my knowledge onto the students, and now I’m getting to develop the unit standards and qualifications that industry use. It’s a lot easier having a background in the industry; hopefully my knowledge will help to make the unit standards and qualifications better and more relevant for people training for and within the industry.”

Lara’s role involves working through qualifications and unit standards, making sure they are still relevant and fit for purpose for industry. She does this in close consultation with groups of industry experts.

“We review a qualification every five years; however we constantly monitor the needs of industry and, if necessary, will carry out a revision on the unit standards and/or qualification during this period to ensure they remain relevant to industry needs. A review requires a full consultation with stakeholders to make unit standards and qualifications fit for purpose again, whereas a revision involves minor changes such as updating legislation,” she says.

“In most cases we go through and weed out anything that’s not necessary, add anything that’s missing – that sort of thing. That’s what sets national qualifications apart; they’re developed with industry for industry, and are constantly being improved and updated,” she says.

Lara at the controls of a Republic of Singapore Air Force C-130 Hercules.

Lara Franklin
Qualifications Developer
04 815 9848

ATTTO acknowledge that we live, work and study in an ever changing world.  Industry best practice and technology are constantly changing and evolving.

Despite the best efforts of ATTTO to future proof their unit standards, this constant evolvement may see some unit standards become ‘out of date’, or fall behind industry best practice.  Required references may no longer be available, or new and better sources of information may emerge.

As providers, learners, employers or assessors, you are the frontline users of the unit standards provided by ATTTO, and as such you all have an important role to play in providing current, fit-for-purpose qualifications. 

ATTTO have launched a new and very easy online method to provide feedback about the unit standards.  The easy feedback form is only one mouse-click away from the ATTTO homepage. 

You can also use the form as a method of providing positive feedback about a unit standard or identifying where you think a gap may exist.  All feedback is encouraged, so be sure to get in contact.

1. Click on Contact Us, on the ATTTO homepage
2. Select Unit Standard Feedback option and complete the form
3. Ensure your feedback includes the unit standard number that you are providing information about.

If you have any queastions please contact the Hub at or 04 499 6570.

The one day facilitated workshops are an excellent opportunity to work through the theory-based units of the Customer Experience Award (US 23758, 23764 and 23769) in a supportive environment, using the experience of a skilled facilitator.

Participants will learn:

• the art of identifying, meeting and exceeding customer needs
• essential selling skills, including how to add value to each interaction
• how to deal effectively and professionally with difficult customers
• the skill involved in successful two way communication 
• how to better understand customers from different cultures, including Maori greetings. 

Cost

Workshops will be held regionally, and cost $325 per person* (including GST). This includes:

• The Customer Experience Award Workbook
• A Coaches Guide
• Assessment 
• The services of an experienced facilitator
• One hour of roving assessment time**
• Light refreshments 

The resources will be distributed to trainees at the workshops.

Please note:

*If you would prefer a facilitator to present this workshop at your own venue, please speak to your ITA for the applicable costing.
** Any assessment by a Roving or ATTTO Assessor which takes over 1 hour will incur the usual $75 per hour fee.

Workshop dates

July

• Wed 22 July – Queenstown
• Thu 23 July – Rotorua
• Tue 28 July – Auckland
• Thu 30 July – Napier

August

• Tue 11 Aug – Wellington
• Thu 13 Aug – Christchurch

September

• Tue 8 Sep –Auckland
• Thu 10 Sep – Gisborne

October

• Thu 15 Oct – Blenheim
• Fri 16 Oct – Nelson
• Tue 20 Oct – Wellington
• Tue 27 Oct – New Plymouth
• Thu 29 Oct – Christchurch

November

• Mon 16 Nov – Auckland
• Wed 18 Nov – Rotorua

More Information

For more information or to register, please speak to your ITA or contact the Hub at or 04 499 6570.

For those trainees who do not have their own in-house training department, a one day facilitated workshop is compulsory for each of the three modules in the National Certificates in Business (FLM) (Level 3 and 4).

Designed to help kick-start the training, the workshops are an excellent opportunity to meet and discuss the programme with other trainees. A skilled facilitator will provide information about:

• Key learning concepts
• Examples of suitable evidence to collect
• How the learning should be undertaken
• Setting up support systems

The cost of each workshop is $510 (incl. GST). This includes:

• Trainee Workbook
• Learner and Behaviour Handbook
• Learners Guide
• Coaches Guide
• 3 hours of roving assessment time*
• Assessment
• Workshop facilitation
• Lunch 

The resources will be distributed to trainees at the workshops.

