With the success of the Tourism SkillsNet North initiative, Regional Tourism Organization 9 joined forces with Destination Northern Ontario, Nature and Outdoor Tourism Ontario, Ontario Tourism Education Corporation, Ontario Employment Service Providers, and Northern Ontario Workforce Planning Boards to train and prepare employees or job seekers for a career in the tourism industry.

Tourism SkillsNet 9 was crafted to reshape the trajectory of careers in tourism. It identified specific workforce labour gaps and crafted a comprehensive training initiative aimed at nurturing job seekers or employees. Seamlessly bridging the gap between talent and job availability, Tourism SkillsNet 9 sought to connect individuals with exciting employment prospects across South Eastern Ontario’s vibrant tourism landscape.

Tourism SkillsNet 9 was designed to:

• Identify specific workforce labour gap
• Train up to 100 potential employees
• Match job seekers with available opportunities within South Eastern Ontario Tourism sector
• Help build a new and/or upskilled workforce
• Be used for new hires and/or re-hires

Learning Outcomes included:

• Service Excellence
• Effective Communications
• Smart Serve
• Food Safety
• De-escalation
• WHMIS

In the program, 106 participants were trained across various essential skills for the tourism and hospitality industry. Supporting 20 employers, the program successfully provided opportunities for jobseekers, seasonal workers, and newly-hired employees to elevate their skills and contribute to South Eastern Ontario’s thriving tourism sector. This collaborative effort between employers and training providers ensured the development of a skilled workforce poised to deliver exceptional experiences for visitors to South Eastern Ontario.

Take a closer look at the success stories here