These workshops were the final events delivered by the Centre of Excellence which presented 52 programs and events since June 2022 attended by more than 1,500 tourism and hospitality operators and members of their teams.
In the final wrap, we would like to share the following key achievements:
- 106 skilled in the service of wine by completing the internationally recognised Wine & Spirit Education Trust course Level 2 and an additional 10 completing the Level 3 course.
- 615 tourism and hospitality operators attend 15 workshops and presentations to increase skills and knowledge to support and grow their business
- 229 attend ten local knowledge famils to increase awareness of local produce and tourism products in the regions. These events created new business collaborations and partnerships that added value to local tourism offerings
- The Indigenous Connections famil introduced three new Indigenous tourism products that are now in the market to support the tourism offering in the Bega Valley which will add to the choice of tours for cruise passengers.
- 100 participated in the Mentor program which allowed them to establish their networks and gain new skills to develop their career opportunities
- 18 local industry workers received a scholarship to develop their skills with Certificate III in hospitality
- 26 attend hospitality short courses to upskill and gain employment with local businesses
These programs were designed from feedback provided by the industry and throughout the program the Centre of Excellence has engaged with the industry through surveys to gain insights into the challenges faced by operators that allowed the Centre of Excellence to finetune the programs to maximise its impact. Thank you to all of those who completed these surveys as they were instrumental in the development of the programs.
The following is a testimonial from one of the industry stakeholders:
“The support and opportunities provided by the South Coast Centre of Excellence have been invaluable to our business and our team. Through their well-organized events and comprehensive mentorship programs, we’ve been able to:
- Forge collaborative opportunities, expanding our products and services.
- Introduce our offerings to a broader industry audience, significantly increasing our visibility.
- Upskill our team, enhancing their knowledge about our products, services, and the business landscape of our region.
- Access ongoing opportunities that have fostered our business growth and development.
- Gain invaluable insights and guidance from industry leaders through valuable mentoring sessions.
These resources have not only contributed to our business’s growth but have also positively impacted the South Coast tourism and hospitality community, fostering a spirit of collaboration and innovation. We are deeply appreciative of the role the South Coast Centre of Excellence plays in our ongoing success and the wider industry’s development.”
– Jessica Taunton, Navigate Expeditions
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