TOURISM & HOSPITALITY SECTOR
IGNOU Going Full-throttle in Tourism & Hospitality The IGNOU School of Tourism, Hospitality Services Management has come up with not only training people but also providing excellent placements in leading organisations in the country for aspirants in the Tourism and Hospitality Sector By Harkirat Bains
T
he training cell of the School of Tourism, Hospitality Services Management (SOTHSM) of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) at the Regional Centre Bhopal in collaboration with Tourism Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh is an initiative and way forward to develop and design vocational training programmes for human resource development in the tourism sector.
The Preparatory Steps At the very basic level a detailed project report for training 320 students in housekeeping, front desk operations, food and beverage was prepared and submitted to Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation. Further to that the project was sanctioned under the scheme of Capacity building for service providers. An MOU was signed between the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC) and Indira Gandhi National Open University for the development of the certificate programme and diploma in Hotel operations on Monday 05th January 2009 by the registrar of the IGNOU and the Principal Secretary Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation in the presence of Hon. Vice Chancellor and State Tourism Minister. The project allowed a detailed picture of the expenditure on faculty fees, food, tool kit, uniform, study material and administrative contingency. Nevertheless, the study material was prepared by a group of experts but was essentially approved by the Tourism department. The local needs of the hotel industry were
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ascertained and contents were tailored to meet its needs. This was critical to make the training employment oriented.
The Areas Of Training The course was focused to customise it for an industry-specific and job-oriented programme. In consultation with the stakeholders the certificate courses were prepared in following three sectors: • Certificate in Front Office Operations (CFO) • Certificate in Housekeeping Operations (CHO) • Certificate in Food & Beverage Service Operations (CFBO) Nine books were developed at the Regional Centre level in self instruction mode by the subject experts drawn from various institutions on; • Understanding Tourism • Functional communicative skills and
personnel grooming • Destination Madhya Pradesh • Front office operations Part-1 • Front Office operations Part-2 (Practical manual) • Housekeeping operations Part-1 • Housekeeping operations Part-2 (Practical manual ) • Food and beverage service operations Part-1 • Food and beverage service operations Part-2 (Practical manual)
Special Features of the Project The course was designed specifically to which includes 60 days of intensive class room sessions and intensive Practical Industrial training in core areas for 60 days in the finest hotel of the Madhya Pradesh. Facilities extended to the students include, a low fee structure Rs.3000/-