* If workplaces have their own assessor, the assessment fee will not be charged. Any assessment by a roving assessor which takes over 3 hours will incur the usual $75 per hour fee.

Workshop dates

June (Module 1)

• Tue 23 June – Auckland
• Wed 24 June – Christchurch
• Thu 25 June – Wellington
• Fri 26 June – Rotorua

August (Module 2)

• Mon 17 Aug – Auckland
• Tue 18 Aug – Rotorua
• Thu 20 Aug – Wellington
• Fri 21 Aug – Christchurch

November (Module 3)

• Wed 4 Nov - Auckland
• Thu 5 Nov – Christchurch
• Tue 10 Nov – Rotorua
• Wed 11 Nov – Wellington

More Information

For more information or to register, please speak to your ITA or contact the Hub at or 04 499 6570.

The New Zealand Careers Road Show hit the East Coast in May for the first time ever, giving rural students the opportunity to explore a variety of career options.

Organised by ATTTO School Liaison Willie Toelau, the event was held at Ngata Memorial College, Ruatoria on 12 May, and showcased careers in everything from tourism and hospitality to hairdressing and the Armed Forces.

“We jump at the opportunity for our kids to be a part of anything career oriented, whether that’s participating in an event like this or getting some practical experience,” says Karen McClutchie, Acting Principal at Ngata Memorial College.

The school of 145 has students learning about farming, carpentry, dentistry, hospitality, banking, early childhood, engineering through Gateway and other programmes.

“Being a rural school it is costly for us to travel to events like this, so it’s great that this one has come to us. About nine other schools have come along to visit throughout the day, and they are already asking when the next one will be!”

“Like us, a lot of the visiting schools have large Maori populations, so organising Maori people to present has been key to building a rapport with the kids. It’s a really supportive atmosphere because students can actually stop and talk to someone about what they are interested in; it’s not just a pamphlet pickup exercise,” she says.

“Our students have been so excited to get involved and be a part of the day. Even our year seven and eight students have come along so that’s fabulous – we’re planting the seed nice and early!”

The opening of the event was attended by Gisborne Mayor Meng Foon. 

“It is vitally important that people pursue a career of some kind. This Careers Roadshow is an excellent opportunity for our young people to see what is out there, and it’s fantastic that it can be taken to the more remote parts of the country. Some of these students travelled for two or more hours to get to here; that’s commitment and that’s to be admired,” he says.

Ngata Memorial College students welcome the Roadshow crew

Local students find out career information

All new resources are available for purchase now, however they are scheduled for a phased delivery, as per below. 

Click here to find out what resources are available, and how much they cost.

PHASE 1

The first phase of teacher and student manuals were released in January 2009:

• US 24728 Demonstrate knowledge of work roles in tourism 
• US 24729 Demonstrate knowledge of world tourist destinations 
  with free Awesome Race boardgame - (also available separately)

PHASE 2

The second phase of teacher and student manuals were delivered in April 2009.

Teacher and Student Manuals:

• US 18237 Perform calculations for a tourism workplace
• US 24730 Demonstrate knowledge of the business of tourism (with free CD Rom of PowerPoint presentation) 
• US 24731 Demonstrate knowledge of destination New Zealand (with free DVD of short, promotional video clips from various New Zealand regions)
• US 24732 Demonstrate knowledge of tourist characteristics and needs (click here for a news update on the teacher manual)
• US 24727 Describe and compare impacts of tourism on the physical environment
• US 24733 Describe and promote a New Zealand tourist destination

PHASE 3

The third phase of student and teacher Manuals are now available:

• US 24724 Demonstrate knowledge of the history of tourism
• US 24725 Describe and analyse the economic significance of tourism
• US 24726 Describe and compare social and cultural impacts of tourism (with free DVD)
• US 23761 Read and comprehend work-related documents in English for a tourism workplace
• US 23767 Demonstrate knowledge of and use the Internet in a tourism workplace

The CATs for these unit standards are already available on this website, with the exception of US 24725 (due end June, 2009).

