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Make Tourism more hospitable to staff by investing in them.

Meet TIAO's Tourism Workforce Sustainability Program (TWSP)

Designed to expand and diversify Ontario's tourism workforce
Help businesses and the industry reduce volatility by retaining employees long-term.
Tourism Workforce Sustainability Program (TWSP)
Delivered by TiAO
Training by OTEC
About the program
Today's workplace trends and shifts come faster and more often.
And the vague sense that we need to evolve our practices to stay current and mitigate friction only adds to our workload and stress.
Training for the win
Training in the pragmatic soft skills needed today sends current and prospective employees the message that you're investing in their growth.

Increase morale and loyalty, which leads to retention.

Up-skilling is a win for employers, employees, and customers.
Even better news – it’s free
Employer and employee participants in the TWSP program gain free access to OTEC's engaging training.

Based on adult learning principles
  • Designed to create participative, engaging, real-world experiences

  • Flipped Classroom (discussion forward)

  • Safe learning environment


Experienced staff
  • 30 years of Industry experience
  • Entrepreneurship experience
  • Led by academics
“OTEC's engaging, relatable training provided our employees with tangible takeaways to put into practice immediately.”
— People and Culture Manager, Metro Toronto Convention Centre
Free
OTEC Training Courses
Fun, engaging ways to absorb important lessons – all free to TWSP participants.
For Staff + Managers
Inclusive Service Excellence
What you'll learn
Two interactive 3-hour and 30-minute virtual workshop gives front-line service professionals the tools and tactics to make service level, inclusion & diversity, and customer centricity their superpower.
Two, 3 hour Instructor-led workshops

Part A: January 22, 9:30AM - 12:30PM
Part B: January 26, 1:30PM - 4:30PM
Register!
For Staff + Managers
Creating Service Cultures
What you'll learn
Combines ideas from 3 OTEC courses:

– Stress Management: Knowing how to manage stress can improve your health, quality of life, and well-being. This interactive workshop explores the impact of stress on our bodies, minds, and spirits, and introduces strategies to manage its effects in the workplace and in daily life.

– Self Care: Although we may realize that self-care is important for our wellbeing, many of us make excuses or find it difficult to overcome barriers to adapting personal self-care practices. Discover how self-care can positively impact our health and well-being, and practice how to set personal goals for ongoing self-care during difficult times.

– Emotional Intelligence: Success in today’s workplace requires more than technical skills. Your EQ matters too! Understanding your Emotional Intelligence – also known as EQ – can help you become more self-aware, manage your emotions and build better relationships. This introductory course on Emotional Intelligence will teach you how to harness your EQ to reduce stress, enhance communication and improve job satisfaction.

Flipped Classroom Model Format!
Do some light reading first, then go deep in an instructor led session!
E-Lessons (5-min each)
  • 10 short, enjoyable, and informative emails designed to take no more than 5 minutes to absorb. Each ending with a link to further information for those who want to learn more.


Webinars (45-min each)
  • Self Care:
    March 12, 12PM - 12:45PM

  • Stress Management:
    March 18, 10AM - 10:45AM

  • Emotional Intelligence:
    March 19, 2PM - 2:45PM

For Managers
Managing with Sensitivity
What you'll learn
Topics covered include prevention techniques to address:

Employees and visitors who come through our organization's doors have the right to expect a safe environment where they can be their whole selves, free from discrimination and harassment. Delivering on this expectation is a collective responsibility, but managers and supervisors play a pivotal role. Managing with Sensitivity provides thorough, practical lessons for handling sensitivity issues with care and empathy to create a safe workplace for employees and customers.

Flipped Classroom Model Format!
Do some light reading first, then go deep in an instructor led session!
E-Lessons (5-min each)
  • 10 short, enjoyable, and informative emails designed to take no more than 5 minutes to absorb. Each ending with a link to further information for those who want to learn more.


Webinars (45-min each)
  • Discrimination & Harassment Prevention in the Workplace
    March 26, 10AM - 10:45AM

  • Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace
    March 27, 12PM - 12:45PM

  • Support Diverse Customers and Colleagues
    March 28, 2PM - 2:45PM

For Staff + Managers, Indigenous + Non-Indigenous Learners
In the Spirit of Reconciliation
One half-day workshop led by Indigenous facilitators and leaders – Indigenous Peoples are the original hosts of this land, and with that comes opportunities for cultural preservation, honouring cultural authenticity, encouraging reconciliation, and creating social, economic, environmental and cultural benefits for communities.
Format – TBD
Timing – TBD
Launch Early 2024