Helen talks Hilton training program

Jobs in Myanmar’s booming tourism sector are expected to increase to 424,450 in 2015. As outlined in the MoHT’s Tourism Masterplan, in a high growth scenario this number could reach as high as 1.49 million by 2020, a 351% increase in the size of the workforce over the next five years. Generally, tourism and hospitality offers enormous opportunity to Myanmar economically and to individuals looking to work in a dynamic, service-based sector.



But talent shortage is perhaps the single biggest challenge that businesses in Myanmar’s travel and hospitality industry are grappling with. While job opportunities abound, there is a dearth of skilled talent to fill available positions across different areas of hotel operations and management.



Hilton Worldwide entered Myanmar in 2014 and has two hotels in operation - Hilton Nay Pyi Taw and Hilton Resort & Spa Ngapali. It is set to open four more properties by 2019.



To drive sustainable talent development in Myanmar, Hilton Worldwide has just established the Hilton Vocational Training Center in Nay Pyi Taw. The first-of-its-kind facility set up by a hospitality group in Myanmar, the Hilton Vocational Training Center offers comprehensive training programs designed to develop the skills of local talent in such areas as food and beverage operations, front office, culinary, and housekeeping. It opened its doors early this month and welcomed its first batch of 40 hospitality management trainees.

Ms Helen Jacobe is the cluster GM of Hilton Naypyitaw and Hilton Resort and Spa Ngapali Myanmar and she talked Mizzima about the Hilton's plan for HR training program in Myanmar Hotel and tourism industry.