SLITHM inks MoU with Australian aid funded S4IG focusing on skills development in tourism sector

SLITHM Chairman Shirantha Peiris (second from left) with S4IG Team Leader David Ablett 

Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management (SLITHM) entered an MoU with the Australian Government-funded Skills for Inclusive Growth Program (S4IG) managed by Palladium International Group, towards several strategic areas of corporation.

S4IG is a program of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in accordance with the terms of a Subsidiary Agreement signed on 31 March between DFAT and the Sri Lankan State Ministry of Skills Development, Vocational Training, Research, and Innovations. The MoU set out the terms on which, among others, S4IG will plan and implement specified activities to support Professional Business coaching, E Tourism under Skills for Destination Development, Development of an International Standard, Industry-recognised National Tour Guide and Area Tour Guide Curriculum, Foundational Hospitality Skills Course, Supreme Chef Television reality show for the students who follow the professional cookery course. 

By signing the MOU, S4IG pledged its support to SLITHM to produce and make available highly skilled professional business coaches to serve as a growth partner for micro, small, and medium-sized business owners, assisting in the growth and scalability of the business. Coaching was said to be offered as a skill development course at national and regional SLITHM Institutes for industry professionals and individuals with an interest and passion for coaching.

Further, S4IG undertook to support SLITHM to conduct a six-monthly professional coaching course for industry professionals. SLITHM with the support of S4IG is to train and mentor trainers and lecturers to deliver the professional coaching course. Among the areas of collaboration is that SLITHM with the support of S4IG develops a dissemination/media campaign/advocacy plan for an inclusive coaching model that promotes women, people with disabilities, and vulnerable people to a wider audience. Focusing on the youth and professional development, S4IG is to offer scholarships for inclusive professional coaching courses for 20 personnel and SLITHM with the support of S4IG is to facilitate students to get a license from FCCISL or Sri Lanka Professional Coaches Association.

During the period of roll out of the MOU, SLITHM is to appoint a Steering Committee which will meet monthly initially and quarterly after the first six months, to implement the areas of collaboration and monitor quality and enable S4IG to work with the steering committee to support the effective delivery. With S4IG’s technical assistance, the steering committee is to include promoting awareness of inclusion-related initiatives by participating in the development of an action plan, distributing actions to relevant parties, collecting data as required, and monitoring implementation. Suggested committee members of the committee will be key representatives from SLITHM and S4IG.

Highlighting a flagship initiative of S4IG, Supreme Chef Season 3 – Youth Edition will be a reality television experience to be hosted at a national event which features students from SLITHM who will be given the opportunity to compete in the Supreme Chef Season 3 reality show competition alongside students from other professional cookery training providers. Further to the signing of this MOU students of SLITHM will now have the opportunity to become contestants from suggested national and regional centres to compete in the Supreme Chef Season 3 – Youth Edition competition.