The Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality (LANITH) recently conducted an intensive 10-day Training-of-Trainers programme for 26 technical and vocational education and training teachers from the tourism and hospitality sector in Vientiane.
Swisscontact is working with provincial schools and colleges and LANITH to implement the Pheun Than Heng A Sip Training Programme to improve the skills of trainers in the tourism and hospitality sector as part of the Skills for Tourism Project.
The project aims to upgrade the skills of 500 staff working in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and support a further 500 people from disadvantaged backgrounds to secure employment in the tourism and hospitality sector across selected provinces in southern and central Laos.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the training programme, the Deputy Director General of the Technical and Vocational Education Department in the Ministry of Education and Sports, Mr Somlith Virivong, welcomed the initiative that allows people from disadvantaged backgrounds to access employment opportunities in tourism and hospitality.
Course participants came from Champassak, Saravan, Khammuan, Savannakhet and Vientiane provinces, and Vientiane.
In addition to improving their own skills, the teachers will transfer their knowledge to others in their provinces, which will contribute to better human resources in the region.
“Laos needs to focus on the quality of tourism services offered across the country to make people stay longer and spend more, and for this good quality service provision is very important,” said Mr Somlith.
Swisscontact Country Director for Laos, Mr Richard Rose, said his organisation is delighted to be working with LANITH and private sector partners on the Pheun Than Heng A Sip Training Programme.
“It is great to have the opportunity to build the capacity of technical and vocational education training teachers from six provinces with innovative training approaches that will support the implementation of this exciting new training programme,” he said.
The Skills for Tourism Project is co-financed by the Lao government, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Switzerland, and implemented by the Lao Ministry of Education and Sports and the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency.
Skills for Tourism supports improvements in technical and vocational education and training and skills development in the tourism and hospitality sector in Laos. A particular emphasis of the project is to support people from disadvantaged backgrounds to acquire skills needed to work in hotels, restaurants and the greater tourism economy.
Source: Vientiane Times
