Employment trends in the tourism sector: Where are the gaps?

There are now and have been for the last several years employment gaps in the tourism industry. These gaps have been increased since the onset of the pandemic. 

Traditional positions like housekeepers, cooks, food and beverage servers, dockhands maintenance and general management are all essential to supporting a vibrant tourism sector.

What is Tourism SkillsNet North 

Tourism SkillsNet North is a program of Destination Northern Ontario’s, in collaboration with Nature and Outdoor Tourism Ontario (NOTO), and Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC). 

Tourism SkillsNet North serves to create and rebuild the tourism workforce in the north by working with employment service providers and regional support networks to draw out people who may be interested in jobs in the tourism industry. 

Working with multiple stakeholders and key players in the tourism and hospitality industry, the program identified tourism employment priorities and delivered tailored training solutions to address the specific needs of the industry across the North

Round 1:

The first phase of the program was successful with 293 registered participants, 86 registered employers, 141 participants who completed the virtual training through the Ontario Tourism Education Corporation and a total of 87 participants were matched.   

Round 2:

During the second round of the program, TSNN will identify and train up to 200 potential employees and match them with available job opportunities within northern Ontario’s tourism sector. 

Qualified employers whose businesses have been negatively impacted by the pandemic will be eligible for a 50 percent wage subsidy up to $5,000 per employee.

How has Tourism SkillsNet North helped the tourism industry in Northern Ontario?

The program offers free training to learn new skills or upskill, transferrable skills and entry into the tourism industry. Then be matched with an open job position, for free!

The program during round one identified tourism employment priorities and delivered tailored training solutions to address the specific needs of the industry across the north.

“The continued goal of the Tourism SkillsNet North is to provide the tourism and hospitality industry access to the same recruiting resources benefited by many large companies.” stated Karen Peacock, Senior Coordinator, Workforce Development & Industry Training, Destination Northern Ontario. “The program is proud to support those businesses that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic and create a stronger tourism and hospitality industry.”

Tourism as Career Awareness Campaign

In coordination with Nature and Outdoor Tourism Ontario (NOTO) and Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC), Destination Northern Ontario will launch a Tourism as a Career Awareness Campaign this fall. 

The campaign will be developed in coordination with the above-mentioned partners and A Three Fires Collaborative Quest, a program of Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO). 

The campaign’s objective is to create an industry-wide effort to promote tourism careers, and to elevate the public's knowledge of tourism as an economic driver and job creator. 

The purpose of this campaign is to communicate the key message that tourism is a viable career option in Northern Ontario.” Stated Sara Currier, Coordinator Industry Communications, Destination Northern Ontario. “The goal is to build a strong tourism workforce and fill some of the labour gaps that have been a challenge for our sector over the last number of years”. 

Learn more about this opportunity online here.