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HOTEL SCHOOL AND SKILLS ACADEMY DEVELOPMENTS
The Task Group found that there were many 'hotel school' initiatives across Scotland, often serving very different purposes. It was understandable, therefore, that confusion exists on what hotel school developments were underway in Scotland and what indeed constituted a 'hotel school'. Even during the 6 months of the Task Group's existence, existing developments adapted to changing circumstances in the sector.
What follows is a snapshot of initiatives in the private and public sector. It is important that the Skills Group which will be established through the Tourism Framework for Change Strategy engages in new developments that will benefit the industry and communicates these resources to the industry.
Industry-led Proposal for a Tourism and Hospitality Leadership Business School for Scotland
A proposal for a Tourism and Hospitality Leadership Business School for Scotland is currently being developed and led by a private sector Steering Group. The proposed School is aimed at individuals with ambitions to be leaders in the industry. The School may also aimed at international students.
The Task Group identified a lack of strategic leadership skills as one of the main limiters in achieving the growth aspiration for the industry and considers that the Tourism and Hospitality Leadership Business School for Scotland could be an important mechanism to help address this. The proposal evolved from work undertaken in 2008 to consider a centre of excellence in leadership in Hospitality and Tourism, which was often referred to as a private sector led hotel school development.
A feasibility study, supported by the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise, and led by an industry Steering Group is underway. The Steering Group include the Gleneagles Hotel, Dakota Hotels, Cameron House, the Edinburgh International Conference Centre and Crerar Hotels. The study is due report in late summer 2009.
The Task Group believes that the public and private sectors in Scotland should work together through the Tourism Framework for Change to address the conclusions of the feasibility study when it emerges. The broader issue of skills gaps in business management and leadership across Scotland is the critical skills issue facing the sector and the Tourism Framework for Change Skills Group must address at an early stage.
North Highland Centre for Hospitality and Tourism
The North Highland Centre for Hospitality and Tourism is being taken forward by North Highland College in collaboration with the UHI Millennium Institute and aims to equip individuals in the North Highland area with the skills that will help provide good careers in one of the most important industries in the Highlands. North Highland College plans to launch the centre in September 2009.
The training facility, which will be run as a fully operational hotel letting out rooms to the public, will be located in the refurbished Burghfield House Hotel in Dornoch. Qualifications will be offered at all levels including -
- Skills for Work Hospitality and Tourism
- SVQ 1-3 Chefs Training
- SVQ 1-3 Front of House
- HNC/D Hospitality and Tourism
- BA Hospitality and Tourism
The college has raised the necessary finance to purchase and refurbish the Burghfield House Hotel and aims to source the additional funding required to complete the project for launch in September 2009.
Centre of Applied Tourism & Hospitality Management
The Centre of Applied Tourism and Hospitality Management ( CATHM), based at the Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort, was launched in April 2007 by Macdonald Hotels. The Centre provides internal training to Macdonald's employees and is funded by Macdonald Hotels.
The Centre offered Higher National Certificates in conjunction with Motherwell College (which won a National Training Award for this provision on 30 October 2008) and is an accredited Institute of Leadership and Management centre delivering management development programmes. Currently only internal training is provided in the Centre.
The proposal for the Centre of Excellence in Hospitality and Tourism was born out of the work at CATHM and the recognition that in order to attract individuals any centre needed to open up opportunities across the sector, rather than with just one employer.
Lanarkshire Catering School
Lanarkshire Catering School was established in 1995 in Hamilton and in 1998 it took over The Bentley Hotel in Motherwell. It operates as a training centre as well as a commercial hotel and has contracts with Skills Development Scotland to offer Modern Apprenticeships in Catering and Hospitality in Lanarkshire and Glasgow.
The School is also involved with various initiatives through both North and South Lanarkshire Councils, delivering Catering and Hospitality courses to school pupils. The school involves employers from industry to ensure that its courses are relevant and are aimed at employment. It attracts students from a variety of backgrounds and operates a selection of flexible entry requirements for most courses. All courses contain practical and knowledge based units which are delivered within the schools training and commercial kitchens.
St Andrews Skills Academy
The St Andrews Skills Academy is an offshoot of St Andrews World Class Initiative which aims to make St Andrews an even better place to work, live and visit. The proposed Skills Academy aims to bring training provision in the tourism industry to St Andrews and its surrounding area under a single umbrella involving colleges and private sector providers working together with employers in the development and coordination of a programme of training to identify and meet industry needs.
It is intended that agreement with a qualifications awarding body will be reached, so that any training provision provided through the St Andrews Skills Academy will have a recognised degree of quality. The Skills Academy is likely to be launched in 2009.
The St Andrews Skills Academy has the following key strategic objectives -
- A 'one-stop shop' facility for employers and employees giving help, advice and information on relevant training provision.
- Access to outstanding learning opportunities which are client focussed.
- An outstanding brand in partnership with training providers.
- Exploit the St Andrews Skills Academy as a sector leader.
- Cultivate a financially sustainable model beyond initial funding.
When the Academy launches in 2009 its focus will be on providing training to meet legislative requirements. Over time the range of training provided will expand to encompass formal qualifications such as HNC/Ds and SVQs through to more tailored training courses. Scottish Enterprise and Fife Tourism Alliance have provided £285,713 over three years (2008-11) to take this project forward.
National Skills Academy
At its last meeting the Task Group discussed the work People 1st has done establishing a National Skills Academy in England. It agreed that the Skills Group which will be established through the Tourism Framework for Change Strategy should consider whether this model would support its overarching skills ambitions for the sector.
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