New courses launched to meet demand!

A major skills shortage in the tourism industry has prompted New Zealand's largest private travel and tourism training establishment to create new courses to meet the demand.

In an attempt to fill the shortage gap, Sir George Seymour National College of Airline, Travel & Tourisml has recently introduced a course in Cultural Tourism, while their new International Cabin Crew Preparation is currently awaiting NZQA approval. But with tourist numbers tipped to boom even more, the extra graduates will still not be enough, they said.

A recent tourism industry report stated around 31,450 new full time workers will be needed in the next seven years, with tourist numbers forecast to rise from 2.3 million to more than 3 million in 2010. Interest in tourism courses is at an all time high, with new courses evolving to meet industry and consumer demand. We are looking at introducing new courses all the time because the industry isn't only booming, its evolving and changing all the time. Our job boards are packed, with the best graduates getting several job offers, and all from very reputable companies. This is certainly a good time to be looking at a career in tourism. There was a shifting trend towards tourism jobs being seen more as a career than just a casual or part time job. We are finding more and more students are interested in a long-term career in the industry, and these are the types the country really needs.

It is certainly up to us as education providers to encourage new entrants into the market and arm them with the appropriate skills, but the industry as a whole needs to work hard to retain and develop those valuable, experienced staff at a time when they need them most.