What hotels, restaurants and tourism businesses need right now
Perspectives from the Icelandic tourism industry on skills development and micro-credentials
Tourism in Iceland and the need for competence development
Tourism is one of the largest industries in Iceland and generates the largest foreign exchange earnings for the national economy. The recommendation score of tourists visiting Iceland is over 70, which is very high by international standards. However, it is always necessary to consider quality and competence to maintain the country’s competitiveness.
Tourism companies in Iceland are aware of how quickly things change in a dynamic environment with an impact on the guest experience. Busy schedules, employee turnover, ever-changing guest expectations and the need for sustainable working methods all put pressure on the industry.
The need for flexible learning
To meet the challenges facing us, it is important to offer practical training for employees that is flexible and easy to integrate into daily work.
Longer and more extensive courses are important for those who want to gain in-depth knowledge in their field. However, there is also a need for shorter study programmes within the industry to build skills in areas such as:
- leadership
- service
- communication
- digital tools
- sustainability
The role of micro-credentials
Considering this, micro-credentials play a very important role.
The correct use of micro-credentials and their secure issuance should make it easier for employees and employers to identify the necessary educational elements and make the employee’s skills based on the acquired educational elements more visible as their own professional asset.
Skills that employees acquire through work experience and day-to-day problem-solving are thus recognised through micro-credentials and short learning pathways in the workplace.
Recognition and trust matter
For micro-credentials to really matter, they must be clear, reliable and linked to the real needs of the workplace.
A digital token alone is not enough. The value lies in knowing what the person has learned and how the learning is best used. Furthermore, micro-credentials must be a secure personal asset for the person who has acquired them.
Learning that works in the real world
From the perspective of the Icelandic tourism industry, the message is simple:
“Tourism, both employees and employers, need education and learning that works in the real world.“
There is a need to offer courses and learning opportunities that are accessible, useful and recognised as both competence and actual knowledge of the micro-credential holder.
Micro-credentials can offer a practical step forward for companies that want to support their staff. Thus, they respond to change and continue to maintain competitiveness as well as building competence, quality and safety in Icelandic tourism.
Authors
Gunnar Valur Sveinsson
Project Manager
SAF – The Icelandic Travel Industry Association
Helen Gray
International Project Leader
Iðan Education Centre