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2013 NTCE launch
Deputy Minister of Tourism, Tokozile Xasa
Programme Director
Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Zou Kota- Fredericks
Our partners, DEDEAT, ECPTA & CATHSSETA
Our Host, the University of Johannesburg
Members of the Media
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

We are gathered this morning following a successful launch of the Tourism Month by Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk last week in the North West.  This is to say that we are in full swing encouraging South Africans to take short breaks, as there is Nothing’s More Fun Than a Sho’t Left.  This domestic tourism marketing campaign is vital if we are determined to continuously grow the tourism sector and surpass the 10.2 percent of tourism arrivals we achieved in 2012.  For this to happen, we need a healthy and vibrant domestic tourism drive that will make it possible to achieve our objectives as set out in the NTSS.
 
The growth by the industry is a testimony towards the creation of a better South Africa, a better Africa and the World.  Such growth has been perpetuated by the healthy relations we have with the private sector, thus making it possible to develop a sustainable tourism industry.  However, we can never be able to sustain a favourable tourism industry if we do not pay serious attention to skills development and training, putting our Youth first. 

In partnership with Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism in the Eastern Cape (DEDEAT) and the Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sports Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA), we are on the drive to expose young people from high schools, Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges and universities to existing professions and career opportunities within the tourism industry.
 
We do this through our Annual National Tourism Careers EXPO (NTCE), where our objective is to promote career guidance and stimulate interest to the youth of South Africa that are interested in pursuing tourism as a career and employer of choice.

We started the NTCE in 2008 and have successfully been running annually.  With the Eastern Cape as the host province in 2012, we attracted more than 7306 learners.  An amount of 247 educators participated, with students from five (5) institutions of higher learning also in attendance.  We were honoured, and fully appreciate the 100 students from Buffalo City Metro College and Walter Sisulu who participated as volunteers.

More than 56 891 young people have attended the National Tourism Careers Expo since 2008 until 2012.  One key innovation for the NTCE is that unemployed graduates easily access existing vacancies in the industry and are able to apply directly whilst being taught how to compile CVs and to handle job interviews.

The NTCE strategy calls for robust interventions to change the historical realities and the negative perceptions associated with tourism and elevate it as a vibrant profession that it produces and attracts people of high calibre.  The NTCE therefore plays a central and integral role in ensuring that a balance between demand and supply is given special attention.

It has to be recognised that the low levels of youth’s participation in the mainstream economy and youth unemployment is a key concern for this Administration.  The challenge for this government is to ensure that this large and highly energetic section of our society is engaged in productive activities that will not only improve their own well-being, but also contribute to the enhancement of the quality of life of all South Africans. 

We have embarked on a number of initiatives as the department, and it prides me to inform you that we are immensely satisfying the employment and development needs of our young people.

The NDT, UMALUSI and CATHSSETA entered into a partnership to conduct analysis and evaluation of the existing curriculum for Tourism, Hospitality and Consumer Studies subjects from NQF levels 2, 3 and 4 of the National Certificate Vocational (NCV offered at FET Colleges) and National Senior Certificate (NSC offered at high schools). 

The main purpose of the exercise was to establish the value and quality standing of the intended curriculum for these subjects in the overall education and training terrain as well as a determination whether the existing curriculum is in line with industry skills needs. 

In addition to the above, NDT is in partnership with the Ubuntu Institution on International placements. This is the institute that managed to place 500 unemployed youth in Canada and USA after securing funding from the DBSA.  We are looking at another 500 to be place this financial year 2013/2014.

The objective is to make young people employable in that these placements provide them with much needed work experience whilst getting paid a stipend and enables them to sell themselves as they take on available job opportunities.  I know the question that people might ask is – what happens when our youth return back home – we fiercely make arrangements for full time absorption by employers as an ultimate objective. 

Under the Gauteng Province & Western Cape Sommelier Programme, we have 186 people being trained and 15 of them have confirmed permanent placements. When you look at the Hospitality Youth Initiative, we are training 432 and 64 from the group are permanently employed at this stage. 

Programme Director, It is important to also highlight the progress we have made in terms of our EPWP targets.   When we talk of EPWP programme, it is more about prioritising skills development as a critical element for the tourism sector.  Let me share with you some successes only looking at 2012. 

A total of 500 young persons have graduated as chefs and 120 have already been placed with established hospitality institutes, such as hotels, bed-and-breakfast establishments and restaurants as part of our Young Chefs training programme.  To be succinct, 300 of the mentioned 500 have been enrolled for second-level training which is equivalent to NQF level 5 (National Diploma), and, owing to the success of the programme, another 500 young people have been enrolled for the first time in the programme for 2013.

Towards NTCE 2013

All hands on deck for NTCE 2013, the opening ceremony will be on the 19th of September 2013 at the East London ICC Auditorium.  We are looking at attracting about 465 tourism and hospitality learners and 130 tourism industry dignitaries, members of the media, as well as tourism and hospitality educators and the industry.

Allow me to also give you a quick update in terms of our preparations. To date, approximately 8000 Learners have pre-registered as well as Six educators seminars have been hosted as part of mobilising strategy for educators.  All provinces have been requested to send 30 Learners plus two educators to the NTCE however I have to emphasise that provinces can send more if funds permit.  I am also pleased to announce that the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality has offered to sponsor the event with R500 000, whereas TEP and GTTPSA will be sponsoring a school competition. Let me also urge all of you to visit our live NTCE website at www.tourismcareers.co.za

We also have side events where Educator Seminars / workshops will address topics that are deemed to be a challenge for educators in the sector.  In addition to this, it will be round table discussions where Umalusi will present a report on the curriculum analysis and evaluation of the tourism and hospitality subjects. We are ready to deliver anther successful NTCE.

Enquires:

Office of the Deputy Minister:
Singabakho Nxumalo - Media Liaison officer           
Cell: +27 (0) 79 523 5794                       
E-mail: snxumalo@tourism.gov.za    
Website: www.tourism.gov.za
                       
Issued by The National Department of Tourism