DESTINATION UNITS

The final phase includes teacher and student manuals for:

• US 18211v2 Demonstrate knowledge of Australia as a tourist destination
• US 3727v6 Demonstrate knowledge of Pacific Island countries as tourist destinations

Training resources for these unit standards are currently being developed. This is because most schools have indicated that they will be using the existing destination unit standards, which means more time can be taken to create better quality, updated manuals and supplementary material. With these units we are taking a slightly different approach from our existing teacher manuals, offering more flexible delivery options. 

Assessment resources for the new unit standards are available to download from this site.

Remember: the existing manuals can still be used to support the old unit standards, as well as the new version unit standards. 

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Delivery

Standard delivery of resources is 10 working days after the order is confirmed. If you have any queries about delivery please contact the Hub on 04 499 6570 or email

You will notice that all new ATTTO manuals still have full colour activity pages and photos, but plain text pages have been changed to black and white. This is to avoid passing on the increasing cost of colour printing to you, the customer.

Note about maps

Please ensure that you are using the latest edition Common Assessment Task (CAT) available on this website. 
Some of the CATs in this package were released with maps for teacher preparation only, and have since been updated with maps suitable for assessment. Please check that the CAT you are using is the latest edition. 

Here are the latest edition CATs with updated maps:

• CAT for US 24729: edition 4
• CAT for US 24731: edition 2
• CAT for US 24733: edition 2
• CAT for US18211: edition 1
• CAT for US 3727: edition 1

What is the difference between a 'version' and an 'edition'?
 
When changes are made to a unit standard, it gets an updated version number. A new CAT is then written against the US.

When changes are made to an existing ATTTO Assessment (to reflect industry changes or to update a map, for example), the edition number of the Assessment is changed. This is recorded in the footer of the document. For example the latest CAT for US24731 is Edition 2.   

Please ensure you always download and use the latest edition Assessment, which is always the edition available on this site.

More Information:

For more information about these resources, please contact The Hub on 04 499 6570 or email

Related Links:

New and Upcoming Resources
Download the new, free mock Policies and Procedures Handbook - Tourism

ATTTO has a new range of resource materials to support students who are working through unit standards in the National Certificate in Aviation (Level 2), as part of the Aviation Gateway programme. Find out what is available below.

AVIATION GATEWAY STUDENT PACKAGE $125

Student Manuals and Assessment Tasks for:

• US 19587 Demonstrate knowledge of internal structures in the civil aviation industry in New Zealand

• US 20677 Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of aircraft flight

• US 19585 Describe the development of aviation from pre World War I through to current times

• US 19586 Identify aviation support structures, aircraft types and operations in New Zealand 

These resources are also available separately for $25 each

Gateway Assessment Tasks for:

• US 20676 Demonstrate knowledge of aviation careers and training options

• US 16818 Demonstrate knowledge of aviation industry law, systems and procedures

These resources are also available separately for $10 each

Gateway Workplace Experience Record:

This resource contains questions that are designed for students to complete prior to their work placement and on Day One in the workplace, to ensure they are properly prepared for their work placement. Their experiences on the job can then be logged throughout the duration of their time in the workplace.

Gateway Workplace Handbook:

This handbook outlines the roles and responsibilities of the workplace in the
Aviation Gateway Programme, the types of workplace experience that would be valuable to the student, and examples of what the student is expected to record throughout their experience. 

These two resources are available also separately for $15 each. 

GATEWAY COORDINATOR PACKAGE $15

Common Assessment Tasks with schedule/answers for:

• US 19587 Demonstrate knowledge of internal structures in the civil aviation industry in New Zealand

• US 20677 Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of aircraft flight

• US 19585 Describe the development of aviation from pre World War I through to current times

• US 19586 Identify aviation support structures, aircraft types and operations in New Zealand

These resources are also available separately for $10 each

Gateway Coordinator Handbook:

This handbook assists Gateway Coordinators by providing information about workplace relationships, school obligations, and the requirements of students throughout their Gateway experience. 

This resource is also available separately for $15.

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

Aviation Gateway Work Kit $30

The Aviation Gateway Work Kit contains hearing protection and a hi-visibility vest to protect the safety of Gateway students in the workplace. This kit is required by all Aviation Gateway students when workplaces are unable to provide safety gear, and will be stipulated in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by the participating Gateway workplace.

Assessment Service

Please contact ATTTO if you would like to find about assessment marking services. This service is available for a fee if you are not accredited for these unit standards.

Click here for a PDF of the information above.

Delivery

Delivery takes up to 10 working days from the order confirmation date. No urgent orders are available.
 

