COVID-19 and the uncertainties that have surrounded the hospitality sector over the last couple of years have cause detrimental effects. With more than 30% of employees in the sector choosing alternative pathways to pursue employment. This has led to over 200,000 job vacancies within restaurants, hotels and motels by the end of 2021. The desperate cry for labour, to replenish the workforce is at an utmost importance to recover from the pandemic.
The Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA) have taken the initiative of being a forefront leader in assisting employers within the industry in finding great qualified employees to build that long term sustainable relationships. Through the Government of Ontario’s Skills Development Fund and in partnership with Employment Ontario, and workplace training provider HT Hospitality Training Inc., we present the “Passport to Hospitality Work Prosperity” program.
The Passport to Hospitality Prosperity program offers job seekers the opportunity to participate in 9 weeks of virtual classroom learning and certification through HT Hospitality Inc.
Participants will have the opportunity to go through courses such as, Smart Serve, Food Handler Safety Certification, CPR & First Aid, AODA, Canadian Workplace Essentials, Customer Service Skills and many more targeted specific courses. After the 9 weeks of learning, employers will participate as a partner in the program by offering 3 weeks of paid work-integrated learning experiences.
The advantages for employers to participate and become industry partners on the Passport to Hospitality Prosperity program includes a 50% wage subsidy offer, for participant’s 3 weeks of work-integrated on the job learning. This provides temporary relief of labour shortages for a business, and the increased potential to hire qualified participants of the program immediately after the 3 week placement.
The program, Passport to Hospitality Prosperity runs 36 cohorts of no more than 20 participants per cohort, from June 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023. ORHMA is looking to place 540 participants from the program into 3 weeks of work-integrated learning experiences across the province in restaurants, hotels and motels. Is your business in need of help? Are you short staffed and needing qualified individuals to fill those roles? Join ORMHA as an industry partner in the Passport to Hospitality Work Prosperity program and let’s reduce the number of vacant roles in the hospitality sector.
If you are interested in becoming one of our industry partners for the Passport to Hospitality Work Prosperity program, please reach out to Lora Zeldin at
lzeldin@orhma.com or Leni Brem at
lbrem@orhma.com.