BY SAMUEL NABWIISO.
The hospitality industry (tourism) in Uganda has got yet
another boost from the Booking.Com and EyeOpeneraWorks towards skills
development of youth in the East African region.
As East Africa continues to remain the hub for tourists in
the African continent, from around the world, it is imperative that those in
the field of tourism are equipped with the necessary skills to handle the
visitors.
Throughout the continent new hotels and lodges are being
built every single day and more and more tourist activities take place, but
research has indicated that the staffs in these hotels still, doesn’t match the
global standards acceptable to handling foreign visitors.
According to Melodi Tamarzians, the Mango Tree Creative
Director, who are implementing for the Curriculum said the programm aimed
at preparing students for internships and ultimately jobs
in these local hotels, lodges, restaurants, and tourist sites.
 |
| Martijn Harlaar from the EyeOpenerWorks |
“It is designed to prepare them for a future in the emerging world around them,” she told the press during the Ukarimu Hospitality launch held at the Design Hub, Mango Tree in Kampala on recently.
The curriculum is based on principles of active learning and
is a combination of hard and soft skills to inspire young adults with little
education and limited options.
Jean Charles de Bievre, the Global Commercial Excellence Manager
at Booking.com said the unique course will help them to create skills to be a
good employee, how to be a productive member of a team, how to identify a place
for themselves in the industry, and how they can set personal goals to prepare
for the future.
Ukarimu is the first open-source curriculum for tourism and
hospitality training in Africa.
It is initiated by Mango Tree and EyeOpenerWorks in partnership
with a number of grassroots hospitality training institutes, such as the
Karamoja Tourism Training Academy and the Rwenzori Tourism Academy in Uganda,
and the other tourism training institutes in Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa.
Martijn Harlaar from the EyeOpenerWorks noted that Youth
unemployment is a big problem all over Africa and yet, tourism is growing
rapidly.
“Tourism can play an important role by providing meaningful
jobs to local youth. Hotels and lodges are interested in employing local youth,
but in our own investigation found found
that 9 out of 11 lodges state they are unhappy with the current skills of
graduates from hospitality training institutes” He explained
“Ukarimu is freely available for anyone with an interest in
training young people in tourism and hospitality (hotels and lodges, NGOs,
governments,” he said during the launch.
Ukarimu is an open-source curriculum for tourism and
hospitality training, based on principles of active learning and promoting
practical sessions. It is the first of its kind in Africa.
Through short,
practical training, students are taught in technical skills, soft skills on
customer care and professionalism learn how to operate in the industry, and how
to build a career.
Ukarimu is implemented by Mango Tree (MT) and EyeOpenerWorks
(EOW), through a process of human-centered design and co-creation.It is
developed in collaboration with the Rwenzori Tourism Academy, the Karamoja
Tourism Academy and training institutes in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.
Ukarimu is funded by the sustainability team of Booking.com
