Project Completion Report

SECTION A: Project profile

Project number & title:APEC TWG 02 2015: Developing the Tourism Workforce of the Future through Labour and Skills Development, Certification and Mobility in the APEC Region

Project time period: 2015 - 2017 Date submitted:

27/06/2017

Committee / WG / Fora: APEC Tourism Working Group

Project Overseer Name / Organization / Economy:

Melanie Crosswell, Director Services and Tourism Exports, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia

SECTION B: Project report and reflection

1. Project description: In 3-4 sentences, please describe the project and its main objectives.The project provides in-depth analysis of key trends, issues and opportunities in relation to tourism skills shortages, industry perceptions, recruitment, retention and labour mobility in the APEC region.

The project objectives were to: a) identify tourism workforce gaps and assess opportunities to address these gaps; b) explore barriers to increasing tourism labour mobility, career pathways, retention and skills development across the APEC region, especially for young people, women and SMEs; c) identify best practice in recruitment, career pathways, retention, skills development, labour mobility and workforce planning. The methodology included: a) an extensive literature review/desktop audit; b) a survey of the twenty-one member economies across Government, industry and academia (with 335 responses; 60% from non-English speaking participants); c) a workshop with industry leaders; and d) case studies of member economies.

2. Meeting objectives: Describe how the project met each of its proposed objectives. Please outline any challenges you may have encountered in delivering the activity.

All project objectives were achieved. The final report provides analysis and recommendations around the themes of: evolving skills challenges for the tourism workforce; industry perceptions among employees and career pathways; encouraging tourism SMEs to invest in training; strengthening links between education and the tourism industry; migration and skills recognition; and, issues for women and youth in tourism.

There were some challenges initially in obtaining workable response rates to the survey, recruiting participants for the workshop in Kokopo, Papua New Guinea (due to cost and logistical concerns), and in receiving timely input for the case studies. The keynote speaker, Mr David Dodwell, Executive Director Hong Kong-APEC Trade Policy Group, was unable to attend the workshop at the last minute, due to a flight cancellation and no alternative existing flights. There was also some reluctance from one economy to endorse the report, on the basis that endorsement could be perceived as a binding agreement to the recommendations. After appropriate measures were taken by the project consultants and Project Overseer, these challenges were overcome and the project has been successfully delivered and endorsed by the APEC TWG.

3. Evaluation: Describe the process undertaken to evaluate the project upon completion. (e.g. evaluation through participant surveys, peer reviews of outputs, assessments against indicators, statistics demonstrating use of outputs etc.). Provide analysis of results of evaluations conducted and where possible include information on impacts on gender. Evaluation data needs to be included as an appendix.

Three months following the report, a tracer email is expected to be sent to participants and stakeholders to test how the report has influenced policy and actions in relevant bodies. The results of this effort will be made available to the TWG.

The project has set benchmarks for participation from women and youth. It was originally envisaged that survey respondents would be invited to make submissions in the five years following publication to report on whether the recommendations have had any impact. However, given the expected mobility of respondents during a five-year

period and the loss of contacts, the Project Overseer recommends inviting submissions from participants one year following the publication of the report.

A separate evaluation of the Kokopo workshop was undertaken by the project consultants – results of the evaluation are at Appendix A.

4. Output indicators: Describe the main project outputs below. This may include workshops, tools, research papers, reports, recommendations, best practices, action plans..

Indicators (Edit or Insert rows as needed)

# planned # actual Details or notes

# workshops alongside APEC TWG 49 Papua New

Guinea

1 1

Please see Appendix A for further information.

# participants (M/F)# economies attending

# speakers engaged# other organizations

engaged# publications distributed

120hardcopies

120hardcopies

Distributed to Australian stakeholders and all APEC economies, with multiple copies going to developing APEC economies. To date (21 July 2017), the report has been accessed 1,593 times via the APEC TWG website.)

# recommendations agreed on

The report was endorsed by all 21-member economies at the APEC TWG 50 in Viet Nam on 25 February 2017.

Other:Presentation on the report’s

findings and recommendations at APEC

TWG 50

1

The consultants were invited to present the report at TWG 50 where the presentation and report were well received.

5. Outcomes: Describe any specific medium-term changes to policy, processes or behaviour that can be attributed to result from this activity. Please include details on: What indicators were used to measure medium-term impact? (Example indicators: type/number of

policies/ regulations/processes changed, % of businesses conforming to new standards, change in sector’s commercial activity, # individual action plans developed, # agencies using resource or tools etc.)

Monitoring plans in place and proposed indicators to measure impacts, including any impacts on gender. Please summarise relevant information.

As noted above (at 3) a tracer email will be sent to participants and stakeholders to test how the report has influenced policy and actions in relevant bodies. The results of this effort will be made available to the TWG. Survey respondents will be invited to make submissions one year following publication to report on impacts, including on women and youth.

6. Participants (compulsory for events): Must be gender-aggregated. May be included as appendix.

Please refer to Appendix A.

Comments: What was the approach undertaken for participant nomination/selection and targeting? Please provide details. What follow-up actions are expected? How will participants/beneficiaries continue to be engaged and supported to progress this work?

Economies were invited to self-nominate to provide case studies. The economies that provided useful examples during meetings, interviews and surveys were approached to be included in the case studies in the final report.

7. Key findings: Describe 1-3 examples of key findings, challenges or success stories arising from the project (e.g. research or case studies results, policy recommendations, roadblocks to progress on an issue, impacts on gender).