More information

If you would like further information about the new resources, please contact The Hub on 04 499 6570 or email

Canterbury Museum was awarded the ATTTO Excellence in Workplace Training Award at the 2009 Museums Aotearoa Conference, hosted in Gisborne by Tairawhiti Museum.

Each year, ATTTO presents awards to acknowledge the important investment workplaces make in supporting their staff to achieve formal qualifications.

“Canterbury Museum has put a tremendous amount of effort in upskilling their staff on the job, and have invested in making workplace training work for them in the long term,” says Kath Burt, Industry Training Advisor.

To date, 7 of the 12 person management team have worked through the National Certificate in Museum Practice (Level 4), with Exhibition Manager Stephen Ruscoe becoming the first person in New Zealand to complete the qualification.

The Museum has also invested in upskilling staff to become Registered Workplace Assessors, which means that they can assess the work of their own teams (and other Museums) as needed.

"We were delighted to receive this recognition for our work in helping to promote the qualification,” says Lesley Colsell, General Manager of Museum programmes at Canterbury Museum.

“Not only have our staff enjoyed doing it and become very competitive in the process, but it has led to a much greater understanding of each other’s work within the Museum, and that has to be a good thing,” she says.

Canterbury Museum, Christchurch

On 30 April 2009, 12 Te Papa Hosts were presented with National Certificates and Awards, continuing the Museum’s strong tradition of workplace training.

“It’s great that we can give our staff national recognition for the training that they’re doing anyway. This graduation demonstrates the commitment of our hosts and the tremendous partnership we have with ATTTO,” says Kyle Joseph, Acting Customer Services Manager at Te Papa.

Since 2003, over 35 Te Papa hosts have gained Awards or national qualifications on the job, including the National Certificate in Tourism and Travel (Core Skills), the National Certificate in Tourism (Attraction Guiding), and/or the Award in Customer Service.

Te Papa also has trained 7 people as Registered Workplace Assessors, which means they can take care of the assessment side of the training in-house.

Dr. Seddon Bennington, Chief Executive of Te Papa, believes that building this type of training capability is key to Te Papa’s success.

“The reason that our reputation as hosts is international and envied is because we provide development opportunities and support our teams,” he says.

“Outstanding visitor hosting takes more than just a smile. These qualifications acknowledge that hosting also involves an important set of transferable skills, which have a professional status.”

“With John Key as our Tourism Minister, the focus on tourism and travel nationally is growing. In tight times it’s even more important that New Zealand is competitive in hosting visitors. Completing this training is important for our team’s development, important for Te Papa, and important for New Zealand,” he says.

Back row: Dr. Seddon Bennington, Te Papa Chief Executive; Tan Huynh, ATTTO Industry Training Advisor; Elizabeth Fatu; Dennis Small; Basil Chan; Bruce Roberts; Tony Kuepfer, Te Papa Training Coordinator.
Front row: Alison Menzies, Caroline Welkin, Duncan West.

Click on this icon to download the full report.

The Strategic Training Plan – Travel Sector 2009 - 2015 released on 18 May 2009 proposes a wider, more comprehensive workforce development approach to attract and train people in the Travel industry. 

As the first sector strategic training plan using this particular methodology, it has also provided ATTTO the opportunity to examine the approach and improve the process and reporting for the other sectors the ITO covers: museums, aviation and travel.

Overall, the report recommendations focus on improving the way the travel sector attracts, screens, recruits, develops, and recognises people, and how it quality assures education and training.

“The plan is designed to help the travel industry get the right people at the right time, with the right skills in the right place, contributing to productive, sustainable businesses,” explains Elizabeth Valentine, Chief Executive of the Aviation, Tourism and Travel Training Organisation (ATTTO).

“In the current environment, identifying workforce development issues and investing in priority actions and solutions is crucial. Given the current economic challenges, there has never been a better time for the sector to work together on planning a cohesive way forward,” she says

The research highlights industry perceptions such as limited promotion of the sector, poor screening and quality of applicants, an excess of training courses that are not industry endorsed or nationally recognised, and retention challenges. While ATTTO efforts to make the national qualifications more relevant to industry are recognised, nearly 80% of respondents felt the current framework and therefore provision could be improved.

More than half of those surveyed expected ‘retention of staff’ to remain the major human resource challenge in 2015.

