Disconnect Between Tourism Education and Job Market

Many young Belizeans with advanced tourism degrees are working in BPOs or remain unemployed, far from their chosen field. Tourism stakeholders say there is a disconnect between what the formal education sector is teaching and the needs of the industry. In order to bridge the gap, the Belize Tourism Board is relying on its Elevate Training Institute to collaborate closely with learning institutions at all levels so that they are teaching from the same book and demanding the same standard of service. 

 

Evan Tillett, Director, Belize Tourism Board

“The BTB has an arm called the Elevate Training Institute. And that training institute is focusing on training across the entire industry. Currently we offer the tour guide training, which has been the mainstay for many years, but we’re now moving away from that and looking to train in areas where the industry see the need and we see the need to train. So one particular area is culinary and we are working along with the ACF, the American Culinary Federation. And so you can be trained from a line level cook all the way up to a shift and it’s all certified. There’s also a training with the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute, A-H-L-E-I. And that is a program designed to look at people currently working in the industry”