Council support for tourism cadet scheme

Press, 2 July 1985, Page 9

Council support for tourism cadet scheme

A 12-week tourism cadet scheme to prepare young people for work in the growing tourist industry has the support of the Christchurch City Council’s employment promotion committee. The committee yesterday approved the scheme, which would be co-ordinated by the council, tutored by the tourist industry, and funded by the Labour Department. The scheme has been researched by two members of the council’s employment promotion department, Mrs Yvonne Preece and Ms Marti Eller. Mrs Preece reported to the committee yesterday on the benefits of the scheme. The tourist industry was growing, and had vacancies, she said. She did not see any problems for young people to get jobs once they had finished the intensive course. The course would be for young unemployed people aged 20 to 25. The 15 participants would be paid a training allowance as in other employment schemes. The course would include formal training and on-the-job work in customer service basic housekeeping, computer awareness, history, geography, travel and personal presentation skills. Mrs Preece said the course content had been taken from the Hotel and Caterinng Industry Training Board’s programme. There was a strong interest within the industry judging from the employer Interviews. Mrs Preece said.

The industry had offered to provide tutors for the course. Provision was available within the council’s budget for paying a professional tutor.

Mrs Preece said the course would have about 432 hours of training and cost about $21,000 to run. It was expected that cost would be borne by the Labour Department, not the council, she said.