“The strategy proposes ways that we can better promote the industry, and prioritises having strong support systems in place for people to succeed after being employed.  Equally important is the value placed on recognising people for their success,” comments Paul Yeo, Chief Executive of the Travel Agents’ Association of New Zealand (TAANZ).

Charlie Ives, President of the New Zealand Institute of Travel and Tourism (NZITT), believes the suggestion for industry and all those involved in providing education and training to the travel sector to better align education and training programmes with the needs of industry makes sense.

“ATTTO’s approach to this planning has been to get back to basics, being conscious of moves in the Government’s latest budget to ensure that tertiary investment in industry-relevant skills development is what industry requires,” he says. 

Valentine adds, “Starting in 2008 with the work we did in understanding travel industry occupations, then in completing this comprehensive research into how we build workforce capability, we are addressing a wide range of issues. It’s not enough to just ask what training priorities are within an industry.”

“When we have employers telling us that people are seeking employment with Travel qualifications but that there are far too many of these people who simply don’t have the right skills or attitudes to reduce an employer’s recruitment costs because of these gaps, clearly there is a perceived problem in what is being taught at some institutions."

After an initial process and approach review, Valentine has identified the need for the research and reporting approach to promote clarity about the roles and contributions of the various tertiary providers.

 “While most feedback has been very good, it has been brought to our attention that some of the industry perceptions of tertiary provision captured in the travel sector research and the report is very generic. The report does not facilitate sufficiently clear distinctions between industry concerns with the different tertiary providers.” 

“Receiving feedback from two PTEs about the recently released report has been very helpful in highlighting improvements we can make going forward and also signals areas where industry can better help tertiary providers.” 

“We had not realised that industry perceptions of tertiary providers captured in the research “lumped” all tertiary providers together and were very generic. Consequently the report does not communicate differences in industry perceptions between PTEs and Polytechnics in particular,” she says.

Valentine adds, “Clearly where industry perceptions are not accurate this provides the whole tertiary sector, including the ITO, with an opportunity to look at the information and hear what the big national issues are for employers and employees. The report and ensuing feedback highlights the opportunity to work together to provide clear and accurate information about the value and distinctive contribution of each part of the tertiary sector. A  cohesive and easily understood approach to careers and professional development within the travel sector would be highly valued,” she says.

“In this research, ATTTO in conjunction with key industry people has laid the foundation for clarity, collaboration and common sense,” says James Langton, the Travel Industry Representative on ATTTO’s Board of Directors.

The strategy was developed by ATTTO in conjunction with New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (a division of AUT), TAANZ and NZITT. 

 
More information

For more information please contact Elizabeth Valentine, ATTTO Chief Executive at 

What is it about?

The new National Certificate in Business (First Line Management) package is a smart and easy way to introduce employees to supervisory management qualifications.

There are two qualifications available:

• National Certificate in Business (First Line Management) (Level 3) v3 [Ref: 0743]

• National Certificate in Business (First Line Management) (Level 4) v4 [Ref: 0649]

For trainees to achieve these qualifications, the pathway has been broken down into smaller skills based modules, with flexible entry and exit points. This is shown below.

Working through the three management modules one at a time means that trainees can have clusters of their skills recognised while still working towards full qualifications.

• Attaining a Management Award in Communication (Level 3) and a Management Award in Leading Teams means the trainee has achieved a National Certificate in Business (First Line Management) (Level 3).

• Attaining a Management Award in Leading Teams and the Management Module (Level 4) means the trainee has achieved a National Certificate in Business (First Line Management) (Level 4).

Trainees can choose to begin at the level most suitable for them, based on their existing skills and the individual needs of the business.

Who is it for?

Any existing, new or potential supervisors, team leaders or managers in aviation, tourism, travel or museum workplaces can be up-skilled with these nationally-recognised qualifications.

The National Certificate in Business (First Line Management) (Level 3) is designed for new team leaders or those who are being developed for team leader or first line management roles.

The National Certificate in Business (First Line Management) (Level 4) is designed for those who are in a supervisory, team leader or first line management role.

Unit Standards

Click here to view the Unit Standards.

 Delivery Options

The learning can be delivered and resourced in the following ways:

Option 1: ATTTO Workshops

For those trainees who do not have their own in-house training department, a one day facilitated workshop is compulsory for each of the three modules.

