IFTM – under its role as the Tourism Education and Training Base for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area – has just launched a short-term internship scheme in Macao for Mainland tourism industry professionals. The programme is available to workers coming from the Greater Bay Area that have completed a relevant course and assessment under the Macao Occupational Skills Recognition System (MORS).
The internship scheme is being offered in partnership with a number of Macao-based companies, including operators of large-scale integrated resorts. The first batch of interns completed their training in Macao in March.
MORS is a long-term endeavour by IFTM, headed by the Institute’s School of Continuing Education. It aims to improve the performance of workers in the hotel and tourism industry by certifying their skills to do front-line jobs. Workers can have their skills assessed and earn the appropriate MORS certificates. The certificates are recognised throughout the tourism industry in Macao.
The Institute has been promoting the adoption of MORS in various areas of the Greater Bay Area since at least 2009. IFTM and its partners in Guangdong Province have hosted a variety of MORS training courses and assessment sessions, covering a number of job categories.
The new internship scheme in Macao for MORS-certified workers from the Mainland aims to advance their professional knowledge. The scheme also seeks to enhance the quality of human resources and of tourism services in the Greater Bay Area as a whole.
The scheme is part of the Institute’s contribution to the Greater Bay Area endeavour. Starting in 2019, IFTM – on behalf of the Macao SAR – was appointed as the Tourism Education and Training Base for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The Base seeks to contribute to the development of the Greater Bay Area as a world-class tourism destination, namely by taking advantage of Macao’s extensive experience in tourism education and training.
Learning from difference
The first participants for the MORS internship scheme came from Sumlodol Camping Town, an all-age leisure and travel destination located on Hengqin Island, in neighbouring Zhuhai. All those in the group had completed relevant MORS training and assessments ahead of starting their internship positions either at the Venetian Macao or the Parisian Macao integrated resorts. The 2-week internships ended on 26 March.
Ms. Raymona Zhao Rui, Guest Relations Manager at Sumlodol Camping Town, was one of the participants. One of the differences she noted relative to her usual work was that team members at the Venetian Macao were quite specialised in their role. In her own workplace, a staff member would oversee a number of distinct tasks.
“People are more focused on particular tasks, but they also discuss their work with others,” Ms. Zhao says of her experience at the Venetian Macao.
Mr. Lourence Ho, Director of Training and Development at Venetian Macau Ltd, the operator of both the Venetian Macao and the Parisian Macao resorts, says the internship scheme is mostly about exchanging experiences.
“The participants are already working in the industry,” he explains. “I consider this cooperation between our company and IFTM an exchange programme to connect with the rest of the Greater Bay Area, promoting tourism education as well as giving support to the tourism sector.”
Mr. Ho says the Venetian Macao and the Parisian Macao also benefit from welcoming Mainland interns. “They bring with them the Mainland working culture, and they learn from our working approach. This helps to increase mutual understanding.”
The Acting Vice-Director of IFTM’s School of Continuing Education, Dr. Cora Wong Un In, says the Institute will strengthen cooperation with its counterparts in the Greater Bay Area to provide more training opportunities for industry professionals within the region.
“The internship programme helps participants learn more about the operations of world-class tourism facilities in Macao,” Dr. Wong says. She adds that the hands-on experience is beneficial for professionals that have already completed a MORS training and assessment, as they already have basic knowledge of the industry.
Furthermore, the scheme “can help in constructing a talent hub in the Greater Bay Area,” Dr. Wong adds. She says cross-boundary partnerships “can strengthen links between IFTM and other Mainland organisations in order to encourage more cooperation.”
IFTM has supported the introduction in the Mainland of MORS-related training and assessment for a total of 8 job categories: front desk agent; bartender; concierge and bell attendant; room attendant; customer relations officer; retail sales officer; waiter/waitress (Chinese restaurant service); and waiter/waitress (Western restaurant service).
