Jipsa - Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition
Mlambo-Ngcuka calls on tourism employers to invest more in training
09-MAY-06
Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has opened the latest Tourism Indaba in Durban and congratulated the industry on its successful growth over the last decade. The sector is one of the key industries identified in the AsgiSA programme as one with employment potential and its skills needs are included in the Jipsa initiative for priority skills acquisition. While highlighting the government’s efforts in dealing with the skills problems, Mlambo-Ngcuka has put the ball firmly in the court of employers in the sector. According to the Deputy President the skills challenge is, “for the industry to overcome”. “Failure in relation to skill is not an option. South Africa needs a skills revolution in which tourism benefits. The people to be trained are needed by the employers, who must take greater responsibility than has been the case thus far, to invest in human capital,” warned Mlambo-Ngcuka . “In tourism more than in any other sector, people are our greatest assets. Our customer care has to be the best. We have unemployed graduates who are seeking a foot in the tourism industry door. We are seeking opportunities for them to gain foreign language development and the hospitality industry skills in general, and experience”. Mlambo-Ngcuka outlined plans to fast-track thousands of trainees within the next two years and called on the industry to make a contribution in the form of intake for work experience and employment.