USAID Supports Building the Capacity of Tourism Workforce and Create Job Opportunities within the Tourism Sector
The Messenger Staff
Monday, May 31
On May 28, 2021, USAID/Georgia Mission Director Peter Wiebler joined Katy Tchumburidze, USAID/Zrda Chief of Party and Ekaterine Dgebuadze, the First Deputy Minister of Education and Science to handover the equipment and commodities to four regional VET colleges - Zugdidi, Akhaltsikhe, Gori and Kachreti for establishing the Regional Tour Guide Program. As well as to attend Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony between USAID/Zrda and two VET colleges – “Modusi” in Marneuli and Kaspi collage to introduce the same Regional Tour Guide Program and provide necessary equipment to get authorization and facilitate its implementation. That in long run will build the capacity of tourism workforce and create job opportunities within the tourism sector.
“Today, USAID marks a new partnership between the Government of Georgia and the private sector. This is a very important event for several reasons, as we support the development of the tourism sector in Georgia through different activities including the training of professionals. Through these training programs, professional staff will be able to get high-paying, reliable jobs that will contribute to tourism sector development and finally will lead to the inclusive development of Georgia's economy. By supporting both skills development and a more modern tourism industry, USAID is contributing to high-value employment opportunities and greater community resilience in rural areas,” USAID/Georgia Mission Director Peter Wiebler told The Messenger.
In June 2019, Zrda signed MOU with four regional Vocational Education and Training (VET) Colleges - Kachreti VET “Aisi” (Akhmeta Branch), Gori VET “Gantiadi”, Akhaltsikhe VET “Opizari” and the State Teaching University of Zugdidi to support sustainable implementation of the newly introduced Regional tour-guide short-term training program and for that purpose, kit the above VET colleges with the appropriate equipment and commodities required to get official authorization for Regional Tour-Guide Training Program, which was piloted in the fall 2019 through Zrda’s financial support.
Overall, Zrda has allocated funds in the amount of up to USD 70,000 to ensure smooth delivery of the pilot training program to the partner regional VET colleges, i.e., through engagement of Zrda partner organization - Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC), elaboration of the training program, curriculums and learning materials, provision of Training of Trainers (ToT) to the VET college teacher-trainers delivered by the invited international field expert Iris Barry, development of Business Plans for each regional VET college, delivery of trainings and workshops.
“The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia really appreciates its partnership with USAID to promote valuable workforce development initiatives. Together, this cooperation will help create employment opportunities through capacity building to make strides towards greater economic development countrywide, starting at the local and regional levels,” Ekaterine Dgebuadze, the First Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia said on Friday.
To ensure sustainable implementation of this training program independently by the VET colleges in the future, Zrda continued support and, within the budget of USD 20,000, provided all four VET colleges with the required camping equipment and classroom inventory.
In addition to these 4 partner regional colleges, Zrda intends to support other target regions and replicate the successfully piloted training program to “Modusi” in Marneuli and Kaspi VET college. To this end, Zrda will allocate up to USD 15 000 and, under the respective MoU concluded during the event, provided “Modusi” in Marneuli and Kaspi VET college with the required equipment/items and training program/curriculum to get authorization for the regional tour-guide training program and facilitate its implementation. In addition, Zrda intends to support and provide “Modusi” in Marneuli and Kaspi VET college with the demonstration greenhouse (200 sq.m) on the colleges territory that will be used by Agriculture Training Program students for practical experience.
USAID/Zrda’s holistic approach to tourism seeks to support regional sustainable tourism development through new tourism product development, promoting new tourism destinations and attractions, raising international quality standards, building the capacity of tourism workforce and creating job opportunities within the tourism sector.
