February 2, 2011 - Community Futures, Tourism Vancouver Island & Vancouver Island University (VIU) are partnering with WorldHost® Training Services to deliver Essential Skills for Service Excellence, a SkillsPlus project funded through the Canada-BC Labour Market Agreement. Essential Skills for Service Excellence is a customer service training program for tourism and hospitality employees in the Cowichan, Nanaimo, Oceanside & Powell River regions. This program is available to eligible employees through their employer, to improve literacy and essential skills for customer service excellence. WorldHost®, a program of the Ministry of Tourism, Trade & Investment, is a global leader in customer service training solutions. SkillsPlus – Essential Skills for Service Excellence is a new government initiative to enable employed British Columbians to gain essential skills demanded by today's workplace.
Benefits to employers and employees who participate in the training include:
- Training developed with input from employers who have identified the most prominent employee essential customer service skills challenges/issues in this region
- Acquire a VIU customer service training credential and WorldHost® certification
- Improving quality of customer service delivery gains competitive advantage!
Community Futures General Manager, Cathy Robertson, says “The real benefit is bringing small business and training opportunities together in a very targeted and customized training program that benefits operators and employees. The focus of this program was developed in response to industry feedback”
Janet Docherty of Merridale Ciderworks says “this program allows us to put the focus on training the people in our own backyards, so tourism businesses can seize the opportunities coming in the next few years; we need the skilled people to get there”.
Cowichan Valley Inn owner, Kurt Pyrch, says “I very much appreciate the support that the provincial government is giving by providing the funds for this training. It will be great that people who want to make a career in this exciting industry can improve their skills so close to home."
SkillsPlus – Essential Skills for Service Excellence training will commence in March 2011. The March intake is full, however; additional courses will soon be available. For more information regarding this program, employers can contact:
Ray Freeman
Program Coordinator, Centre for Continuing Studies – Cowichan, Vancouver Island University
SkillsPlus - Essential Skills for Service Excellence Program - Tourism & Hospitality
Raymond.Freeman@VIU.ca or 250.746.3519
Cathy Robertson
General Manager, Community Futures Cowichan
CRobertson@CFCowichan.ca or 250.746.1004
Funding provided through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Agreement.
