PROGRAM
Download the program in PDF format.
Tuesday, October 2:
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Registration and Information
Opening Reception & Registration
Wednesday, October 3 - Conference:
7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.
8:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Registration and Information
Breakfast
Welcome
Opening Keynote: “Talent Management that Rocks”
Networking Break with Exhibitors
Concurrent Sessions
1. Recruit and Inspire Top Talent
Most businesses in Ontario say they do
not have a problem finding potential workers, but finding employees
with the right skills for the job is difficult. Star employees have a
significant impact on future growth and continued profits, so knowing
how to find, attract, and keep top notch staff is essential for any
business. Find out what other tourism businesses have done to recruit
and inspire top talent even during difficult seasons.
Session outcomes:
- Discover innovated retention strategies
- Understand how successful companies manage their talent
- Learn about specific examples of employee perks/benefits
- Discuss new solutions to the challenges of seasonal workers
2. Connect Your Brand: Prosperity Through Regional Partnerships
Regional tourism networks focus on
building a strong competitive tourism industry. Tourism businesses
are engaging with Regional Tourism Organizations to generate
increased economic activity and fill more jobs. Find out how
regional networks can support workforce plans.
Session outcomes:
- Learn the steps to employing and training a local workforce
- Examine barriers for implementation and how they can be overcome
- Identify areas in your training program that can connect to the branding strategy in your region
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Lunch
Concurrent Sessions
3. Optimize Your Talent Search Through Education/Industry Partnerships
Outlining a career path and managing
expectations are major conditions to hiring and keeping tourism
grads. Hear how industry leaders are working together with the
education community to provide quality work placements, which lead to
successful tourism careers.
Session outcomes:
- Understand the motivations and expectations of graduates entering the industry
- Explore how entrants see their career path and job duties
- Learn how and why your business should hire a tourism graduate
4. Competitive Strategies To Enhance The International Visitor Experience
Are you ready to offer first class
service to international visitors? Get the most current and
comprehensive information on international visitor arrivals and
discover how your business can tap into this fast growing market.
Session outcomes:
- Identify how international visitors will impact your business
- Learn how experienced organizations meet the needs of international visitors
- Anticipate situations that will require additional training for staff
3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
Networking Break with Exhibitors
International Training: The Sky's The Limit
Closing Keynote:
"Why WestJet is Canada's Most Attractive Employer"
Dinner Reception
Thursday, October 4 – Your Choice of Workshops:
HR BOOTCAMP
7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Registration and Information
Breakfast
Plenary Session
A Changing Workforce. Are You Ready?
Canada’s workforce is aging. A skill shortage already exists, and over the
next decade, the Canadian tourism sector can expect a shortfall of
more than 114,000 employees! Are you ready? Tourism businesses, small
and large, must extend their reach to attract employees from
alternative labour pools if they want to remain competitive. New
Canadians, visible minorities, mature workers, persons with
disabilities and Aboriginal peoples have long been overlooked, and as
a result, a vast pool of qualified talent remains untapped. Learn how
your business can capitalize on all of the available labour pools–
you’ll gain a better understanding of each group and how best
to reach them.
10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Registration and Information
Plenary Session
Attract and Retain Talent: Less Hassle, Higher Returns
Qualified employees are already in short supply in the tourism sector and the
problem is only going to get worse. With such a wide variety of
recruitment options now available to employers, how do you choose the
one most likely to net that perfect employee? This session will
explore the range of recruitment resources available to increase the
chances of finding qualified, experienced staff, while also boosting
the employer’s profile among job seekers.
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Lunch
Plenary Session
Increase Productivity – Increase Profits
Assess the effectiveness of your current HR practices and learn how to create a
workplace that helps motivate and retain staff and increase
productivity. This session addresses practical HR templates,
checklists, training products and other tools developed in
collaboration with industry to meet the needs of small and large
tourism operators.
2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Networking Break
Plenary Session
Strategic Social Media: Social Networking to Tap into Talent
We all know that using social media allows us to expand our network, and
human resources is no exception. As social media becomes more widely
used in the business world, HR professionals will have a significant
opportunity to leverage this powerful medium in many parts of their
jobs. This session elaborates on how to use new media to connect with
your current and future workforce and how to collaborate with your
peers in HR.
EDUCATOR SYMPOSIUM
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Keynote “The Impact of Canada’s Changing Demographics”
Alex Usher - President of Higher Education Strategy Associates and Editor-in-Chief of Global Higher Education Strategy Monitor. An internationally recognized expert in student financial aid and quality measurement in post-secondary education, Mr. Usher has authored numerous ground-breaking studies in higher education. In addition to his years of work on higher education in Canada, his recent work spans Asia, Europe and Africa.
10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
NETWORKING BREAK
Concurrent Sessions 1 & 2
1. Overview of CTHRC and emerit Resources
The CTHRC offers a number of resources that can assist you whether you are building a
curriculum from scratch or need some supplemental materials for your course. In this
session, you will learn about emerit products and tools and see actual examples of program
content.
2. Building Industry Responsive Events Programming
Determining how industry and academic qualifications fit together is an essential part of
improving labour and learner mobility and establishing professional standards of
practice. This session will look at recent developments in the events sector, including the
establishment of international standards to inform academic and industry certification
programs, such as the emerit Event Management International Competency Standards
(EMICS) and Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI) Meeting and Business Event
Competency Standards (MBECS). Participants will learn about an MBECS-based
curriculum guide that can help instructors, course developers, and program administrators
build and benchmark programs that are aligned with industry standards and connect
students to industry credentials.
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Lunch
Building on a Common Experience:
A National Dialogue on Tourism Learning Systems
Participants will discuss various provincial and regional approaches to hospitality and tourism education. This session aims to establish a national dialogue on tourism education in Canada by providing examples of how educators harness strengths and approach unique circumstances of their jurisdiction to create globally competitive programming and to enhance labour and learner mobility.
2:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Establishing Quality Assurance Standards for Relevant,
Current and Competitive Programs in the Global Marketplace
Canadian post-secondary institutions are widely recognized for their high quality programming. In the absence of a national quality assurance framework or guidelines, Canadian institutions and programs follow provincial and institutional requirements to establish quality assurance criteria within their own systems. In partnership with Canadian post-secondary tourism educators, the CTHRC has initiated work on a resource guide to establish voluntary national benchmarks for quality tourism and hospitality programming in Canada. Participants in this session will have the chance to learn about and discuss this project as well as some of the innovative practices that are taking place in programs across the country. They will also have the opportunity to work with some of the hands on tools that can be incorporated into your program/course planning.
3:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks
