Local hospitality industry should emulate Akilah’s model

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, an American hospitality company with a presence in Rwanda, plans to adopt Akilah Institute of Women programmes to train its staff in Africa. The hotel’s management announced plans for the second half of 2013 with reaffirmation of commitment to develop skills of its staff using the unique Akilah Institute of Women programmes.The hotel plans to extend a training model currently being utilised by the Akilah Institute of Women in Rwanda to upgrade skills of its employees.This development is a vote of confidence in the country’s skills development strategy and efforts. Akilah offers unique training in entrepreneurship, hospitality management and Information Systems.The adoption of this model by an international organisation should be taken as a big lesson by other local entities in the hotel industry. Local investors should utilise the unique services of Akilah to bridge the skills gap in the local hotel industry. One of the major problems facing the hospitality industry is the lack of skilled personnel.Also, Akilah’s example should be emulated by the other local training institutions. They should revise their models to be in tandem with the critical needs of the country’s skills needs. Tailor made unique programmes will address the skills needs of the country. Akilah should be given more support to build capacity in the local hospitality industry.We should not just look on as international organisations utilise home-grown training models in our midst, yet we still lack skilled human resource in the hospitality industry. The industry is strategic in terms of growth of tourism. Poor service delivery in the hospitality industry affects tourism revenues and ultimately the economy.

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Local hospitality industry should emulate Akilah’s model