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Stakeholders Meeting – Launch of the Recognition of prior learning for persons working in the Hospitality Sector

The National College of tourism (NCT) with support from with the International Labor Organization (ILO) launched the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for persons working in the Hospitality sector of the tourism industry. The NCT RPL program aims at recognizing and formally certifying competencies of persons working in the Tourism industry who acquired skills and competencies outside the formal training systems. This is done in response to the long-term demand from employers and workers many of whom acquired skills informally but have never been formally recognized by relevant institutions.
 
The Objective of the consultative workshop was to familiarise with the concept and approach of implementation of the program through which the recognition was processed. We are still waiting for the presentation and will share with you once received. 

At the moment they are piloting in the food and beverage department looking at the skills of the people in that department. It was noted that assessors will be from NCT and external eye from the industry in that particular department. Stakeholders argued that assessment should be done in their workplace because if it is done otherwise the assessment might not be fully effective.

Assessment will have clusters so that to differentiate who knows what and to what extent. So, there will be a scale from A-Z or 1-10. 

The RPL will stand as a bridge towards career development of the person, despite the fact of going to the normal educational base. The certificate can stand as a certificate or diploma, depending on what they know and what the curriculum has to offer. TCU have the same program for people who haven’t done their diploma but they have knowledge through experience, thus tested and being conferred an RPL that can help them apply for a degree. One example was provided for a chef in the 1980’s who had not gone to school at all but was an excellent chef and worked in the Hyatt and Mount Meru to the executive chef position, they gave him an incentive to Switzerland, and was given an honorary degree and he didn’t even know how to write his name.

NCT vouched to champion the program in full speed. The program now is on the pilot phase and it is funded by the International Labour Organization, the first 50 participants will be assessed for free and thereafter, there is a significant amount of money they will pay to acquire the certificate of recognition.

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