What's New
HR Facts
Safety Corner
Quote of the Month
MTEC is pleased to announce that our completely re-vamped Manitoba BEST Service Excellence Program is being officially launched on April 19. The new program is set up in six modules, which deal with current situations that employers are dealing with today, from cell phone use and texting to handling difficult situations in a professional manner. Organizations will be able to have their sessions customized to address their specific issues.
There are several things that you can do to assure that you will keep your existing customers and attract new customers to your business. It starts with providing customer service training for your staff. Giving them the skills that they need to deliver consistent and professional customer service.
You can spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars advertising your business to get a customer to purchase your product or service the "first time", but it will be far more difficult to get that dissatisfied customer to return to your business the second time. In business today the kind of customer service that a customer receives can mean the difference between the success and failure of the business.
We will be launching our new Manitoba BEST Service Excellence Workshop on April 19, 2012 and offering this 6 hour session at 50% off the regular price of $149.00 + GST. For more information, please click here.
For more information or to register please call 204-957-7437 or email register@mtec.mb.ca.
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MTEC Hospitality, Tourism & Retail Job Fair
Find a Job - Find an Employee at the MTEC Hospitality, Tourism and Retail Job Fair, at the Delta Winnipeg Hotel on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 from 10:00am - 2:00pm.
Over five hundred job seekers attended our last job fair in the fall. This is the perfect venue to match potential employees with employers. To date, we have eleven employers participating in the job fair. They are:
Greenwood Inn
The Fairmont Winnipeg
Five Guys Burgers & Fries
MLCC (Manitoba Liquor Control Commission)
Delta Winnipeg
Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre
Fort Garry Hotel Spa and Conference Centre
Shoppers Drug Mart
The North West Company
Winnipeg Convention Centre
The Victoria Inn
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TURNING TRAINING INTO SUCCESS: How To Be The Employer You Would Like to Work For!
MTEC & SAFE Hospitality will be hosting our second conference Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at the Greenwood Inn & Suites in Winnipeg.
This one day conference and exhibition will include six sessions that are focused on expanding your human resource skills. Whether you currently manage or supervise employees, or would like to, these sessions will assist you in being the "Employer You Would Like To Work For."
For a registration form, please click here.
For a list of speakers and prizes, please click here.
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MTEC Signs MOU with Immigrant Centre in Winnipeg
MTEC is pleased to announce that we are working with the Immigrant Centre to provide training opportunities to new-comers that are interested in working in Manitoba's hospitality industry. "By providing training in areas such as Workplace Hazardous Material Information System (WHMIS), these new employees are better prepared to understand safe work practices in the Canadian context," says Shannon Fontaine, CEO at MTEC. "Not only are we helping the potential new employee, but providing a service to the employers in our industry that will be welcoming these people into their businesses".
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MTEC is Excited to Again be Working with Winnipeg Technical College
MTEC is working with Winnipeg Technical College on their second intake of international students in their Hotel and Hospitality Services Program. Students are currently studying the emerit foundational program, Tourism Essentials and are working towards Professional Certification in one of four occupations: Line Cook, Front Desk Agent, Housekeeping Room Attendant or Food and Beverage Server.
These students will also participate in many of MTEC's business courses and will receive certificates for Serving it Safe: Responsible Service and Safety Program, WHMIS and First Aid. This program also has a work practicum were students gain valuable knowledge and experience in Manitoba's Hotel and Hospitality industry.
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April & May Training
Keep Your Business Profitable - Invest Your Time In Training!
**We are offering 15 complimentary seats for many of the following sessions. Sign up now!
*Handling Difficult Situations
April 9 | 9:00am-12:00pm | More Info
*Build a TEAM Culture: Teambuilding & Conflict Resolution
April 11 | 9:00am-12:00pm | More Info
Essential Etiquette for Email
April 12 | 9:00am-12:00pm | More Info
COST: SPECIAL RATE $49.00 + GST; Regular $99.00 + GST
*Sales Step 2: Close to 80% of Prospects
April 16 | 8:30am-11:30am | More Info
*Time Management
April 18 | 9:00am-12:00pm | More Info
*Blogging for Business
April 18 | 1:00pm-4:00pm | More Info
Manitoba BEST Service Excellence
April 19 | 9:00am-4:00pm | More Info
COST: SPECIAL RATE $74.50 + GST; Regular $149.00 + GST
*Retail Management
April 20 | 9:00am-12:00pm | More Info
*Professional Telephone Skills
April 23 | 9:00am-12:00pm | More Info
*Marketing for the Tourism Industry
April 25 | 9:00am-12:00pm | More Info
*Serving the Diverse Customer
April 26 | 9:00am-12:00pm | More Info
Serving it Safe: Responsible Service & Safety Program
April 30 | 9:00am-4:00pm | More Info
COST: $40.00 + Shipping + GST
*QuickBooks for Business
May 10 | 9:00am-12:00pm | More Info
*Generations in the Workplace
May 16 | 9:00am-12:00pm | More Info
*Motivating & Giving Positive Feedback
May 24 | 9:00am-12:00pm | More Info
Contact MTEC at 204-957-7437 or email register@mtec.mb.ca.
