The Ontario Ministry of Colleges is sending some money to a local school to help strengthen the province’s tourism industry.
Lakehead University has been awarded $224,150 as part of the Ontario Micro-Credentials Challenge Fund.
Micro-credentials are rapid training programs offered by institutions across the province, helping individuals acquire skills employers are seeking. They take less time to complete than degrees or diplomas, they could be completed online, and are often created with input from the business sector.
“The province’s tourism sector has become a driving force of economic activity across the province with pre-pandemic tourism receipts reaching $36.1 billion, supporting more than 401,000 jobs,” said project lead Dr. Rhonda Koster, Lakehead’s Deputy Provost and Vice-Provost (Teaching & Learning).
“In many situations, people hold responsibility for tourism within their community as part of their portfolio, but have little opportunity for formal training, therefore limiting the contribution tourism can make to the economy.”
The micro-credentials at Lakehead University will consist of six modules that address important elements of the tourism industry, and will be offered in both English and French.
Anyone who completes the six modules will receive an Ontario Professional Tourism Industry Specialist micro-credentials. There is also a seventh module that focuses on the region of Northern Ontario, which will add to the individual’s credentials.
Other partners that assisted in developing the micro-credentials include Destination Northern Ontario, Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, Indigenous Tourism Ontario, La Société économique de l’Ontario, and Nature and Outdoor Tourism Ontario.
The micro-credentials will be available for Lakehead University’s Fall 2022 semester.
