KOCHI:
To facilitate training for professionals in the hospitality sector, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), has signed a Tripartite MoU with Switzerland-based Hotel and Tourism Management Institute (HTMi) and Munnar Catering College (MCC) to jointly provide certification, diploma, higher diploma, and a bachelor’s degree validated by Ulster University in hospitality trades to the aspiring students.
The collaboration intends to equip students with industry-specific skills that are contextually relevant to the profession and improve their knowledge disposition. The MoU was exchanged between Shri Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO, NSDC and MD, NSDC International, and Ian Robert James Larmour, CEO, Hotel and Tourism Management Institute.
The students aiming to make a career in the sector will benefit from universities with a long-standing tradition for excellence in degree-level education. The programme is designed to strengthen the fundamentals of professionals while providing them with on-the-job training across diverse hospitality sectors, including front office operations, housekeeping operations, and Food & beverage operations, by providing a competitive edge in the domestic and international markets.
Speaking on the occasion, Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO, NSDC and MD, NSDC International, said, “The hospitality sector in our country has tremendous potential for creating employment as well as entrepreneurial possibilities for our youth. In light of the expanding demand in this industry, the introduction of this programme is positioned to improve the knowledge and abilities of our future hospitality leaders, enabling them to succeed both domestically and internationally. With our partnership with HTMi & Munnar Catering College, we anticipate new prospects and pathways to open upon the successful execution of the programme. I firmly believe that the collaboration will help the local economy by promoting the industry while also educating our youth and giving them access to internationally accredited certifications.”
During the function Ian Larmour, CEO, HTMi, Hotel & Tourism Management Institute Switzerland, said “ HTMi Switzerland is honoured and delighted to be part of this amazing programme to support talent development for the Hospitality industry here in Kerela , and working here with our partner NSDC and Munnar Catering College is a wonderful partnership” .
During the meet Tissan Thachankary, Chairman, Munnar Catering College, said “In our country, the issue isn’t unemployment but rather employability. This problem arises from the fact that our current youth often lacks the opportunity to receive the appropriate training for their respective talents. With the collective efforts of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and HTMi, students can now select the right program to refine their skills. Finding employment in the hospitality industry is, in fact, not a daunting task. This is because, on average, a job is created every 2.5 seconds in this sector somewhere in the world. However, the hospitality industry faces a significant challenge: a shortage of qualified manpower. Many struggles to maintain their operations with the available workforce. Through this partnership, we aim to bridge this manpower gap. While we cannot claim that the problem will be resolved overnight, we are confident that, in the near future, the hospitality industry will have an adequate supply of skilled professionals to operate the sector efficiently.”
Under this partnership, the students will receive the training in three levels over three years, each year divided into six months of theory/On-the-Job training and six months of Internship. After completing all three levels in India, the candidate shall pursue the final year (BSc) program in HTMi-affiliated campuses in Switzerland.
This pathway provides candidates with exceptional educational opportunities and significantly reduces their expenses. They can benefit from a scholarship of CHF 3,000 (equivalent to INR 2,72,000 approx.) and a subsequent CHF 2,500 scholarship (equivalent to INR 2,27,000 approx.) upon achieving an overall grade and score of 80% in professional conduct.
Under the collaboration, NSDC will support HTMi in building the program’s outreach by creating, conceptualizing, and evaluating the modules in tandem with the educational needs of the students and industry demands. It will onboard the trainers for the program implementation and training infrastructure to provide a holistic and seamless learning experience.
Addressing the G20 Tourism Ministers meeting in Goa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that we should make greater use of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and augmented reality to drive innovation. “I believe that collaboration among governments, entrepreneurs, investors, and academia can accelerate such technology implementation in tourism. We should also work together to help our tourism companies increase their access to finance, ease business regulations, and invest in skill development,” he stated.
