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“The number of hospitality workers matches the growing demand from both national and international tourists. Yet, we lack skillful labor. In fact, only 30% of 620,000 hospitality workers currently have received official training whilst the other 70% of workers have received training from their supervisors or have been trained in unrelated skills,” HE Try Chhiv, Director of National Committee for Tourism Professionals Secretariat (NCTP), Ministry of Tourism.
This expansion corresponds to the need for capacity building of service providers and hospitality workers in the tourism sector throughout the country. The move also supports the Human Resources Development Plan 2017-2025 of the Ministry of Tourism. The strategy document has three major milestones; a) By 2020 at least half of tourism service providers to have earned a certificate or a degree of qualification; b) By 2025, all tourism service providers will acquire a certificate; and, c) By 2030, Cambodia tourism sector will aim to contribute to UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4, which is to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Demand led skills training aligned to the Qualification Frameworks
HoKa is a tourism product developed under the Skills Development Project (SDP) mandated by the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by Swisscontact in consortium with INBAS. The product has been further enhanced in the MIGIP project. HoKa is being extensively used in SDP and MIGIP projects. This model provides sustained and effective contribution to the local tourism sector by working with local industry trainers. The uniqueness of HoKa is its contribution to the policy of the Ministry of Tourism in the promotion of in-house training with a practical model. The model will also provide the experience in implementing the ASEAN standard below the formal levels. HoKa sits below Level 1 of the ASEAN Qualification Framework. Work is underway to define HoKa within the Vocational Skills Certificate being designed by the National Committee for Tourism Professionals Secretariat (NCTP) in Cambodia.
Expansion because of the satisfaction of HoKa
After its launch in August 2018 in Kampot, 45 servers from 25 the hotels and restaurants have been trained under HoKa. Participants who have completed the HoKa training, have mentioned that the skills they learn in the training is helping them in their work. HoKa for the F&B services, covers 12 modules such as job as a waiter, hospitality communication, service excellence, restaurant equipment, menu and beverage knowledge, selling and service skills, drinks services, service and restaurant procedures, and hygiene, safety and security.
‘’..I have gained new knowledge and skills to apply in my workplace. I am delighted to receive the Government certificate at the end of training, which I feel is my opportunity to continuously look for higher level of skills…’’ Ms. Dalen Nhem, Les Manguiers, who had never taken a formal hospitality training prior to HoKa
Upon completion of the training, the learners are required to participate in an assessment to measure their competency before the certificates are issued by the NCTP as a recognition of competency and a foundation of their professional careers. 39 out of the 45 have been tested to be competent.