Designed to help kick-start the training, the workshops are an excellent opportunity to meet and discuss the programme with other trainees. A skilled facilitator will provide information about:

• Key learning concepts
• Examples of suitable evidence to collect
• How the learning should be undertaken
• Setting up support systems

Please speak to an Industry Training Advisor (ITA) or check www.attto.org.nz for information on where/when the workshops are available.

Cost

The cost of each workshop is $510 (including GST). This includes:

• Trainee Workbook
• Learner and Behaviour Handbook
• Learners Guide
• Coaches Guide
  This is designed to help managers/team leaders support the workplace learning of the trainee
• 3 hours of roving assessment time*
• Assessment
  The integrated assessment means trainees can complete various tasks which count for assessment against a module using the one assessment
• Workshop facilitation
• Lunch

The resources will be distributed to trainees at the workshops.

* If workplaces have their own assessor, the assessment fee will not be charged. Any assessment by a roving assessor which takes over 3 hours will incur the usual $75 per hour fee.

Option 2: In-house Training

For workplaces with in-house training capability, the following resources are required:

Trainee Packages ($65 each)

• Trainee Workbook
• Learner and Behaviour Handbook
• Learners Guide
• Coaches Guide
• Assessment
  The integrated assessment means trainees can complete various tasks which count for assessment against a module using the one assessment.

Facilitator Package ($180)

• Facilitator Guide
  This contains instructions for a workplace facilitator to run a one day orientation session, and includes session plans and hand out cards. 
• Trainee Workbook
• Learner and Behaviour Handbook
• Learners Guide
• Assessment (with answers)

Optional Assessment Package ($25)

• Assessment (with answers)
• Assessment (without answers)

This is suitable for Registered Workplace Assessors who are doing in-house assessment.

Train The Trainer Session

A mandatory requirement of this option is that all facilitators attend a 2 day ATTTO Train The Trainer Session. All resource orders will be sent to the workplace following the completion of this session. Please speak to your ITA for further details.

Ordering Resources

Although all resource packages are available to order now, delivery will be phased as follows:

• The Trainee Package, Facilitator Package, and Optional Assessor Package for the Management Award in Communication (Level 3) will be available in June, 2009. 
  
  Click here to place an order for these resources 

• The Trainee Package, Facilitator Package, and Optional Assessor Package for the Management Award in Leading Teams will be available in July, 2009. 
  
  Click here to place an order for these resources 

• The Trainee Package, Facilitator Package, and Optional Assessor Package for the Management Module (Level 4) will be available in September, 2009. 
  
  Click here to place an order for these resources 

This means that your staff can begin their learning as soon as June, and then progress onto the next two modules throughout the year.

Will I get a Certificate or Award?

Trainees will receive the appropriate award/s from ATTTO upon the successful completion of the Management Award in Communication (Level 3) and/or Management Award in Leading Teams.

A certificate for the full Level 3 qualification will be awarded when both Awards are completed.

Trainees who successfully complete the Management Award in Leading Teams and the Management Module (Level 4) will receive a certificate for the full Level 4 qualification.

 Want more information?

Click here to download the PDF brochure about these qualifications

For more information about these qualifications or to register, contact your local Industry Training Advisor (ITA), or the ATTTO office, on 04 499 6570, or by emailing

What is it about?

New from ATTTO in 2009, the Customer Experience Award is designed to help employees gain a better understanding of their role in customer service, and how they can exceed customer expectations within their workplace.

Trainees will learn skills in effective communication, team work and selling, and can apply these skills to their role in order to deliver a higher standard of support to their internal and external customers.

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Who is it for?

The Award is suitable for anyone who communicates regularly with customers, or who has a customer-facing role in the Aviation, Tourism, Travel or Museum sector.

It is also valuable for non customer-facing staff, as it helps to raise their awareness of the responsibility that each person has within the workplace to deliver excellent support to all customers, including their internal colleagues.

As well as teaching new employees essential customer service skills, the Award is also an excellent opportunity to refresh the learning and increase the motivation of experienced employees.

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Unit Standards

The unit standards contained in the Award include:

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Costs

• A registration fee of $95 (if applicable)
• An assessment fee of $75 per hour is applicable for workplaces that require the services of a Roving or ATTTO Assessor. Some assessment costs are included in certain packages
• Delivery and resource costs are detailed below

Delivery Options and Supporting Resources

The Award can be delivered and resourced in the following ways:

Option 1: ATTTO Customer Experience Workshops

The one day facilitated workshops are an excellent opportunity to work through the theory-based units of the Customer Experience Award (US 23758, 23764 and 23769) in a supportive environment, using the experience of a skilled facilitator.