All courses will be held at the MTEC Learning Centre, Suite 100 - 1534 Gamble Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
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Ready to Work Program Sets Refugees on Path to Successful Tourism Careers
Canada's Federal Tourism Strategy was released in 2011 and identifies four priorities including "fostering an adequate supply of skills and labour to enhance visitor experiences through quality service".
The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council (CTHRC) was named in the strategy as the organization best suited to address labour market issues and promote professionalism in the tourism sector by addressing skills shortages and fostering a human resources development culture in the industry.
One of the many ways the CTHRC fulfills this mandate is by administering the Ready to Work program, a bridging program which provides skills development to underrepresented labour groups in order to improve recruitment and retention of workers from these groups in the tourism workforce. The CTHRC works closely with its partner Human Resource Organizations across Canada, who deliver the Ready To Work program in their province or territory.
The extraordinary difference that the Ready to Work program is making in the lives of participants is evident in the stories of Bhutanese refugees recently resettled in Canada.
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In eastern Nepal, there are seven Bhutanese refugee camps in the lowlands neighbouring the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains. The approximately 100,000 refugees who call them home have lived here since government efforts to dictate and enforce a single national culture and language and to restrict citizenship forced them to flee Bhutan between 1988 and 1993. The camps were established by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as a response to the growing humanitarian crisis caused by tens of thousands of Bhutanese arriving in Nepal with no means of sustenance or survival.
Life in the camps is austere, with shacks of bamboo and thatch built for shelter, shared latrines within a few metres of housing, and a dependence on outside organizations such as the Association of Medical Doctors of Asia (AMDA) for primary health care and the World Food Programme (WFP) for biweekly food rations. Although conditions have vastly improved since the camps opened, there is a constant risk of disease spreading through the cramped settlements, as well as threat of devastating fires started by primitive cooking and heating implements. Fires in two of the camps on March 23, 2011 left over five thousand homeless.
Despite these difficult conditions, the refugees managed to establish a formal education system in the very early days of the exodus. This tradition continues, with each generation taking on the responsibility of teaching the one to follow. Although many of the Bhutanese have spent their entire lives as refugees and are not allowed to pursue work or education outside of the camps, they are relatively well-educated and remarkably eager to learn.
In 2006, several countries including Canada expressed a willingness to receive those Bhutanese interested in third country resettlement, and refugees from the camps in Nepal began arriving in their new homes in 2008, with over 2,500 choosing to relocate in Canada by 2011.
Bhutanese refugees are a recognized refugee priority in the province of Nova Scotia, and make up a high percentage of Government Assisted Refugees (GAR) settling in the province. Citizenship and Immigration Canada resettles most of the Bhutanese refugees in the Halifax area where essential support from settlement and integration agencies is available.
The largest immigrant se
rving agency in Atlantic Canada, Immigrant Settlement and Integration Services (ISIS) is located in the city, and provides newcomers with employment placement, language training, settlement services and counselling, business training, interpreters, and skills training.
Steven Claveau is an employment specialist with ISIS. He clarifies the process.
"Government-assisted refugees (GARs) are identified by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)overseas. Once they arrive, they are provided special settlement services through ISIS and they are supported by the federal government for one year, at approximately the same rates as social assistance. They are landed immigrants, and our biggest goal is social and economic integration in order to empower new arrivals so they can take charge of their life in Canada."
One of the organizations that ISIS works with is the Nova Scotia Tourism Human Resource Council (NSTHRC), which delivers a wide range of training related to tourism occupations, including the Ready to Work program. While ISIS assists the refugees with cultural challenges, it often refers them to NSTHRC for skills training, and the Ready to Work program is often a good fit for the Bhutanese refugees.
"They come from a training background- in camps, the value of education is passed down from generation to generation and was taken on by the refugees since they often don't have the language levels to attend formal training from an educational institution- so are a perfect fit for Ready to Work", explains Mr. Claveau. In fact, the program's effectiveness for the Bhutanese has become well known in the community. "Through word of mouth, these refugees come into the office asking to be placed in Ready to Work, and employers ask for Ready to Work graduates from Bhutan when looking for help recruiting. Most of the refugees who participate in the Ready to Work program find work in frontline occupations in the accommodations industry, where they become stars at the workplace."
