Easy, flexible and rewarding - become a speaker and use your passion and experience to educate others on the exciting possibilities of a career in tourism...
"I have had the opportunity to present the benefits of working in the tourism industry to many high school students, and have had great success in meeting keen individuals that we would consider for future positions. I would strongly encourage other tourism professionals to take advantage of the TCAP program as recruiting will only become more of a challenge in the future. The TCAP provides a great opportunity to plant the tourism seed!"
- John Clisby, GM, Best Western Carlton Plaza Hotel
The Tourism Career Awareness Program (TCAP) is a presentation that highlights the myriad of career opportunities available in the tourism industry and promotes tourism as a career of choice. We are looking for tourism professionals to volunteer their time to deliver this well recognized program throughout British Columbia. The presentation is:
- Easy to deliver - All presentation material is provided
- Flexible - Set your own schedule for the number and times of your presentations
- Rewarding - As a speaker, your experience and insight can open a world of opportunities for others and help shape the future of BC and Canada's tourism industry
The following are some frequently asked questions about joining our speaker's bureau . . .
Who will I be speaking to?
Currently, most of our presentations are to senior secondary students ages 15-18 in tourism and career planning classes. We are planning on expanding our program to address other groups such as immigrants, parents, career changers, First Nations and active seniors. The information below refers to the secondary student program.
What qualities do you look for in speakers?
We recruit speakers who are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about tourism and wish to share this with others. You must be currently working in the industry, preferably in a tourism operation. We especially welcome applications from accommodation and food service managers as well as cooks and chefs. Prior public speaking experience is an advantage.
What is actually involved?
You will be responsible for delivering the presentation and providing feedback on how the presentation went. All marketing, coordination of time and place as well as correspondence with hosts (class teachers) is arranged by go2.
When are presentations held?
Presentations occur during school hours from September to June so you must be available to deliver a presentation during these times. Most speakers consider the presentations an excellent opportunity to promote both the tourism industry and their workplace and employers usually support the program by allowing time away from work.
How much time will I need to commit?
You choose the number of presentations you would like to do with a minimum of 1 per school semester. Each presentation lasts from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. You will also need to factor in travel time to the school and preparation time. Depending on your experience in the industry and with public speaking, preparation could take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. The more presentations you do, the less preparation time you need.
Where will I be presenting?
No long distance travel is involved as speakers deliver the program in their own community enabling them to refer to local attractions and share local knowledge.
What is the content of the presentation?
This flexible presentation has been developed with a national perspective and although some BC content has been provided for you, we rely on your local knowledge to make this relevant to the audience. Presentation topics include:
- What is tourism?
- How tourism is growing and changing
- Job prospects
- 5 sectors of the tourism industry
- Career paths
- Why choose a career in tourism?
- Earnings
- Is tourism right for you?
- Successful careers in tourism
- Employment tips
In addition, speakers are encouraged to talk about their job, the organization they work for and refer to local businesses as examples.
I'm interested—what happens next?
Great! Please complete the Speaker's Bureau Registration Form and return it to us at go2. We will contact you to ensure both parties' interests are being met and to schedule a time for an orientation.
You can also download a pdf version of the Registration Form here.
If you have any further questions in regards to joining our speaker's bureau, please contact Charlene Prystupa or by calling 604-633-9787 ext 224.
**Please note: speakers volunteer their time and transportation for presentations. Materials will be provided by go2.
