AFTA “Micro-Credentials”

from the Australian Federation of Travel Agents

AUSTRALIAN Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) members will receive access to over 250 courses through a new online Education and Training suite set to launch next month.

AFTA said the short, sharp, highimpact courses, called MicroCredentials, will allow businesses and their staff to learn new skills during downtime that can help provide a competitive edge when the market rebounds.

Micro-Credentials will be launched in partnership with AFTA’s online digital resource partner Learning Vault in early Jul, initially offering approximately 60 courses.

Each course will be aligned to a training unit within a Vocational Education and Training (VET) nationally recognised qualification - including Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas in Travel and Tourism, Leadership and Management and Business Management.

New additions will be uploaded as they are developed and the Federation is anticipating the platform will reach 250 courses.

AFTA Acting GM, Operations, Courtney Duddleston told Travel Daily that during COVID-19 AFTA had “been looking at innovative ways to empower the travel industry workforce to build on, and build further capability in best business practice.

“We believe business skills and capabilities are critical to the continued success of AFTA members, both now and post COVID-19,” she said.

AFTA is currently finalising the development of a range of topics that are predominately focused on supervisory, managerial and owner-operator business skills.

Some of the areas the courses will cover include leading with emotional intelligence, social media marketing, coaching and mentoring and working and managing remotely.

Once an AFTA member successfully completes a course, they will receive an AFTA endorsed digital badge (or certification) which can be used on CVs, and social media platforms such as LinkedIn.

Each course will be “the cost of a lunch”, and the federation and Learning Vault will not generate revenue or margins with the offering.

“The cost of each course only covers initial outlay/costs and is merely a recovery cost,” Duddleston said.

“LIFE isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

We’re not sure who wrote this phrase, but it is a wonderful reminder that in the middle of chaos lies opportunity.

AFTA has been busy exploring innovative ways to empower the travel industry and today we are pleased to announce that in Jul we will be launching an online Education and Training suite of short, sharp, high impact courses called MicroCredentials.

The purpose, to support AFTA business owners and their staff to upskill and cross skill during this “down time”.

Now is a perfect time to gain new skills.

Indeed, a unique opportunity exists for all AFTA businesses and their staff (including those who have been stood down or on adjusted work hours) to learn new skills that can assist to provide the competitive edge when the market rebounds. And rebound it will!

There will be over 250 courses ranging from: How to lead with emotional intelligence; Social Media 101; Marketing; Coaching and Mentoring; Working remotely; Managing remotely and so on.

Members will have the complete flexibility to pick and choose which courses are of most interest, and most relevant to their business and needs, and the best part is that each micro-credential is not only the cost of a lunch, it is aligned to a training unit within a nationally recognised qualification - including Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas in Travel and Tourism, Leadership and Management and Business Management – so you’ll come away with an AFTA industry endorsed badge of certification.

We are so excited to deliver this opportunity and more details will be shared with members over the coming weeks.

It is also worth highlighting that in Mar, AFTA ramped up its webinar program to ensure members felt supported, informed and connected through COVID-19. We have delivered 53 webinars and engaged with over 10,000 travel agent members. We can’t thank members enough for their faithful participation, it makes the hard work of the entire AFTA team a rewarding one.

Together, we have a long way to go. But remember, don’t give up. We’re not. One day you’ll look back and be glad you didn’t.