Participants will learn:

• the art of identifying, meeting and exceeding customer needs
• essential selling skills, including how to add value to each interaction
• how to deal effectively and professionally with difficult customers
• the skill involved in successful two way communication 
• how to better understand customers from different cultures, including Maori greetings.

Cost

Workshops will be held regionally, and cost $325 per person* (including GST). This includes:

• The Customer Experience Award Workbook
• A Coaches Guide
• Assessment 
• The services of an experienced facilitator
• One hour of roving assessment time**
• Light refreshments

The resources will be distributed to trainees at the workshops.

Please note:

*If you would prefer a facilitator to present this workshop at your own venue, please speak to your ITA for the applicable costing.
** Any assessment by a Roving or ATTTO Assessor which takes over 1 hour will incur the usual $75 per hour fee.

Option 2: In-house Training

For workplaces with in-house training capability, the following resources are required:

Trainee Packages ($65 each)

• Customer Experience Award Workbook
• Coaches Guide
• Assessment
  This means the trainee can complete various tasks which count for assessment against all six unit standards using the one assessment.

Facilitator Package ($100)

• Customer Experience Award Facilitator Guide.
  This contains instructions for a workplace facilitator to run a one day customer experience session, and includes activity handouts. 
• Customer Experience Award Workbook
• Assessment (with answers)

Optional Assessment Package ($25)

• Assessment (without answers)
• Assessment (with answers)

This is suitable for Registered Workplace Assessors who are doing in-house assessment.

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Career Pathway options

The Award is a great stepping stone towards the achievement of higher qualifications.

The unit standards in this Award make up 26 of the 55 credits required for the full National Certificate in Tourism (Core Skills) (Level 3) [Ref: 0876]. The unit standards also comprise part of the Tourism Modern Apprenticeship package.

This makes the Award a smart option for those trainees looking to move on to the next level of qualifications.

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Will I get a Certificate?

Trainees who are signed into the Customer Experience Award programme will receive an ATTTO Certificate upon completion of the Customer Experience Award unit standards.

More Information

Click here to download a PDF brochure of this information

For more information about the Customer Experience Award, contact your local Industry Training Advisor (ITA) or The Hub, on 04 499 6570, or

The Aviation, Tourism and Travel Training Organisation (ATTTO) is responsible for setting the standards for training in the Aviation, Tourism, Travel and Museums industries, and leading the development and uptake of industry training to support career entry and pathways.

ATTTO is seeking industry relevant writers to assist ATTTO in the development of learning resources to support qualifications in the areas of Travel, Tourism and Event Management.

Writers will need to have the following attributes:

• Up to date industry knowledge and/or experience in any or all of the areas listed above
• An understanding of units standards and NZQA qualifications
• The ability to write in clear, concise and user friendly English for a learner audience.

Writers will be contracted on a per project basis and can work either part time or full time. It is intended that in most situations writers would work from home.

To apply

Please register your interest by sending a CV and letter outlining your experience and interest to by Friday 15 May 2009.

The Aviation, Tourism and Travel Training Organisation (ATTTO) is responsible for setting the standards for training in the Aviation, Tourism, Travel and Museums industries, and leading the development and uptake of industry training to support career entry and pathways.

You will be the face of ATTTO to secondary schools and tertiary providers in the South Island and the key contact for Gateway Coordinators, Careers Advisors, Teachers and tertiary programme leaders.  Your main purpose is to build and maintain relationships with Schools and Providers, assisting them to offer their students entry level programmes and qualifications to support career pathways in the Aviation, Tourism, Travel and Museum industry sectors.

You have exceptional relationship management skills with a sales edge and are able to quickly build credibility within the education sector.  You are absolutely committed to exceeding the highest expectations of our customers and consistently go out of your way to gain their trust and respect.

Your planning and organizing skills are second to none, and the ability to juggle several balls at once is a particular strength of yours. 

Ideally you offer some experience of working in, or with the education sector environment and an understanding of the aviation, tourism and travel sectors.  Most importantly you will easily prove your ability to build credibility and deliver a quality service to your clients. 

The position is full-time, and based in Christchurch covering the South Island. Travel away from home will be required.

Want to apply?

For more information and/or a position description contact Liva Asi via email or phone 04 499 6570.

Applications close 22nd May 2009 and should be emailed to .