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In early March, ATTTO and TIA (the Tourism Industry Association) signed a letter of understanding that will see the two organisations working closely together on tourism workforce training projects.

“To have the working relationship between ATTTO and TIA formally recognised  in this way has really helped clarify how each of our organisations can add value and support the other in practical and very specific ways,” says Elizabeth Valentine, Chief Executive of ATTTO.

“The two organisations are already working together on a number of key projects that in most cases include either the Hospitality Standards Institute (HSI) or the wider Service Industry Training Alliance (SITA). All discussion and planning is designed to respond to the tourism and hospitality sector’s training and upskilling needs in the short, medium and long term,” says Tim Cossar, Chief Executive of TIA.  

“The big thing from an industry point of view is to get some clarity and cohesion on education and training in this diverse sector. Although ATTTO doesn’t cover all aspects of the wider Tourism industry, their approach to workforce and training planning makes sense and will help make it easier for everyone to see what’s happening and where the priorities are,” he says.

The Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Development Strategy and Action Plan

Building on the Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Development Strategy 2006, this piece of work is intended to deliver the tourism sector and associated stakeholders with a cohesive summarised workforce development strategy that details how each of the SITA ITOs are responding to the education and training needs of the wider tourism and hospitality sector, including transport. 

The approach conceived and led by ATTTO, will be project managed by New Zealand consultancy Projects International and will build on the Career Maps and Paths work completed in 2008.

The workforce development and training planning work completed by each ITO will be summarised into a single document designed to demonstrate how the ITO’s are collaborating to deliver to the wider Tourism and Hospitality sectors’ unique training and upskilling needs in the short to medium term.

The first cut of the strategy is due for completion in September, 2009.

ATTTO Chief Executive Elizabeth Valentine and TIA Chief Executive Tim Cossar.