2015 Tourism Workforce Development Update

TOURISM WORKFORCEDEVELOPMENTUPDATE ISSUE 9 2015 INNOVATION FUELS found in how we do business with our clients, TOURISM PROJECTS partners, and stakeholders. & PARTNERSHIPS Much of the latest research on Workforce“Innovation” has replaced “synergy” as the Development has centred on the need tobusiness buzzword of the decade, and for develop better systems for collaboration.good reason. It inspires businesses and These systems enable the development oforganizations to think differently, adapt to sector-based approaches, the adoption ofnew technologies and market opportunities, industry recognized standards and careerand respond to markets that are changing laddering frameworks, and help ensure thatfaster than ever before. The world’s biggest successful approaches can be scaled uptechnology companies and “disruptors”- across the industry. After over 24 yearsApple, Tesla, Uber - often come to mind when devoted to this very effort, OTEC is recognizeddiscussing innovation, but Silicon Valley does as a leader in workforce collaboration,not have a monopoly on the process. Some often working withof the most exciting new products, services researchers, consultantsand processes come from grass-roots and governments toentrepreneurs and even front-line employees. provide advice on the process ofMany of OTEC’s most innovative new models building thesehave, in fact, arisen from new technologies. systems. InnovationeLearning and eClassroom tools and does not have toplatforms have helped us reach more remote be disruptive butcommunities, support international learners, instead incremental,and form more interesting partnerships. OTEC with benefits sharedhas also leveraged new training and between like-assessment methodologies from national minded partners.research projects like UpSkill: Essentials toExcel, to create models for community Read more about OTEC’semployment training and how we transition innovative partnershipslearners into the workplace. The most and models inside.innovative thing we do, however, is probably |1

FUND YOUR PRESIDENT’SFUTURE WITH A MESSAGEGOVERNMENTTRAINING GRANT! I like to think that I have had an innovative career and The Canada-Ontario have helped lead innovative Job Grant provides up to companies. Innovation has $10,000* in assistance to certainly been one of OTEC’s develop your new hires’ or core values for many years. current employees’ skills. During a strategic planning Don’t know if or how you session several years ago, I asked qualify? OTEC has the team to define it. The responses experience helping were varied, but well considered and meaningful. The organizations navigate the difficulty people often face in defining innovation is that application process and it is a process, with creative concepts in the form of developing the tailored ideas, activities in the form of planning and training plans needed to implementation, and outcomes in the form of new secure funding. Advance strategies, processes, products and services. Across an your team’s front-line, industry like tourism and hospitality, or within a team, management and/or individuals, businesses and stakeholder organizations leadership skills to ensure often excel in one of the key elements of the process, every one of your whether it be creativity and entrepreneurship, project customers’ leaves having planning and management, or leadership in the had the best experience. adaptation and promotion of new models. The greatestVisit www.otec.org to see impact comes when the process is occurring what types of training collectively and all stakeholders are involved. projects are already being funded or contact OTEC For this very reason, innovation is also a strategic today to take advantage imperative for OTEC that sets our organization apart. of this training opportunity. We have always relied on the strength of our partnership networks. OTEC has worked with, or supported, in excess *The Canada-Ontario Job of 5,000 businesses, 500 education institutions, 150 Grant can fund up to 2/3 employment and social service agencies and 100 of an employee’s eligible partner associations. While we are not a large training costs to a organization, our impact is substantial as we work with maximum of $10,000 approximately 265 high schools, 15 colleges, 100 Employment Ontario (EO) and Aboriginal Skills and|2 Employment Training Strategy (ASETS) partners, and 50 communities each year. OTEC’s ability to work between industry, education, and community networks to share resources, best practices and relationships across the province is a unique capability. We love to make a difference, and hope you enjoy reading about the innovative projects and partnerships described in this issue. More importantly we welcome you to join us in continuing to develop our sector. Victoria Behune President & CEO

WHAT’S NEW Building the Visitor Experience TrainingNEW! Building the VisitorTOURISM EXCELLENCE AMBASSADOR Experience is an engagingPROGRAM LAUNCHED new half-day workshop, designed to provideAs a leading training and consulting solutions managers and owners/organization with over 24 years of experience, OTEC operators with the guidelineshas developed and delivered innovative training and and tools to achievecertification programs for the global tourism, hospitality business success throughand service industries. Although we are best known for the development of aour customer service training and service strategy consistent, memorabledevelopment, over the years, OTEC has evolved to brand and the delivery ofprovide unique, branded solutions for tourism unique and unforgettablebusinesses and destinations wishing to further increase visitor experiences.the quality of customer service and visitor experiences. |3Developed for the front-line employees and supervisorsof destinations, regions and associations, OTEC’s newTourism Excellence Ambassador program is adynamic and highly interactive online course which iseasily accessible, flexible, customizable, and adaptiveto the specific needs of destinations. Designed to helpservice professionals acquire the necessary skills forcreating memorable service experiences, participantsalso gain knowledge of their region and learn about theresources available to assist them with making informedrecommendations to meet visitor needs and to exceedtheir expectations.Learn more about the Tourism Excellence AmbassadorProgram now by reviewing our brochure onwww.otec.org or by contacting one of our consultants.

