New teacher in school

E-LEARNING: MAKING SURE STAFF MEET GROWING INDUSTRY’S NEEDS

Booming hospitality industry has new ways to train professionals.

E-learning is neither a new concept nor a foreign idea – it’s an adaptable platform that can also be considered a cornerstone for learning in the hospitality industry.

Launched last year, Capital Hotel School and Training Academy in Pretoria added a new option for students – e-learning – to streamline education.

Hotels and restaurants with digitized information have already established themselves in South Africa and using technology to better train people helps the industry stay robust.

And while there is a case being made for replacing many human roles in various industries, there’s a definite need for trained hospitality professionals.

That’s were companies like Capital play an important role in using technology to train people better and faster.

Managing director of the school, Ronel Bezuidenhout, says: “We’ve actually taken the time to make learning accessible for all. We’re focusing on employed staff [already working in the hospitality industry and studying to climb the corporate ladder].

“We’re not solely relying on e-learning, there’s still face-toface interaction because certain skills in terms of accreditation still need to be met – the aim is to test knowledge.”

The idea is simple: the programme tracks how much time students spend reading material, gives them weekly quizzes to keep them sharp and allows teachers to monitor work.

Once work is downloaded to a tablet or computer [at the school, for no charge], students no longer have to visit the school to complete various modules they would have traditionally done in person.

Once material is downloaded, they don’t need any additional data.

The idea of blended learning works well in the context of hospitality education, thanks to its flexibility.

It allows someone from, say, housekeeping, the opportunity to learn more about other services hotels offer.

It’s a way for hotels and restaurants to upskill staff, retaining employees and ensuring growth.

Many courses are nationally certified – so there’s value in it.

Last year, PwC said South Africa’s hospitality sector was poised for further growth in the next five years – even amid a difficult and volatile economic climate.

It’s an industry in which you can have a sense of job security.

PwC’s seventh edition of the Hotels Outlook: 2017-2021 projected that South African hotel room revenue would grow to R17.5 billion in 2021.

Visits from China and India increased in 2016 as a result of the relaxation in the visa requirements.

Travellers from China to South Africa increased by 38% and India recorded a 21.7% increase. Of non-African countries, the UK was still the largest source of visitors to SA, with 447 840 in 2016.

These visitors all contribute to the hospitality industry, which will need to expand or improve services as visitors grow and new hotels spring up.

E-learning is one way to ensure staff meet requirements to maintain standards.

Some of the national certificates that can be completed through e-learning include professional cookery, food and beverage services and catering.