Skills training for the hospitality sector

VISION

Bergzicht’s vision is to be the leading South African training provider for semi-skilled and unemployed adults in selected vocational areas, resulting in the holistic development of socially and economically productive citizens.

OVERVIEW

Bergzicht is dedicated to poverty alleviation through skills development for marginalised people. The organisation offers unemployed and semi-skilled people accredited, innovative and affordable learning opportunities and empowers them to secure living-wage employment or to start their own business.

The Bergzicht Catercare training programme is designed to prepare individuals for a wide spectrum of jobs in the hospitality and tourism industry. This includes training in food preparation and food service skills for jobs as kitchen assistants, guest house workers, wine stewards and waiters at restaurants, hotels, guest houses, coffee shops, takeaways and home industries. Training will be implemented in four cycles with 10 beneficiaries per cycle over one year. While the course is fully sponsored, learners will be required to pay a nominal registration fee of R70 as indication of their commitment.

WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THIS PROJECT

• Bergzicht is accredited with the Services SETA, and their facilitators are registered assessors in their own right.
• Bergzicht has dedicated staff to assist all learners to be placed in formal employment after they finish their course.
• The course content of the Catercare course is regularly updated and refined based on regular interaction and feedback with industry stakeholders including prospective employers.
• Many of their former beneficiaries have been able to achieve success and growth in the industry.

EXPECTED LIFE CHANGE

An investment of R561,450 will enable Bergzicht to conduct training and provide an opportunity for 40 learners to gain practical experience within the industry and once they complete the course place them in jobs within the tourism and hospitality sector so that they can support their families.

Estimated cost per life change at R 2,334 per participant.

NEED

Bergzicht is situated in Stellenbosch, the heart of the Cape winelands, a hub for both the tourism and hospitality industries. Stellenbosch has a marked unemployment problem, magnified by the huge divide between the very rich and the very poor. In poorer areas such as Kayamandi, only 12% of the population have an income in excess of R1,000 per month and 40% live on less than R500 per month. Unemployment has been estimated to be between 40% and 60% in some parts of the Stellenbosch area.

The employment opportunities that are available if one possesses the necessary skill set can change lives. Employed people often not only support themselves, but several dependents as well. Bergzicht has identified the need for skilled and knowledgeable employees in the hospitality sector and the need for employment as potentially complementary, and seeks to provide the training that will address both sets of needs.

STRATEGY

Bergzicht management and facilitators offer a comprehensive life skills programme as a prerequisite for their vocational training, which affords beneficiaries a greater chance of retaining employment. The Home Management course is the foundational course which is the basis for all follow-up courses offered by Bergzicht, of which Catercare is one. Learners are not only provided with job-related skills, but also with with various life skills, including money matters and work ethic. Each year a series of consultative meetings are held with prospective employers for each type of course to ensure that the course content covers the core skills required by employers.

Bergzicht shares its knowledge and training materials by offering support and short courses to other organizations and individuals who wish to offer Bergzicht training courses in their respective areas. An associates programme has been set up which is managed internally by one of the trainers. Bergzicht has 13 official associates situated around the country, including the Eden School of Culinary Arts in George, and has provided assistance to many more on an informal basis.

ACTION PLAN

Preparation

The screening of beneficiaries for the Catercare course occurs once beneficiaries have completed the compulsory Home Management foundation course. Beneficiaries are selected on the basis of a second interview and their Home Management course records.

Implementation

The Catercare course runs over 12 weeks and covers topics such as food preparation, food service and a practical work element for four weeks at a local establishment. The practical work element is structured as an internship with the owner of the establishment, who is briefed on the course content that needs to be covered during the learner’s in-service training. This ensures that business owners have a clear understanding of what to expect from the trainees.

Bergzicht assists learners to find suitable employment in various sectors of the industry once they have completed their training. Bergzicht has a dedicated in-house Placement Bureau and a placement officer, who is responsible for this task.

Beneficiaries are mainly placed in restaurants, coffee shops and guest houses in the Stellenbosch area and mostly in the capacity of waiters or housekeepers. For the most part students are placed in a permanent capacity, with a one to three month probation period.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The employment status of all beneficiaries who request job placement is kept on the Centre’s database together with employment position and employment details. Once beneficiaries are employed further tracking occurs on an ad hoc basis and the onus falls on beneficiaries themselves to update the Centre on their current situation.

ORGANISATION ASSESSMENT

Bergzicht Training has a clear definition and expression of their reason for existence which reflects the organisation’s purpose and values. Bergzicht’s strategy is to offer beneficiaries practical and employable skills which will enable them to enter the workplace as quickly as possible. In addition, the organisation contributes to the body of knowledge and sharing of best practice within the sector through its participation in a number of networking forums.

The board and management of the Bergzicht training centre have a clear understanding of what resources are needed to function optimally and deliver on their social mission. The current management staff is highly qualified and capable of keeping operations at optimal levels. The board is accessible and offers specialist knowledge when requested.

The organisation has a number of income generation activities; however none are profitable at this stage. The Heerenhuys Conference Facility, which is owned by Bergzicht provides income for the organisation while also providing an opportunity for in-service training for the home management and Catercare students. The membership fees and placement fees generate a small income, albeit too little to contribute significantly to the running of the organization.

RISK PROFILE - Low

Key strengths

• Concept: The training programme aims to provide practical training tailored to the needs of employers in the sector. Regular engagement with stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industry ensures that the organisation has an in depth understanding of the industry
• Design: The courses are aligned to existing unit standards for the sector and combine theoretical learning with a practical component.
• Capability: Management has the necessary skills and commitment to enable the effective running of the programme.
• Sustainability: The dedication of the organisation to finding employment for beneficiaries ensures that the programme will have a lasting impact that goes beyond the content of the training.
• External: The hospitality industry is a growing sector in South Africa particularly with the FIFA World Cup next year.

Key risks

• Design: Although the unit standards of course materials are aligned, these materials are not accredited. This means learners complete a portfolio of evidence but no credits are awarded. The full length of the course (which is about five months in total including the prerequisite Home management) means that there could be a disparity between the more immediate needs of beneficiaries and the length required to complete the training and begin working.
• Control: Follow-up of beneficiaries once they complete their training is not structured and tends to occur on an ad hoc basis.
• External: The economic recession could impact negatively on the tourism and hospitality sector resulting in a reduction in work and internship opportunities for beneficiaries.