For some, a dream job would be a vacation planner — for themselves.
Vacationing in B.C. can take so many forms that it would indeed be a full-time job.
The tourism and hospitality industry is an extremely diverse industry with over 400 different occupations — including occupations that lead to longer-term careers, as well as those that fit well for those seeking part-time work, like students or older workers who are not yet ready to retire.
“Employees entering the job market today can anticipate that their employment history will include as many as six career paths,” said Kim Burden, the executive director of the Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce. “Many Jobs in the tourism industry are entry level and come with training. The training provided includes many transferable skills for employees which can be taken with them as they advance along their career paths.”
British Columbia’s tourism industry will be a leader in provincial job growth as businesses look to fill 101,000 new job openings by 2020, according to a study of labour demand and supply by go2, the BC tourism industry’s human resource association.
The Tourism Labour Market Strategy, released in the spring of 2012 by go2, sets out the plan to recruit, retain and train the workers needed to keep pace with the growth projected for the industry. Nearly half of the 101,000 openings will be new jobs created by the tourism industry across the province, adding 44,220 more jobs to the provincial workforce by 2020. The other approximately 57,000 openings are due to replacements (i.e. retirements).
“The labour strategy co-ordinated by go2 is a key pillar of industry growth in the province. Without it, we simply wouldn’t have the skilled workers in place to deliver the visitor experience throughout BC,” said Lana Denoni, Chair of TIABC, the Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia.
— Black Press/NEWS Staff