Mary Coughlan
Ceist:54 Miss Coughlan asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the action, if any, he proposes to address the shortage of trained staff recently highlighted by an ITIC survey. [16874/95]
Written Answers. - Shortage of Tourism Staff.
Austin Deasy
Ceist:59 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the number of CERT students who graduate each year; the proportion who stay in Ireland to work after graduation; his views on the lack of graduates available to the hotel industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16918/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 59 together.
The number of CERT graduates in recent years were as follows:— 1992, 1,023; 1993, 1,065; 1994, 900 and 1995, 975.
The fall-off in graduates between 1993 and 1994 was due to an extension of two programmes from one to two years. There are no figures available on the proportion who remain in Ireland to work after graduation.
In addition to graduates, CERT places some 1,000 trainees who have completed their first year, of a two year course, in the tourism industry annually for the summer season, and approximately 50 per cent of them are available to the industry until they recommence their courses in November.
Another 1,200 approximately of CERT's retraining programme for the unemployed are placed each year in suitable employment while the agency also provides in-service training for almost 7,000 employees in the industry per annum.
The Minister is aware that one of the issues raised in the recent ITIC survey was recruitment difficulties and the lack of trained staff. The Tourism Council has this year already carried out a study on manpower and training policy for the tourism industry into the 21st century. This highlighted a number of strategic issues arising in the area of training and human resource planning for the tourism sector, emphasising in particular how vitally important it is that the industry does more to project itself as a worthwhile and rewarding career for young people, and actively addresses those factors which create a negative perception.
These and other aspects of future training for the tourism workforce are currently being considered by my Department in the context of CERT's draft strategic plan for the sector up to the turn of the century.