Hospitality sector human resource dearth worse than estimated

15 September 2015 02:49 am - 0 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The hospitality sector human resource shortage is far worse than previously estimated, according to the National Human Resource Development Council (NHRDC) of the Policy Planning and Economic Development Ministry.
“Currently there are 298,000 employees in the hotels and we’ll require around 200,000 more by next year,” NHRDC Research Assistant Director S. Thanigaselan said based on the figures accrued by the Tourism Ministry.
Independent estimates had previously placed the human resource shortage at just 120,000 by 2016.
The NHRDC is currently conducting round table discussions with key stakeholders to identify the requirements for potential employees as well as the shortcomings of the current employees in hotels with the intention of conducting a study and forwarding a white paper to the Prime Minister.
A study into the tourism and travel sector will follow.
Chamber of Tourism and Industry President A.M. Jaufer proposed a National Tourism Sector Council be appointed at the highest levels of government, which NHRDC Consultant Elmo Elbert said would be forwarded to the Prime Minister’s office.
Initial discussions have identified that the front office, food and beverage services and the kitchen face acute shortages of around 50 percent. In addition to technical skills in areas such as language skills, table setting and serving skills and food preparation skills, respectively, all employees are required to have the attitude of serving to the needs of other humans, teamwork and humility, discussions revealed.
Hotel owners said that the biggest hurdle is retaining the workforce, which migrates to other countries such as the Middle East, Australia and the Maldives seeking better pay, after the hoteliers finance their training.
They said that the professionals, who return to the country after a significant time abroad with experience and expertise, fall short in terms of attitude and humility, having got used to a certain manner of doing things. Therefore, the hoteliers agreed that it is much better to recruit rural youth, who have ample desired traits and can be moulded to the requirement of the job roles. (CW)

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Hospitality sector human resource dearth worse than estimated

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