A new fully-funded virtual Tourism and Hospitality Talent Programme, which is open to everyone over 16 who works in Scottish hospitality or tourism, is some good news for the industry.
The Scottish Government-backed leadership, management and supervisory training programme, which offers 975 places, is aimed at supporting and developing talent to enable the effective recovery of the sector. It will be delivered by the Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland and the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA).
The virtual programme was one of the key recommendations of the Tourism Task Force which provided independent recommendations for Scottish Ministers and the UK Government on the essential actions to support tourism and hospitality recovery in Scotland. It aims to give the future leaders of Scotland’s tourism industry the skills, knowledge and networks to make an impact when the sector moves into recovery.
Marc Crothall, Chief Executive of the STA said, “With almost all of Scotland’s tourism and hospitality industries closed and thousands of employees currently either without work or in the limbo of continued furlough, it is vital that we protect and grow the talent and skill set that has enabled these sectors to deliver the warm, authentic service and exceptional experiences which Scotland is known for the world over. This announcement represents a shining light and hugely positive move forward in the darkest period our industry has ever experienced, with businesses closing either in the short term or permanently.
“It is absolutely critical that we focus on the development of our people and future skills agenda, in line with one of the key priorities of Scotland’s future tourism strategy, Outlook 2030 to lead us through recovery and deliver what will undoubtedly be a different offering in our post-Covid world. I am delighted that the programme has received such a generous funding allocation as a result of the Tourism Task Force recommendations which is testament to the strength of the relationship between the sector, the Scottish Government and Scotland’s business community.”
For more information go to https://hitscotland.co.uk/talent-development-programme