Saturday, October 12, 2024

Industry to tackle experience gap

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When travel agencies value experience over qualifications, how can aspiring and newly qualified travel agents find opportunities to gain experience?  

Last month Travel News published an article in which industry commentators confirmed that it was indeed the case that employers were seeking experienced agents (read it here).  

But, according to local industry players, there are several initiatives on the horizon to provide more opportunities and prepare students for the workplace.  

Otto de Vries, Asata CEO, said while current industry trends emphasised the importance of experience, Asata recognised the critical need to sustain and revitalise the industry with new talent.  

De Vries highlighted that Asata was committed to nurturing and supporting the industry with a recruitment pipeline that welcomed and actively encouraged school leavers and interns.  

The association is advancing several initiatives, including plans to conduct a skills audit. This audit aims to gather data on the current skills spectrum within the industry and identify gaps for development. 

“Although specific current data on young travel agents entering the industry is not readily available, Asata’s forthcoming strategies will focus on targeted training and structured placement programmes, ensuring the travel industry remains an appealing career choice for future generations,” said De Vries. 

Vanya Lessing, CEO of the Sure Travel Group, told Travel News that the sad reality was that the retail travel industry had had a deficit of employment-ready graduates for many years.  

“In the SME sector of the travel industry, businesses do not have the resources and capacity to take on employees who are not ready to hit the ground running. However, with the right attitude and aptitude, there are opportunities,” said Lessing. 

Sure Travel uses the DISC programme, which identifies certain characteristics necessary for particular roles and career development.  

“We have a wide network of agents located across South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. When we identify a candidate ready for employment, we also match their level of skill, career aspirations and other expectations to respective agents,” Lessing noted. 

Samantha Davidson, Learning and Development Business Leader at Flight Centre Travel Group South Africa, said the group did not currently have any internships or leaderships available for external or aspiring travel agents.  

“However, we offer our employees an internship programme that allows them to pursue a Travel Professional qualification. This aligns with our commitment to the professional development of our people and our dedication to fostering talent and enhancing skills within the travel industry.” 

Preparing students 

Akhona Melani, Work Integrated Learning Coordinator at the School of Tourism and Hospitality at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), said it assisted third-year diploma students with industry placement through its industry partners. 

“We also introduced the concept of work-integrated education, particularly for our degree students, which places emphasis on work readiness amongst other key areas, and students work on different real projects, case studies etc as part of incorporating a more practical aspect into the teaching and learning.”  

She added that the critical challenge in placing students was securing the much-needed stipend to facilitate transport and other necessary expenses.  

However, UJ has close ties with various organisations in the industry to support students.  

“Amongst them, Tourvest has been exceptional in supporting us to ensure that Tourism Management students gain practical experience through three- to six-month work-integrated learning internships. In fact, a number of these students have been offered employment upon completion of their internships.” 

Associate Professor Nellie Swart of the Department of Applied Management at the University of South Africa and Chairperson of Tourism Educators South Africa, said the tourism and travel industry often approached Unisa offering to support students with internships. 

“At our recent Tourism Advisory Board meeting, the board members suggested that we explore the signing of Memorandums of Understanding with industry role players, especially now that the industry has recovered,” Swart told Travel News

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