Training centers to focus on skilled tourism staff

Training centers to focus on skilled tourism staff

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's push for greater tourism revenues
has given rise to new training centers, which hope to produce a
more professional tourism staff by the year 2005.

Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief said here on Wednesday that
the government will modify the country's 153 vocational training
centers to the new demands of the tourism industry.

Speaking at a tourism seminar at the new office building of
the Ministry of Post, Telecommunication and Tourism on Jl.
Merdeka Barat, Latief said training centers in Bali and
Yogyakarta will concentrate on producing professional workers for
hotels, restaurants and airlines.

The seminar was attended by tourism officials from government
and private sectors.

"Most people who work in restaurants and hotels are at the
middle and lower levels, very few are regarded as professional,"
Latief said, adding that most top jobs in tourism are held by
expatriates.

However, he said, the program will depend on the support of
other sectors.

"So far the rising demand for local professional staff has not
been supported by a good educational system," he said.

Input from the private sector and what they expect will also
aid the government in its efforts, he said.

"We need to sit down together and discuss the best way to
provide your companies with professional staff."

The minister also called on universities to assist in the
training of tourism professionals.

"So far tourism programs are only available at academies and
not at universities." (03)