DUBAI // Staff working on the front line in the tourism industry will be able to brush up on their knowledge of the emirate’s attractions and landmarks by enrolling on a new training course.
Dubai College of Tourism is offering the three-month course to those who regularly come face to face with tourists, including concierges, waiters, cab drivers and hotel staff, who will have to correctly answer questions on a range of subjects related to the emirate.
Essa Bin Hadher, general manager of the college, said the Dh375 course will “ensure everyone has the same knowledge to answer tourists”.
Michael Petrillose, the college’s academic director, said students can work online.
“They can do it at their own convenience, at home on a laptop, on a smartphone. The goal is to standardise this knowledge and understanding.”
The college, the first vocational training institute for the tourism industry, will take students of all ages when it opens in September. It will offer qualifications from foundation to diploma level in subjects ranging from hospitality to culinary arts.
It is hoped it will help to attract more Emiratis to the industry, said Mr Bin Hadher. It is believed about 3 to 4 per cent of the emirate’s tourism staff are UAE nationals.
“The industry benefits from having nationals,” Mr Bin Hadher said. “They want this indigenous experience. We clarify with families and locals the misconceptions about working in the tourism industry. We explain the strategy and potential opportunities.”
With Dubai’s goal of attracting 20 million tourists a year by 2020, there is a need for manpower. Since January, Dubai Tourism has run English courses as part of its nationalisation programme to attract school leavers and graduates.
“We are educating families to understand the career opportunities for growth among locals,” Mr Petrillose said.
Once open, the college will undergo accreditation from Dubai’s education regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority.
The appeal of cheaper courses, a quick route into employment and strong links to the industry, should make the college appealing to students of all nationalities, Mr Bin Hadher said.
A six-month introduction to tourism foundation course costs Dh16,000, while diplomas can cost up to Dh60,000 a year.
Mr Bin Hadher said they were keen to see companies invest in their personnel.
“Dubai Way, the name of the short courses, is being rolled out across the industry and we are encouraging employers to enrol their employees to take the online course.
“As such, the employers will always pay for the course, not the individual.
“With regards to taxi drivers, again we are in talks with the RTA for them to sign up to Dubai Way. This would mean that RTA would pay for their drivers to take the course, not the taxi drivers themselves.“
mswan@thenational.ae
