{"id":14271,"date":"2021-12-14T17:09:03","date_gmt":"2021-12-14T17:09:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/?p=14271"},"modified":"2021-12-14T17:09:03","modified_gmt":"2021-12-14T17:09:03","slug":"free-tourism-training-on-offer-ahead-of-bumper-holiday-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/2021\/12\/14\/free-tourism-training-on-offer-ahead-of-bumper-holiday-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Free tourism training on offer ahead of bumper holiday season"},"content":{"rendered":"

As state and national borders reopen, the NSW Government is helping the tourism sector address critical skills shortages with thousands of free training places on offer ahead of a bumper holiday season.
\nMinister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee today announced more than 2,700 fee-free training places initially available across 35 short courses at TAFE NSW and other registered training providers with scope to increase with demand. This includes training in specialist outdoor recreation and accommodation and customer services for businesses large and small.
\nMr Lee said the training is available now to attract more workers to tourism businesses at a vital time in the sector\u2019s recovery, as well as open the door to a new career for thousands of people.
\n\u201cPeople from around the country are lining up to book holidays all over our great state and the NSW Government wants to help support those businesses attract enthusiastic and skilled staff,\u201d Mr Lee said.
\n\u201cIndustry estimates around 600,000 staff across the country left the sector during the pandemic, which is why training opportunities like these free courses are so valuable, filling labour gaps and giving jobseekers the opportunity of a bright future in tourism.\u201d
\nMinister for Jobs, Investment Tourism and Western Sydney and Minister for Trade and Industry Stuart Ayres said access to skilled workers is one of the greatest challenges facing tourism and hospitality businesses in NSW right now.
\n\u201cOur tourism operators, event owners and local tourism organisations are the backbone of this industry and they need more skilled staff to rebuild. Offering fee-free training means we can support both businesses and workers, which will help grow NSW\u2019s visitor economy,\u201d Mr Ayres said.
\nA recent Tourism and Transport Forum Australia survey of more than 500 businesses reveals a third of tourism businesses who took had to let staff go during COVID-19, compared to less than ten percent in other sectors.
\nTourism Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson said the tourism, hospitality and accommodation sector was crying out for more skilled staff.
\n“This initiative is a great way to give school leavers and employees displaced over the last 18 months the skills they need to join our great industry,\u201d Mr Johnson said.
\nTourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Chief Executive\u00a0Margy Osmond said the free training would help to\u00a0provide\u00a0valuable entry\u00a0opportunities for people keen to join the vibrant NSW tourism\u00a0sector.
\n\u201cTourism & Transport Forum Australia is fully behind the NSW Government\u2019s efforts to rebuild skills capacity and address gaps across the state\u2019s tourism labour market,\u201d\u00a0Ms Osmond said.
\n\u201cAs the NSW visitor\u00a0economy recovers, the tourism industry that can take its employees all around the state from the coast to the far west, as well as much further afield and it can also reward them with pathways to senior leadership roles over time.\u201d
\nFree courses available under the program include:<\/p>\n