Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, a Swiss association for international cooperation, in collaboration with Vietnam’s Centre for Rural Economy Development (CRED), on September 10 launched the Swiss Executive Hospitality Training (Swiss EHT) programme, as part of the Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development project in Vietnam” (ST4SD) project.

The programme aims to develop the Vietnamese tourism industry in general and high-quality human resources in the tourism and hospitality sector in particular in a more sustainable and comprehensive manner.

Training programmes under the ST4SD project to improve the quality of human resources in the Vietnamese tourism industry will comply with many international standards. The training courses, programmes and conditions are built under close cooperation between Vietnamese training institutions and the EHL Hospitality Business School of Switzerland. In the pilot period from 2023-2027, the project is being carried out in four training institutions in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.

Dang Thi Phuong Anh, who manages the project’s human resources quality improvement component, said that to date, 12 lecturers at these training institutions have participated in skills training in accordance with international standards, under the guidance of Swiss experts. They have been certified and become trainers of the Swiss EHT programme. In the fourth quarter of 2024, the four institutions are expected to launch the first training courses with 15-20 students a class.

Ngo Thi Quynh Xuan, Principal of Saigon Tourism College – one of the four training institution, said that improving the quality of human resources is a long-term and sustainable direction for tourism development. When Vietnamese tourism personnel meet international standards, they will better meet the expectations of employers, as well as the job requirements of tourism service businesses.

The support from the Swiss side will help domestic tourism human resources reach higher international standards, thus meeting the needs of domestic and foreign labour markets, she added./.VNA