A report commissioned by CERT and published last year entitled "Hospitality 2000", quantified the skills shortages facing the hotel and restaurant sectors up to 2005. This report highlighted two major challenges facing the industry, namely the recruitment of new entrants and the retention and development of existing staff.
CERT has been working with industry partners to address the challenges set out in the report. Implementation of the recommendations will require industry to commit additional resources to develop and retain valuable staff and find ways to achieve excellence and improve productivity with the same or fewer people. A number of projects are already under way with a particular focus on recruiting women into the workforce.
To broaden the recruitment focus within the industry, CERT has launched innovative pilot programmes targeting women wishing to work outside the home and the long-term unemployed. Each programme has been designed to meet the needs of the participants. In the case of women interested in going back to the workplace, the return to work programme is operated on a part-time basis to tie in with possible family responsibilities and it is envisaged that local hotels and restaurants will also offer flexible hours in a bid to attract this category of worker. The initial pilot programme took place last year and is being extended during the current year. It is expected that up to 500 women will receive training in 15 centres throughout the country and that this number will grow in future years.
Additional Information.
Courses for the long-term unemployed have already been established by CERT in Ballymun, Clondalkin and Merchants Quay, all areas of high unemployment, in an effort to make it as easy as possible for people to avail of training and to enter the industry. All of these projects have been developed in conjunction with local employers and area partnerships and it is expected that all participants will have job offers on completion of training. More than half of participants on these special programmes for the long-term unemployed are women. Feasibility studies are being carried out by CERT for future similar projects in Sligo, Galway and Waterford.
CERT has also increased its recruitment efforts among the unemployed, one of the traditional sources of labour, but one that is showing decline due to the buoyancy in the economy and the associated more competitive labour market. To promote careers in the tourism sector among this group and women wishing to return to work, CERT launched a travelling road show specifically aimed at the adult population. An information unit, advertised through local radio and newspapers, visited 15 locations in late November and December last year, providing information on elementary courses and conducting walk-in interviews. It is planned to repeat the road show during this year.
It must be pointed out, however, that while CERT is providing tailor made programmes to attract women and the long-term unemployed, the industry itself must provide the necessary attractive and flexible working conditions to entice this target group to make a career in the hospitality sector.
