By Edward Acquah
Accra, Oct. 17, GNA – The Hotel, Catering and Tourism Training Institute (HOTCATT) and ABE Global Limited, UK, have urged hospitality practitioners to upgrade their skills to meet international standards and improve service delivery.
They said practical training and professional qualifications were essential to improving service quality, customer relations and professionalism in Ghana’s hospitality and tourism sector.
Dr Eric Kofi Afornoper, Acting Director of HOTCATT, at a stakeholder meeting in Accra on Friday, said the institute was strengthening its training programmes to equip workers with the practical competencies required by employers.
He said the institute, established by the Government in 1991, had a mandate to build capacity and professionalism in the hospitality industry by bridging the gap between academic knowledge and practical workplace skills.
“University gives you a lot of theory, not practical. And so, in order for you to fit well in the job market, we bring you to HOTCATT and give you competency,” he said.
Dr Afornoper said the partnership with ABE Global Limited, a United Kingdom-based awarding body, would provide accredited certificate and diploma programmes with internationally recognised qualifications.
The initiative, he said, formed part of HOTCATT’s five-year strategic plan for 2025 to 2029, which prioritised training, infrastructure development, investment and international collaboration.
Dr Afornoper said the institute was also exploring training and career progression opportunities through collaborations with institutions in Spain, Austria, Malta and Dubai.
Dr Isaac Yeboah, Country Director of ABE Global Limited, said the partnership was designed to provide learners with practical skills that matched the needs of employers, rather than focusing solely on academic examinations.
“Our focus is not just to train people to pass exams, but we also want to train people who have the skill sets needed by employers,” he said.
He said ABE had operated internationally since 1973, with qualifications offered in more than 70 countries, providing opportunities for further education and career progression.
Dr Yeboah said the qualifications ranged from Level Three to Level Six, with Level Five equivalent to a Higher National Diploma (HND) and Level Six equivalent to a bachelor’s degree.
He said the programmes could provide pathways to further studies, including degree top-up and postgraduate education, depending on the qualification attained.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Edward Acquah