Key findings, challenges and opportunities are included at Appendix B.

The project informed the APEC Occupational Framework: Test in the Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Industry led by Peru in the TWG and Australia in the HRDWG. This project is focused on developing occupational standards to support the industry relevant training of workers across APEC.

8. Next steps: Describe any planned follow-up steps or projects, such as workshops, post-activity evaluations, or research to assess the impact of this activity. How will the indicators from Question 5 be tracked? How will this activity inform any future APEC activities?

As noted above (at 3 and 5) a tracer email will be sent to participants and stakeholders to test how the report has influenced policy and actions in relevant bodies. Survey respondents will be invited to make submissions in the five years following publication to report on impacts, including on women and youth.

9. Feedback for the Secretariat: Do you have suggestions for more effective support by APEC fora or the Secretariat? Any assessment of consultants, experts or other stakeholders to share? The Secretariat examines feedback trends to identify ways to improve our systems.

It would be useful for the Project Overseer to be included in the evaluation of consultants’ responses to the request for proposals to make sure the proposals align with the project proposal requirements.

SECTION C: Budget

Attach a detailed breakdown of the APEC-provided project budget, including: Planned costs: (using most recently approved budget figures) Actual expenditures Variance notes: An explanation of any budget line under- or over-spent by 20% or more.

Please see Appendix C.

SECTION D: Appendices

Please attach the following documentation to the report as required. Note that the participant contact list is a mandatory requirement for all Project completion reports.

Appendices Notes Participant contact list: contact info, gender, job titles (mandatory) Appendix A Experts / consultants list: contact info, job titles, roles, gender Appendix A Event Agenda Appendix A

Reports, websites or resources created: links or soft copies

Report can be accessed online at: http://publications.apec.org/publication-detail.php?pub_id=1837

Post activity survey or other evaluation data (raw and/or aggregated) Appendix A Other information or resources - Challenges, opportunities,

recommendationsAppendix B

FOR APEC SECRETARIAT USE ONLY APEC comments: Were APEC project guidelines followed? Could the project have been managed more effectively or easily by the PO?

APPENDIX A

Kokopo Workshop (TWG 49) – Participant list, expert list, agenda, survey/evaluation

Participant list

Kokopo Workshop (TWG 49) – experts/consultants

APEC TWG49 Workshop - 30 August 2016 Kokopo, Papua New Guinea - APEC Funded Expert List

Name of expert Economy

Organisation Title email address

Dr Cecilia Nembou

PNG Divine Word University

President cnembou@gmail.com P. O Box 582, KONEDOBU, NCD 111, Papua New Guinea.

Mr Mark Olsen Australia EarthCheck General Manager, Consulting

mark.olsen@earthcheck.org Level 11, 30 Makerston Street, Brisbane 4000

Dr Andreas Chai Australia Griffith Business School, Griffith University

Senior Lecturer in Economics, Director of the Economic Policy Analysis Program

a.chai@griffith.edu.au Gold Coast Campus Griffith University, Qld, 4222

Prof Kate Hutchings

Australia Department of Employment Relations and Human Resources, Griffith University

Professor of Human Resource Management

k.hutchings@griffith.edu.au Gold Coast Campus Griffith University, Qld, 4222

Mr Gard Renson PNG East New Britain Tourism Authority

Executive Director

grenson@enbtourism.org.pg East New Britain Provincial Government, PO Box 714, Rabaul

Mr Jackson Zabala

PNG (1) PNG Tourism Promotion Board(2) Lamana Group

(1) Board member(2) Commercial Manager - Projects

jackson@lamana.com.pg LAMANA GROUP | Level 1, Sec. 390, Lot 23, Waigani City Centre

Ms Yasmin King Australia SkillsIQ Chief Executive Officer

yasmin.king@skillsiq.com.au GPO Box 4194 Sydney NSW 2001 Australia

Kokopo Workshop (TWG 49) – Workshop agenda

ONE DAY STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP TO SUPPORT APEC PROJECT:

TWG 02 2015

‘DEVELOPING THE TOURISM WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE THROUGH LABOUR AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, CERTIFICATION AND MOBILITY IN THE APEC REGION’

DRAFT AGENDA @ 29.7.16

Tuesday, 30 August 2016

Conference Rooms – Gazelle International Hotel

Kokopo, New Britain, Papua New Guinea

Time Topic

8:30am Arrival and Registration

9:00am – 9:20am Opening Remarks and Introductions

9:20-10:00am

Preliminary findings: Developing the Tourism Workforce of the Future through Labour and Skills Development, Certification and Mobility in the APEC Region’

including Q&A

10:00am Morning Tea

10:15-10:55amPanel Discussion:

Labour Shortages in Tourism

11:00-12:00pmPanel Discussion:

Women and Youth in the Tourism Workforce in APEC

12:00pm Lunch

1:30pm Panel Discussion: Training and Skills Certification

2:30pm Afternoon Tea

2:45-3:15pm

Key Note: Tourism Workforce Labour and Skills Development in the APEC Region

Including Q &A

3:15-4:15pm

Breakout Session A

Labour mobility and migration

Breakout Session B

Staff Recruitment and Retention & SMEs

4:15-4:30pm Concluding Remarks

4:30-4:40pm Wrap Up and Evaluations

4:45pm CLOSE

Workshop evaluation

APPENDIX B

Challenges, opportunities and recommendations from the report

APPENDIX C

Budget: projected and actual