Hire Value: Skills for Hospitality & Tourism
Tourism is increasingly important to the Eganville business community. Many businesses depend on finding staff with specific skills to serve the hospitality and tourism industry. Several business owners in Eganville have given strong support to Literacy Plus’s plans for Hire Value, a 5-week, 90-hour course to train people for work in Hospitality and Tourism businesses. “This training is very much needed,” says George Pezoulas, owner of Frisco’s restaurant.
Students will develop a set of skills including communications, customer service, and retail math. They will also be trained for Smart Serve and WHMIS certification. Visits to businesses in the community and interviews with local employers will make sure that the skills from the classroom are those that are needed in the workplace.
The course is designed for people who want to prepare for a job in the hospitality or tourist business and also for people who are already working and want to upgrade their skills. It will prepare graduates for the coming tourist season.
The Hire Value course will begin on Monday, February 20, and run from 9:00 to 4:00, Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, until March 22. The class will have room for a maximum of 10 people. For more information or to register, please contact the office.
Literacy Plus looks forward to working more closely with business people in the local community to provide training with immediate practical application to jobs.
Winter Classes
- Computer classes will start again the week of January 9.
- In Killaloe, volunteer Tony Pearson will teach a new literacy and computer class starting January 19. It will accommodate two to four people.
- Workready Online will take a break for Christmas and start again the week of January 9.
- The new Hire Value course will start Monday, February 20, and run through Wednesday, March 22. The course will run Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 9:00 to 4:00.
- Maxine will lead more craft workshops in the winter, dates and activities TBA.
Tech Team Changes
Shawn Schroeder, teacher of our Wednesday morning computer class at Employment Networks in Renfrew, has moved to Houston, Texas, to take on a job in the high-tech/computer industry. We're sorry to lose him but wish him the best of luck with this great opportunity. Inie McQuirter took over the Renfrew class at the beginning of November.
Wednesday Workshops
The two Wednesday workshops on making Christmas ornaments were so popular, teacher Maxine Golden was persuaded to run two more. Students made two kinds of tree ornaments, a "pinecone" of folded foil paper and a twirly spiral “shell,” and a bearded Santa wall decoration. People were so enthusiastic about these classes that Maxine has agreed to run more workshops after Christmas. Watch for details in January.