LIVE BLOG: Zimpapers hosts tourism meets tertiary institutions symposium
15:16While the country’s literacy rate is high, the national skills audit shows that we have a serious skills gap. In a normal set up the skills and literacy levels should be the same but at the moment that is not the case hence the reconfiguration of the education system from education 3.0 to education 5.0. The skills gap was a product of the education system which was not in sync with the expectations from the industry. Our task our design a heritage based education 5.0 to serve the needs of our people than continue using education 3.0 which was not consistent with the needs of Zimbabweans. Universities have reviewed all their programmes to produce goods and services.
15:08 Zimbabwe is on an industrialisation and modernisation path in line with President Mnangagwa’s 2030 vision. Higher and tertiary institutions should lead the industrialisation process. Our goal is to develop human capital that is fit for purpose with an ability to transform knowledge into goods and services. Higher and tertiary education should be designed to address the needs of our people meaning human needs should dictate the crafting of curricula.
15:05He says President Mnangagwa has reconfigured higher and tertiary sector so as to industrialise the country. He commends those who made presentations saying feed back is critical for the development of the country.
14:21He says the training institute is producing 500 graduates yearly but the industry has its own issues that need to be ironed out Dr Chidzomba says when he begain the college, he resolved not to send students on attachment but improve internal training which he says is proving useful. He says he has 14 students in Dubai fo4 a one year internship and two have been offered employment. #TourismTertiaryZW
14:20 The conference has resumed with the founder of DMC hotel training centre Dr J Chidzomba presenting. He is presenting on Considerations in designing private travel/hospitality and hospitality curriculum and the operating environment.. He says the training institute is producing 500 graduates yearly but the industry has its own issues that need to be ironed out #TourismTertiaryZW
13:00Current skills gap in the hospitality and tourism sector range from chefs, front office, travel consultant tour guides, game ranger, foreign languages, housekeeping, vacation and travel. Therefore to plug the gap, there is need to set up more hospitality schools or learning facilities. #TourismTertiaryZW
12:56 Professor Mapfumo says the University of Zimbabwe lecturers are now required to go on industrial attachments to “troubleshoot” and appreciate current trends in various industries. He adds that industries in the past did not learn from universities as there was a de-link as industries were not powered or controlled locally. #TourismTertiaryZW
12:39Professor Mapfumo says the conference is the coming together of industry and academia to intergate challanges faced. He says there is need to co-construct a product we all desire and build confidence among the youth. #TourismTertiaryZW
12:23 Presenting now Professor Paul Mapfumo, National Manpower Advisory Council (NAMACO) in Human Capital Development chairperson He starts by acknowledging role played by Zimpapers in bringing various sector players for an important engagement. His presentation is on the role of Namaco in Human Capital Development. #TourismTertiaryZW
11:43 Next presentation is from Zimbabwe Council of Higher Education (Zimche) representative Wilson Parawira. He is focusing on Travel/Tourism Curriculum Development and Review , the role of Zimche. He begins by noting that Zimbabwe graduates are competing favourable globally. There must be periodic national curriculum review to accommodate new developments in the field of study He says there is need to be thorough and interrogate what skills are lacking and arise after a careful study. #TourismTertiaryZW
11:33 Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Nqobizitha Ndlovu represented by the ministry’s acting chief director Mr Douglas Mavinga takes to the podium. He says the program is important and it brings under one roof what is produced by higher and tertiary sector feeding into tourism sector. The sector is doing very well as we look at arrivals, investments, receipts and employment. Zimbabwe saw a rise in tourists arrivals with figures doubling in 2022 compared to the previous year. National room occupancy increased by 40 percent reaching pre-Covid figures.
11:30Mr Nhau adds that going forward, there is a need for collaboration with schools and impact basic career guidance skills. By so doing learners would be in a strong position to choose a career path. He concludes by saying if we prepare well-trained students, we will be in a position to export labor and earn foreign currency #TourismTertiaryZW
11:18 He says there is no need to train more managers in the hospitality sector at the expense of shop floor workers ‘We are having far too many managers who are not properly trained. We need to revamp the education curriculum’ A career waiter does not necessarily need to have a university degree. #TourismTertiaryZW
11:13 Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe representative, Mr. Nhau begings his presentation saying the hospitality industry requires people who are also knowledgeable on current affairs. #TourismTertiaryZW
09:51 He says tourism is on the rebound since the outbreak of Covid-19. Tourism is the third largest contributor to Gross Development Product but still has a significant shortage of accommodation. He says there is a need to develop more accommodation infrastructure to support the growth of the industry. Some companies have failed to reopen after the Covid-19 pandemic. The tourism sector needs to tackle issues to do with service culture, remuneration of workers. Tourism sector should be in sync with the Government policies such as National Development Strategy 1. Employers are crying out about the quality of graduates being produced by higher and tertiary institutions. #TourismTertiaryZW
09:44Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe president Mr Farai Chimba takes to the podium. He says Zimbabwe is known in the tourism sector for having a good service culture. The service culture has resulted in Zimbabwe growing its tourism sactor. #TourismTertiaryZW
09:39 Ms Muchanyuka says although Zimbabwe has attractive natural destinations, there is need to re-work on the service culture. There is need to audit the curre t skills in order to know which areas need to be enhanced #TourismTertiaryZW
09:31We have a gap across the industry in Zimbabwe If we are targeting international tourists and coming out of Covid-19 our levels of service have gone down and we need to address that, says Ms Muchanyuka #TourismTertiaryZW
Skills gap is due to a combination of factors. People have left the sector to other countries Covid-19 had huge impact on the sector. We went on a complete shutdown. Some businesses never came out of Covid-19 pandemic. #TourismTertiaryZW
9:26: Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) chief executive officer, Ms Winnie Muchanyuka is the first to give a presentation. Skills gaps is a very topical issues even at the World Tourism Organisation and Zimbabwe should seriously tackle it, hence the importance of this engagement. #TourismTertiaryZW
09:20 Zimbabwe Newspapers 1980 Limited (Zimpapers), the country’s largest integrated media company is today hosting a Tourism and Hospitality Industry Meet Tertiary conference under the theme “Rethinking the future, tackling the skills gap.”
INTRODUCTION: Zimbabwe Newspapers 1980 Limited (Zimpapers), the country’s largest integrated media company is today hosting a Tourism and Hospitality Industry Meet Tertiary conference under the theme “Rethinking the future, tackling the skills gap.” The conference is attended by players in the tourism sector and those from higher and tertiary ministry. The conference is aimed to addressinb skills gap that exist between the two sectors. The conference is expected to be headlined by Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology minister, Professor Amon Murwira, Environment, Climate and Tourism and Hospitality Industry minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) chief executive officer, Ms Winnie Muchanyuka and the president of Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) Mr Farai Chimba
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