THE National Tourism Careers Expo 2009 is set to be bigger and better than last year’s inaugural event, said the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Tokozile Xasa, at a briefing at the School of Tourism and Hospitality at the University of Johannesburg yesterday.
The expo, which will be held at the Durban Exhibition Centre from September 17 to 19, provides an opportunity for learners, students and unemployed youth to find out more about careers in tourism – an industry that annually contributes 8,2% to South Africa’s GDP.
“This focus to strengthen the skills and human resource base includes an improvement of learner outcomes by 20% in the key education indicators by 2014,” said Xasa. “The expo is an excellent opportunity to ensure that our youth becomes well-informed about an industry that plays a major role in the South African economy. It deserves all the attention it can get to enable the leaders of tomorrow to take informed decisions about career opportunities that could suit their and the country’s best interest. In this manner we will be well-equipped to reap the benefits of the expected future economic upswing.”
Activities planned for the Careers Expo include:
• A recruitment clinic that will assist attendees with the development of their profiles and CV and provide more information on bursaries.
• An interactive pavilion that offers a daily schedule of events such as demonstrations of career segments, chefs-at-work demonstrations, chef vs Radio DJ cook-offs and cocktail flaring.
• An eco-tourism arena focusing on the growth of nature-based tourism and included due to an increased environmental awareness amongst investors and owners in the tourism industry.
• A speaker’s corner providing learners with the opportunity to interact with stakeholders in the tourism industry and take part in debates and dialogues to stimulate their interest in careers in this sector.
Other activities planned for the three-day period include an adventure tourism arena, a viticulture and wine arena, outdoor sports arena and a speaker’s corner.
The expo, a joint initiative between the National Department of Tourism (NDT), the Department of Economic Development and Tourism in KwaZulu-Natal (DEDT–KZN) and the Tourism, Hospitality Sport Education and Training Authority (THETA), presents an opportunity for companies, industry groups, employers, training institutions and many others to promote their company, connect directly with tomorrow’s workforce and provide employment and career information as well as guidance to prospective employees.
Pictured here... from left to right: Sindiswa Nhlumayo (NDT ), Mike Tsotetsi (THETA), Tokozile Xasa (NDT), Mpume Kheswa (DEDT), Bulelwa Seti (NDT)