Two Bhutanese refugees who have settled in Halifax and participated in the Ready to Work program talked about their experience coming to Canada, and how the program has helped them establish themselves and start their working lives in their new country. The fact that the refugee camps are built around a training culture is evident in both of their stories, as is their willingness to take on new challenges, their eagerness to learn new skills, and their determination to build a new life for themselves and their families.
Dilli Ram Dhungana was born in Bhutan, but grew up and was educated in a refugee camp in Nepal. He attended the Institute of Fine Art and Commercial Art in the camp, which teaches refugee children fine arts while focussing on helping them express their feelings and start their new life. He later shared what he had learned with youngsters by working as Chief Coordinator of the Institute.
He and his family arrived in Canada in June, 2010. He heard about the Ready to Work program, and that the training it provided was essential when looking for work in the tourism sector.
"I talked to my employment specialist, Steven at ISIS, about Ready to Work, and he gave me information on interview skills that helped me pass the interview and get involved in the program."
Once enrolled, he found that the program more than lived up to its reputation.
"Ready to Work built up my knowledge to work in different positions in the tourism sector in Canada. It gave me the confidence to apply for work in this sector and helped me to get prepared for interviews and answer the interviewer's questions."
After graduating from Ready to Work, he had the skills and confidence required to enter the Canadian workforce.
"I know how to manage time, provide excellent service, work in a team and maintain privacy. The program helped me to be aware of workplace hazardous materials, and the First Aid training is helping me in day to day life. I am now working at Delta Halifax as a steward helper in the kitchen and my future plan is to become a cook."
The value placed on education and training in the refugee camps is evident when Dilli Ram Dhungana is asked what he thinks is the most important benefit of the Ready to Work program. He answers, simply that "it is always good for the community to have educated and knowledgeable people and the knowledgeable workers that employers need."
Gangaram Adhikari was born in a Bhutanese refugee camp in Nepal, where his family of five lived for more than 18 years. His father and brother were teachers in refugee schools, and once he finished Grade Ten he volunteered at camp libraries, assisting children with finding books, with reading and with checking materials in and out. When he arrived in Canada, he found the Ready to Work program in much the same way as Dilli Ram Dhungana.
"My employment specialist at ISIS talked about the Ready to Work program and helped me to fill an application form. I like to work with people, he also told me how much easier it would be to find jobs in hospitality after doing RTW."
When asked how Ready to Work prepared him for his new career, Gangaram doesn't hesitate.
"Ready to Work taught me about different tourism careers, industry terms, communication skills, organizational skills, numeracy skills, and team work. It gave me the ability to multi-task, be flexible, and adapt. We also had some important workshops on WHMIS, Serve Right, First Aid/ CPR, Food Handlers, SUPERHOSTS, Workplace Etiquette, Time Management, Basic Budgeting, and Stress Management."
He is clearly happy and excited about his new position and future prospects.
"We had a hotel tour in the program, where we talked to Human Resource Managers from different hotels and I was able to give my resume to them. I am now working at The Prince George Hotel, Halifax in the position of Housekeeping Room Attendant and will get cross trained for other departments. My future plan is to start university while still working part time and to graduate as a chemical engineer."
While the difference the Ready to Work program has made in his life is obvious, Gangaram recognizes that the program has a larger impact in the community.
"I found the Ready to work program important for learning about the Canadian workplace environment and tourism industry and its benefits to country, community and myself. It helps employees develop and improve their skills, work safely, and improve their understanding of the industry. It creates employment opportunities, it generates revenue, and it builds relationships between people. There were thirteen candidates for my seven week program, and eight of them were new Canadians. However, this program can help not only new Canadians like me, but all Canadians who need help finding work."
The effectiveness of the partnership between ISIS and NSTHRC, and the positive effects of the Ready to Work program in Halifax have been extraordinary. As labour shortages in Canada return, employers will be forced to look to new Canadians, temporary foreign workers, and other underrepresented labour groups to fill necessary positions. In turn, employment bridging programs like Ready to Work will become more and more important to maintain "an adequate supply of skills and labour to enhance visitor experiences through quality service" in the tourism and hospitality sector.
To illustrate the benefits of the program one last time, Steven Claveau from ISIS shares a remarkable statistic.
"Traditionally, about ninety percent of Government Assisted Refugees would apply for social assistance after their first year in the country. Since we began working with NSTHRC and Ready to Work, the number dropped to below sixty percent."
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CTHRC Welcomes International Industry Experts for Global Advisory Committee Meetings
The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council is extremely excited to be hosting two meetings of industry professionals who have been working on two important international projects.