INDUSTRY Since 1991, OTEC has trained thousands of businesses,TRAINING educators, and community training providers through our well-known Service Excellence Designated Trainer program.OTEC’S NEW Additionally over the past 6 years, OTEC’s DesignatedTRAIN-THE-TRAINER Trainer program has evolved to become a staple forPROGRAMS professional development opportunities for facilitators in the workforce development field (regardless of the focus of their training). Based on this growth trend and the increased demand for training opportunities, OTEC has developed a series of new facilitator training programs for in-house trainers and facilitation professionals alike. TRAINING & FACILITATION EXCELLENCE (Instructor-led) Building on the core learning objectives of OTEC’s Service Excellence Designated Trainer program, this two day instructor-led program will provide trainers, facilitators and managers/supervisors with the fundamentals for effective program delivery. Whether training in a corporate environment, or delivering a workshop to clients, the program teaches the basics of adult learning and how to develop a learner-centric environment. “Usually clients will say ‘thank you’ after each workshop. Since the OTEC training, this is the first time that clients came up to me to shake my hand and tell me how much they enjoyed the session. It felt great.” - ACCES Employment, Employment Consultant/Facilitator WORKPLACE TRAINER (Instructor-led) Effective on-the-job training requires a completely different skill set than instructor-led corporate or classroom-based training. OTEC’s new Workplace Trainer workshop builds on the Training and Facilitation Excellence program by providing a high-level overview of adult learning basics and the experiential learning cycle, specifically as it applies to a workplace environment. This program provides trainers with the skills and tools required to effectively train a team member on-the-job using a variety of mini-modules, action plans and coaching models. CORPORATE & WORKPLACE TRAINER (Webinar Series) A 5-session webinar series that provides the fundamentals to effective program delivery focusing on virtual facilitation. During the sessions, participants have the opportunity to practice delivering a module in a virtual learning environment. Participants walk away with tips such as how to optimize a learning environment and make content memorable.|4

OTEC ASSISTS CLIENTS WITH CANADA ONTARIOONTARIO JOBS GRANT FUNDING JOBS GRANTSince its launch in 2014 the Canada-Ontario Job Grant has UPDATEfunded a variety of training programs for numerous sectorsand clients. While popular, funding is limited, and there are OTEC has worked withspecific requirements for eligibility. To help navigate the our clients to develop andapplication process, OTEC has worked with our partners and deliver training solutionsclients in sectors such as tourism, hospitality, wellness, and including Coaching,finance to develop tailored training programs targeted to Supervisory, Leadershipmeet both their objectives and government funding Development, emerit,approval. Projects range from training for front-line to Train the Trainer, andmanagement teams and include multi-week Professional Service Excellence forDevelopment, Coaching, Skill Development, and Career major Resort, Hotel, Spa,Building training programs delivered through a combination Conference Centre, andof online and in-person training channels. financial services brands! Ask us how you canWith our selection of established and proven training benefit from funding now.programs combined with our strategic consulting services,OTEC can help develop a training program uniquelydesigned to address your organizational needs and to becompliant with strict Canada-Ontario Job Grant fundingregulations. For more information on current Canada-OntarioJob Grant projects, or to learn more about how yourorganization can get involved, please contact one ofOTEC’s consultants today. In June 2015, the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council’s (CTHRC) Board of Directors approved the creation and proposed direction of a newStrategic Plan for the Council. The plan sets out priorities that will ensure that the CTHRC caneffectively deliver its mission, create further influence, increase effectiveness and improve thequality of programs and services. To this end, the CTHRC will be streamlining the emeritTraining Solutions product offering to ensure all available products are current and relevant.For more information visit www.otec.org. |5

