IMPLEMENT Conference

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IMPLEMENTConference Athens July 2006
The Tourism and Hospitality Sector mentoring
processes and training
Deirdre Goggin Ray Coughlan DEIS, Department
for Education Development, Cork Institute of
Technology
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Presentation Outline

• Introduction to case study
• A general framework
• Structure
• Objective
• Implementation
• Mentor Training programme

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Case Study Mergo Project

• Project Name Mergo Tourism Network
• Partnership between Higher Education and Fáilte
  Ireland
• Funding for the project was obtained through
  Fáilte Ireland who are the statutory body for the
  Tourism Industry in Ireland
• WWW. Mergo.ie

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General Framework

• 33 networks countrywide
• Target Group All hospitality and tourism
  related businesses such as hotels , BBs, self
  catering, restaurants , attractions and also
  other business who have an interest in tourism
  development including retailers, sports and
  leisure facilities , heritage properties etc
• Each network has their own mentor / facilitator
  appointed
• Duration 12 months, 8 meetings and 2 residentials
  where people have 2 days and 1 overnight in a
  hotel
• 3rd level accreditation

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Structure

• Small geographic centered groups to encourage
  interaction and networking
• Coaching and mentoring for individual needs
• E-learning and ICT support to minimise time spent
  away from business individual queries entered
  online dedicated research team to offer advice
  and answers
• Programme is directed to SMEs

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Objective of the Tourism Learning Network

• Facilitate collaboration between SMEs
• Information sharing between different and similar
  businesses in the tourism sector
• To encourage/ develop best practice in the
  tourism sector
• To help establish a positive market position for
  each individual business

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IMPLEMENTATION

• Achieved through partnership with organisations
  such as South East Tourism, FÁS and Cork
  Institute of Technology
• Trained Mentors/ Facilitators
• Local Area Networks geographically defined
  groups consisting of 8 10 SMEs from a
  selection of provider types
• Meetings take place in the businesses of the
  participants however, this may vary per group.

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AIM

• To offer Practical , relevant training ,
  ongoing support and professional mentoring Mergo
  
• Relevant Training is based on your business
  development needs, not the needs of large
  enterprises
• Practical You learn from the experiences of
  other small tourism operators, backed up by
  mentoring and advice from experts.
• Local networks have been established in 33
  county and city council areas to keep the focus
  on local needs and to save valuable travel time.

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Programme Content

• SWOT Analysis
• Identification of competitive advantage and
  distinctive competencies
• Homework development of relevant activities for
  their network to promote tourism in the area
• Development of business plan
• Factors affecting the local tourism environment
• Strategic development for small businesses
• Expanding your market
• Budgets and Cost control
• Human Resource Management
• Legal, tax, health and safety, and environmental
  issues

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Residential Better Practice Seminar Topics

• Product Innovation in Tourism
• Coping with the Regulatory Environment
• Co-operative Marketing
• Optimum Pricing Strategies
• Managing Cultural Diversity in the Workforce
• Effective Use of the Marketing Budget
• Better Practice in Tourism Business

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What do mentors do?

• Help identify individual learning needs
• Help identify individual learning styles
• Establish and provide learning opportunities
• Facilitate Learners progress
• Make clear the standard of performance expected
• Arrange study time and area at work if necessary
• Plan work schedule with learner to involve
  activities
• Review progress and difficulties and arrange
  further input if necessary
• Guide learner to further sources of help
• Advise and support learner in their work role
  through coaching and feedback

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Programme for Mentors/ Facilitators

• Group focus as opposed to individual focus
• Facilitation and Mentoring Skills as they work
  with groups they have to develop facilitation
  skills but must also possess mentoring skills for
  one-to-one interaction
• 2 day intensive training programme
• Individuals who have been identified by the
  programme developers to be leaders in their field
  academics , business managers , accountants .
• At the end of the training programme not all
  were given a group to facilitate. Several reasons
  including the fact that not all experts are
  good facilitators/ mentors.
• Also the need to match the group to the
  personality of the facilitator/ mentor example
  Hotel manager Vs BB owner

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Mentoring Programme for Facilitators/ Mentors
How you Rate? Six Behavioural Functions Leadersh
ip Style Learning Style Establishing an Agenda
for Change The Facilitator as a Change
Agent How to give and receive feedback Structure
Techniques Building Meaningful
Relationships Conflict Developing Assertive
Behaviour Skill Development Facilitation Live
Practice Review of Application
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Buiochas agus Slan

• Contact
• Deirdre Goggin deirdre.goggin_at_cit.ie
• Ray Coughlan
• ray.coughlan_at_cit.ie