Members of the Global Advisory Committee for the Certified Event Management Professional (CEMP) and International Events Qualifications Framework will be meeting in Ottawa, March 19 and 20, and the Food and Beverage Manager International Competency Standards Global Advisory Committee will gather in Montréal, from March 22 to 24.
Read More
The first committee, with representatives from countries including South Africa, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia and more, will be reviewing and validating the International Events Qualification Framework, a unique tool which has been designed for a global audience, and developed by consensus through widespread international participation. The committee will spend their second day together examining the policies and procedures surrounding the governance and administration of international industry certifications, and making recommendations on the issues involved. This discussion will be based on CEMP and the system already in place in Canada. Participants will also enjoy the opportunity to network and socialize with their colleagues from around the world, and to enjoy all that Canada's Capital region has to offer.
In Montréal, the Global Advisory Committee for the Food and Beverage Manager International Competency Standards project will be meeting to review the draft standards, provide feedback for refinement and validation of the standards, and advise on the application and distribution of the final product. These meetings will ensure that the standards are globally relevant, with 17 Global Advisory Committee members from countries including France, Qatar, China, and the Czech Republic representing the 125 industry professionals who served on the Standard Development Committee.
While in Montréal, committee members will experience firsthand the Hôtel de l'Institut, a unique downtown hotel where they will be meeting and staying. The hotel will be of special interest to Food and Beverage Professionals-it is run by the Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie, a Québec government agency, and has been a teaching hotel dedicated to training and research in the hotel, tourism and food service industries for over 35 years.
These projects and the enthusiastic participation of international industry experts are further examples of emerit products continuing to gain recognition as valuable resources for industry not only in Canada, but in the global marketplace as well.
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Machinery & Equipment Safety Basics
Avoid Injuries! Know how to operate machinery and equipment in the workplaces.
Many workers in the workplace are getting injured from machinery and equipment whether it's from cuts, laceration, amputations, etc. Many companies lack safe work procedures, practices and training for these machines and equipment. Information regarding the safe use of equipment or training is usually insufficient. This can and eventually will lead to injuries in the workplace. Injuries in the workplace from machinery and equipment are avoidable only if workers are being educated and trained in the use of the machinery and equipment they are working with. Do you know how to properly work on and clean your machinery or equipment?
Just a few simple safety precautions are needed to reduce machinery and equipment injuries in the workplace. Firstly, companies must have regulated policies (ex. safe work procedures) in place for every machine or equipment. Secondly, proper training and evaluations are required to show competency on how to operate and clean each piece of machinery or equipment safely and efficiently. Lastly, inspections are to be carried out by the company to maintain proper operation of all machinery and equipment that could result in the cause of injuries to workers.
Keep in mind just these simple precautionary measures can help you come into work injury free and leave work the same way. Follow all safe work procedure when using machinery and equipment in the workplace and inspect all machinery and equipment to make sure everything is working properly. If something is not working properly or has a defect notify your supervisor immediately and do not proceed with work until the machinery or equipment is replace and is working properly again. To learn more about using machinery and equipment in the workplace properly, register for our "Machinery and Equipment Safety Basics" workshop offered at Safe Hospitality on April 17, 2012.
Date: April 17, 2012
Time: 8:30am-12:00pm
Cost: FREE to the Hospitality Industry (rate code 70106); Regular $49.00 + GST
More Info
NEW! To register online for our courses, please click here!
For more information please call 204-694-7233 or email info@safehospitality.com.
Upcoming Safety Training
Machinery & Equipment Safety Basics
April 17 | 8:30am-12:00pm | More Info
COST: Click Here
Supervisor/Manager Safety Roles & Responsibilities
April 17 | 1:00pm-4:30pm | More Info
COST: Click Here
First Aid/CPR
April 24 | 8:30am-4:30pm | More Info
COST: $65.00 + GST (hospitality sector); $89.00 + GST Regular
Knife Safety
April 25 | 8:30am-12:00pm | More Info
COST: Click Here
Food Handler Certification
April 27 | 8:30am-4:30pm | More Info
COST: $115.00 + GST
Building Your Safety & Health Program
May 8 | 8:30am-4:30pm | More Info
COST: Click Here
WHMIS
May 15 | 8:30am-12:00pm | More Info
COST: Click Here
Job Hazard Analysis/Safe Work Procedures
May 15 | 1:00pm-4:30pm | More Info
COST: Click Here
For additional information, or to register for upcoming workshops, please contact Alexa at alexa@safehospitality.com or by calling 204-957-7437.
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There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.
~Alfred Wainwright