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS CITY OF TORONTO - HOSPITALITY CAREER PATHWAYS In May 2015, OTEC launched a new skills development program in partnership with the Learning Enrichment Foundation (LEF), designed for Ontario Works clients in Toronto interested in careers in tourism and hospitality. This unique program model combines OTEC’s established 6-week workplace foundations curriculum with 8 weeks of on-the-job essential skills training at a co-op placement. This program is based on the national UpSkill: Essentials to Excel training curriculum - a cutting edge new training model based on over three years of ROI research.Over the last year, OTEC YOUTH SKILLS CONNECTIONS - PREP. SET. SERVE.has continued to work withpartners such as the After working with Humber College and Niagara College inUnemployed Help Centre various capacities over the last decade, OTEC was excited toof Windsor Inc., Seven again partner with the Colleges in May 2015 to launch a newGenerations Education youth training program - Prep. Set. Serve. Funded by theInstitute, and the Métis Ontario government through the Youth Skills Connection -Nation of Ontario on Community Stream, the 11-week standards-based skills trainingongoing pre-employment program combines in-class and workplace training to preparetraining programs to and certify youth for careers in food services. The first 9 weeks ofprepare newcomers and the program cover essential workplace skills, expectations in theAboriginal job seekers for food services and culinary sectors and how to search for andcareers in the tourism and acquire a job in the sectors. In the last 2 weeks of thehospitality industry. program, participants test the knowledge and skills they’ve acquired through a full-time, on-the-job, food services work Niagara College placement in the field of their choice. Working with two of Prep. Set. Serve. Ontario’s leading hospitality schools in a networked project has participant practicing provided a means of sharing best practices and conducting his culinary skills. program development in real time. |6 DIAMOND GLOBAL - MOBILIZE After identifying an opportunity created from changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, Diamond Global Recruitment Group developed the Mobilize program. This is an innovative, new national youth employment program designed to connect Canadian employers with the skilled labour they need, and to provide businesses with youth eager to work and experience new parts of Canada. OTEC is pleased to be the official training partner for Mobilize, and to be preparing Mobilize participants with a series of online training programs, including OTEC’s Service Excellence Dynamics and the national emerit Workplace Essentials program, prior to heading off on their Mobilize adventures. |6

INDUSTRY PARTNER UPDATEWELCOME TO TORONTO “WE’VE BEEN TOWN OF PORT HOPE (REGION 8)EXPECTING YOU” Over the past several years, Port Hope hasIn the fall of 2014, OTEC was selected by the seen a surge of interest in the Salmon RunCity of Toronto to develop an online along the Ganaraska River from visitors withengagement and education program that a variety of cultural backgrounds. Inwould inspire and motivate front-line service preparation for the 2015 tourism season, theproviders to be more “Proactive in Town of Port Hope partnered with OTEC toWelcoming Visitors”; better “Prepared to develop and deliver a Service ExcellenceAssist”; more “Enthusiastic to Share their for Diverse Cultures workshop. The workshopKnowledge” and “Knowledgeable about provided participants with information andMajor Events in the City”, such as the Pan resources to prepare their businesses toAm/Parapan Am Games. The online welcome and serve international visitors, withprogram includes up to three modules with a focus on Asian cultures. The workshop alsoaccompanying toolkits (customer service, assisted in enhancing customer service skillsToronto specific destination information, and and confidence when providing services tomajor event information). Launched in April all customers from diverse cultures.2015, it is expected that 20,000 front-lineservice providers will participate in the onlineeducation program over the next five years.REGIONAL TOURISM ORGANIZATION 7 GRAVENHURST (REGION 12)Working in collaboration with OTEC, In partnership with the Town of GravenhurstRegional Tourism Organization 7 (RTO7) and the Gravenhurst Chamber ofand the Counties of Grey, Bruce and Commerce, OTEC delivered its brand newSimcoe have partnered to bring OTEC’s half-day workshop, Building the Visitoronline customer service course, Service Experience, in March 2015, as part ofExcellence Dynamics, to their region. To Gravenhurst’s Downtown Revitalization plan.enhance region-specific learning, OTEC During the workshop, business owners anddeveloped an RTO7 customized video their team members explored how to createintroduction that included information positive and memorable visitor experiences;about the important role tourism plays in the the difference between Service andlocal economy, destination knowledge, and Experience; how to ensure social mediathe financial impact of improving customer generates positive “word of mouth”; andservice. To date, over 570 Grey, Bruce and the steps to develop a unique visitorSimcoe service providers have participated experience plan.in the online customer service course. |7

PARTNER NETWORKUPCOMING WORKSHOPSSession Name DateService Excellence October 20, 2015Designated Trainer Program October 20-22, 2015Building a Culture of November 12, 2015Service ExcellenceService Excellence December 1, 2015Designated Trainer Program December 1-3, 2015For more information or to become involved in OTEC OTEC Office & Learning Centreprograms, please contact us: 21 Four Seasons Place,Wendy Paradis, Vice President, Client Services Suite [email protected], 416-622-1975 ext. 212 Toronto, ON, M9B 6J8Adam Morrison, Director, Project [email protected], 416-622-1975 ext. 236 (416) 622-1975 • (800) 557-6832Join the OTEC Social Network: www.otec.org