The project to establish the OECS Network of Excellence for Tourism and Hospitality Training and Education (NETHTE) requires extensive consultation with all stakeholders in each of the nine OECS Member States. Anguilla’s meeting was held on Monday 3rd November 2014 at the Anguilla Community College. The consultants were Dr. T. Jennifer Edwards, Team Leader and HRD Strategic Planning Expert and Mr. Paul Penfold, Curriculum Development and Training Expert. Also present for the meeting was Dr. Loraine Nicholas, Programme Officer (Tourism), Economic Development Policy Unit, OECS Commission.
The OECS consultants stated that stakeholder input is critically important if the project is to be successfully implemented on each island. Stakeholders represented were drawn from the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, Investment, Commerce and Tourism, Ministry and Department of Education, Anguilla Tourist Board, Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association, University of the West Indies Open Campus, Comprehensive Learning Centre, Malliouhana Travel Agency, Department of Youth and Culture, Anguilla Hotel and Allied Workers Union and the Anguilla Community College.
The main goal is to allow stakeholders in each member state to contribute to the strategic plan for NETHTE as well as to the plans for the development of an OECS Research Centre and NETHTE Scholarship Foundation.
Specific objectives of the workshops and consultations include:
(1) Provide an overview of the project and its goals;
(2) Understand and elicit the issues and priorities for each member state regarding education and training requirements for the strategic plan for NETHTE;
(3) Clarify the comparative advantages of each member state for specialization in the delivery of particular programs, and
(4) Evaluate the IT capacity of member states and institutes.
The OECS Network of Excellence for Tourism and Hospitality Education (NETHE) comprises nine partner institutions in the respective OECS Member States. The Network adopts a cohesive approach to soft infrastructure such as curriculum and training programmes; and is designed to facilitate digital co-presence (including a virtual learning environment) for staff and students, and establish a virtual institution with different specialised nodes in each member country of the OECS. A total of 1,900,000 Euro was approved under the 10th EDF OECS Economic Integration and Trade project to establish the NETHE.
Knowledge generation and exchange will be at the crux of the Network’s function. Tourism and Hospitality Education institutions in OECS Member States will all serve as nodes of excellence in the Network and will be capable of collaborating and communicating across a shared medium; and specialise in training in a specific area/ niche such as: Health and Wellness, Resort Management, Culinary Arts, Marine Tourism, Spa and Wellness, Hospitality Management and Eco-tourism, based on sound research and analysis of industry needs and the demand and supply capacity of the nodes.
Technical assistance will be recruited to review and improve/validate the existing concept of the NETHE, and provide on-going specialist advice and project management services to the OECS Secretariat and beneficiary agencies in OECS Member States, with regard to network design and implementation and results-monitoring. In particular, the Consultant shall perform and be responsible for all of the services described below:
i. Coordinate, manage and supervise all project activities of and advise on the allocation of all project resources available to the NETHTE
ii. Provide technical input in the design and implementation of the NETHTE, including organisational structure and training delivery modalities.
iii. Prepare terms of reference, technical specifications and all other technical inputs for bid documents required for the procurement of goods and consulting services
iv. Undertake a thorough assessment of training needs in various tourism sub-sectors and in the tourism industry in general to inform the choice and prioritization of training specializations within the NETHTE framework
v. Work closely with Hospitality and Tourism training institutes in the OECS, with a view to providing independent professional advice on the determination of potential area(s) of specialization and to ensure the timely and effective implementation of the NETHTE.
vi. Consult with and advise the OECS Secretariat, as appropriate, at major implementation milestones, and liaise with consultants, contractors and suppliers on all technical aspects of the project
vii. Prepare/ensure preparation of quarterly reports, and semi-annual reports using the results based approach, to be submitted to the OECS Secretariat
For more information about this initiative and about the Anguilla Community College please visit us in George Hill (across from Rey’s Funeral Home) or via our website www.acc.edu.ai. You can also contact the College at 498-8395/497-2538 or via email at info@acc.edu.ai.
