Tourism training on the way for Haida Gwaii this Spring and Summer

A new intiative funded by the Provincial Government through the Haida Enterprise Corporation will soon launch a program of skills training for more than a dozen individuals looking to enter the hopsitality industry.

The province will allocate more than 250,000 dollars towards the project through HaiCo to deliver skills and certification courses. Courses will be offered through two intakes of the Haida Nation’s tourism labour market training program in the communities of G̲aw Tlagée (Old Massett) and HlG̲aagilda (Skidegate).

“HaiCo is pleased to host the tourism labour market training program. It will provide skills and certifications to support employment in the tourism and hospitality industry, which is very important on X̱aadáa Gwáay/X̱aadaa Gwaay.yaay Haida Gwaii,” -- Kilslaay Ḵaajii Sding (Miles Richardson), chair of HaiCo.

Image from BC Gov't info release

As part of the program, Participants will receive nine weeks of occupational and essential-skills training, two weeks of on-the-job work experience with local employers, and one week of follow-up support to prepare them for employment in the local hospitality industry. 

Students will also complete certification courses in Serving it Right, Occupational First Aid Level 1, SuperHost: Foundations of Service Quality, FoodSafe Level 1, and Hospitality Foundations. 

Upon completion of the program, participants will be qualified to work in a range of positions in the hospitality industry, including as kitchen staff, servers, hotel staff, housekeeping staff and maintenance workers. 

North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice observed as to how the program will serve the needs of tourism on the Islands 

 “World-renowned for its unique ecological and cultural significance, people from around the world want to visit Haida Gwaii,. This demand explains the need for well-trained employees in the hospitality and tourism sector. The Community and Employer Partnership program will help local Indigenous people meet that demand.” 

The students get their first instruction lessons on Monday April 11th, the first program runs through to July 1st, a second intake of students runs from July 4 to September 23 

 Learn more about the BC Government announcement here.

Some background on the work of HaiCo is available here.

The Haico information package can be examined here.

More items of note on Tourism can be reviewed here.

A wider overview of themes from Haida Gwaii is available here.

A look at more areas of interest from the Legislature can be found here.