The recovery and rebuilding of the tourism industry has highlighted the need to upskill our employees. But how about also helping those who lost their jobs during the pandemic to re-enter the market with confidence and a new skillset?
Phakamile Hlazo, SATSA Aid Committee Co-chair and Zulu Nomad founder, notes that this is one of the aims of a pilot project SATSA is launching this month.
Q: Tell us where this need for collaboration first originated.
A: “Arriving at this point was a journey that started with Zulu Nomad. As a digital services provider for the tourism industry, when COVID-19 hit, we decided to assist by setting up an online learning platform. At the time, we were offering two courses: a free Standard COVID-19 Protocol course to assist African tourism businesses, and Tourism 101 for entrepreneurs.
“A while later, we crossed paths with German development agency, GIZ, which had funded the development of an online academy called Atingi. They were offering 45 courses in tourism and hospitality that were in English and freely available to anyone. We realised this was a match made in heaven and soon a collaboration with the GIZ was born to offer credible, locally recognised and easily accessible upskilling for our local tourism workforce.
“GIZ has since provided the budget for the pilot project to be included on Atingi, with Zulu Nomad and the SATSA Access, Inclusivity and Diversity (Aid) Committee the local implementation partners of its training programme.”
Q: What will the roll-out process entail?
A: “KwaZulu Natal has been chosen for the pilot project, which will coincide with Tourism Month in September. KZN has been through so much – from COVID-19 and the riots to the recent floods – it made sense to select the province for this initiative. Participants only need some online literacy and a mobile phone, and after completion of their training, it is our intention to place them in jobs.
“We’re now seeking 30 participants, who either lost their jobs in tourism during the pandemic or are back at work but realise they must upskill themselves to grow in their careers. The training will cover some of the imperative skills they need, such as customer service, sustainability, resilience and marketing.”
Q: How will the 30 be selected?
A: “The iLembe Enterprise Development Agency is assisting us by nominating tourism employees whom they know have been most affected. We will also be engaging with the district municipalities and community tourism organisations to submit names.
“At the same time, we’re working with the SATSA network to find out which business owners in KZN have opportunities for new recruits but just don’t have the correct skills. These are ideal individuals for us to train up. Rob Hetem, my Satsa Aid Committee Co-chair, is driving the engagement with the KZN SATSA business owners to ensure that we can place our participants at the end of their training.”
Q: Will there be additional support for participants?
A: “Yes. There is an understanding of the South African context and the level of access that exists, as well as the extra support that our participants will need. That’s why we’ve opted for a blended approach, combining online and in-person training, which we also believe will yield more traction.
“Starting with the online learning component, participants will receive a set of courses that we’ve selected for them to work through (although they still have access to all 45). They will then attend three days’ on-site practical training in KZN, incorporating key learnings they can apply in their jobs. The training will be with Rob, in his capacity as industry assessor and facilitator, while other SATSA Aid members will be supporting him as additional assessors. After their training, the participants will also be assessed by the SATSA business owners they are placed with.
“A huge boost for our participants is that their efforts will be rewarded with a digital badge issued by the GIZ. The agency, with its 45 courses, issues these badges to individuals on successful completion, for uploading to their LinkedIn and social media profiles.
“There is now, however, a local SATSA badge. Wherever our participants’ CVs or profiles are displayed, potential employers can see that they have completed a SATSA-accredited and endorsed training programme, which adds to their credibility and value as potential recruits.”
Q: How can industry help?
A: “We’ll be reaching out to SATSA members with a survey to find out where the skills gaps are in their businesses. We ask that they engage with us about questions or information that should be included in the survey, and to tell us what they identify as a pipeline for new entrants.
“Once the placements have been done, their feedback, suggestions and ideas for improvement will assist us, so that we can refine the programme and get the most value out of it for the tourism sector.
“Non-SATSA members can also get involved. Perhaps business owners have opportunities for young people but can’t afford the membership? As the SATSA Aid Committee, we welcome hearing from them as well. Ultimately, we want to able to create a pipeline of employees and boost small businesses to become strong enough to become SATSA members again.”
Q: What happens beyond the pilot project?
A: “The pilot project will give us the opportunity to gauge what works and what doesn’t and find out which modules are the most effective for a tourism career pathway in South Africa. As the SATSA Aid Committee, we’ve also looked at narrowing down the GIZ’s 45 courses to the most relevant for our country, speaking to the skills we require most, and best supporting our recovery.
“Once we’ve presented our concept, we hope to be supported by the GIZ and other global institutions to secure funding and scale the programme nationwide.
“If we can take around 200 young people or tourism employees through the programme by the end of the year, we’ll be making a real difference to our dismal unemployment rate while boosting the sector. We look forward to working with business owners who can help us make this happen.”
