Occupational Standards for Hospitality

The Challenge

One of the major ongoing challenges identified in tourism industry consultations concerns “human resource strategies to attract and retain employees in the industry.” The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council (CTHRC) is committed to address labour market issues, promote professionalism, and coordinate human resource development activities to support a globally competitive and sustainable Canadian tourism industry.

The Solution

The Competency Group has completed several projects for CTHRC involving occupational research and norm referencing for critical occupations in the tourism industry. The research findings have been the basis of our recommendations to revise existing National Occupational Standards for some occupations or develop new standards for other occupations. These undertakings aim to help alleviate the industry’s labour shortage and develop a skilled, educated, and trained professional workforce.

Key stakeholders and expert committees were consulted to determine the extent of updates and/or revisions to the National Occupational Standards for the following occupations: Tourism/Visitor Information Counsellor, Line Cook and Professional Cook, Tourism/Visitor Information Supervisor, Wine Server, Heritage Interpreter, Bartender, Food and Beverage Server, Banquet Server, Food and Beverage Manager, Executive Housekeeper, Freshwater Angling Guide, Hunting Guide, In-Room Dining Server, Small Business Owner/Operator, Outdoor Adventure Guide, Tourism Trainer, and Supervisor.  Each project involved extensive research into existing national and international occupational standards, industry-specific norms and guidelines, academic curricula, stakeholder feedback to online surveys, and open format interviews with subject matter experts. We have nationally validated each set of occupational standards.

The Outcome

Through The Competency Group’s development of National Occupational Standards for key occupations in tourism[1], the CTHRC has taken steps to:

• Set professional standards that are industry-defined, relevant, and recognized nationally and internationally;
• Support the Canadian national tourism strategy toward fostering an adequate supply of skills and labour to enhance visitor experiences through quality service and hospitality; and
• Help promote a stronger, more vibrant tourism sector that will continue making a significant contribution to the Canadian economy.