Developing Industry Relevant Skills: Stirling’s Tourism Programme

Developing Industry Developing Industry Relevant Skills: Stirling’s Relevant Skills: Stirling’s

Tourism Programme Tourism Programme

Dr Joanne ConnellDr Joanne Connell

Department of MarketingDepartment of Marketing

Ethos of the ProgrammeEthos of the Programme Academically sound and industry-focused, Academically sound and industry-focused,

providing a business degree with a flavour of providing a business degree with a flavour of tourismtourism

The programme promotes an international The programme promotes an international perspective perspective andand a focus on the Scottish a focus on the Scottish economy, reflecting:economy, reflecting: the Scottish Enterprise initiative that funded the the Scottish Enterprise initiative that funded the

development of tourism at Stirling, and;development of tourism at Stirling, and; the continuing relationship with Scottish Enterprise the continuing relationship with Scottish Enterprise

and other public sector agencies. Such agencies play and other public sector agencies. Such agencies play a key role in the programme, through a combination a key role in the programme, through a combination of guest lectures and practical support with of guest lectures and practical support with coursework and dissertations.coursework and dissertations.

Employability: Tourism GraduatesEmployability: Tourism Graduates

According to the QAA, Tourism Management According to the QAA, Tourism Management degrees should: degrees should: enable students to demonstrate vocationally relevant enable students to demonstrate vocationally relevant

managerial skills and knowledge by exposure to managerial skills and knowledge by exposure to professional practice;professional practice;

evaluate and apply vocationally relevant concepts evaluate and apply vocationally relevant concepts associated with the operational and strategic associated with the operational and strategic management of resources.management of resources.

Develop understanding and application of Develop understanding and application of concepts to applied project work, in conjunction concepts to applied project work, in conjunction with professional practice in tourism. with professional practice in tourism.

Stimulating EmployabilityStimulating Employability

Knowledge and understanding

Intellectual skills

Subject practical skills

Transferable skills

Communicate ideas

Manage resources

Team work

Work to a brief

Work independently

Use IT

Self-confidence

Research techniques

Simulated and real-life projects

Work with different audiences

Principles, models and concepts

Subject-specific knowledge

Analysis, interpretation, synthesis

Evaluation and critical review

Application of concepts

Stimulating EmployabilityStimulating Employability

Apart from the introductory module, the exam Apart from the introductory module, the exam format has been discarded in favour of a format has been discarded in favour of a proactive student-focused approach to proactive student-focused approach to assessing student understanding and assessing student understanding and performance; performance;

The opportunity for project work with a range of The opportunity for project work with a range of external organisations is commended in student external organisations is commended in student evaluations and external examiner reports by evaluations and external examiner reports by supporting learning and skills acquisition. supporting learning and skills acquisition.

Components of the Programme Components of the Programme Contributing to EmployabilityContributing to Employability

Core modulesCore modules Learning and teaching Learning and teaching

methodsmethods Staff/industry linksStaff/industry links Industry contributionIndustry contribution

guest lecturesguest lectures visitsvisits workshopsworkshops

Blend of academic excellence Blend of academic excellence and practical involvement: and practical involvement: ‘keeping it real’‘keeping it real’

Example:Example:

Tourism Operations ManagementTourism Operations Management

Identification of business Identification of business opportunities and development opportunities and development of a business planof a business plan

Collaboration with SEFVCollaboration with SEFV Tourism business training Tourism business training

workshopworkshop Presentation of business planPresentation of business plan

Projects with External Bodies Projects with External Bodies

Development of a Development of a business idea and business plan with assistance from with assistance from Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley

Developing a Developing a sustainable tourism plansustainable tourism plan for Loch Lomond and the for Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority Developing an Trossachs National Park Authority Developing an events strategyevents strategy for for Dunblane Forum’s Tourism GroupDunblane Forum’s Tourism Group

Planning and organising an eventPlanning and organising an event in collaboration with the macrobert arts in collaboration with the macrobert arts centre (45T7: 2005/6);centre (45T7: 2005/6);

DissertationsDissertations in conjunction with external agencies include: in conjunction with external agencies include: study of the organisation of VisitScotland’s study of the organisation of VisitScotland’s TIC networkTIC network (2005); (2005); evaluation of evaluation of community-based tourismcommunity-based tourism in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs

National Park (2005);National Park (2005); the effectiveness of the the effectiveness of the Green Tourism Business SchemeGreen Tourism Business Scheme (2005); (2005); study of study of lifestyle entrepreneurslifestyle entrepreneurs (with VisitScotland Borders region) (2006); (with VisitScotland Borders region) (2006);

Components of the Programme Components of the Programme Contributing to EmployabilityContributing to Employability

Tourism and Leisure Event Tourism and Leisure Event Management Management

Create, plan, organise and Create, plan, organise and stage a live charity event as stage a live charity event as part of the assessment to:part of the assessment to:

develop a practical insight into develop a practical insight into and skills in staging an event;and skills in staging an event;

develop student skills in develop student skills in planning, negotiation, time planning, negotiation, time management, creativity, management, creativity, communication and communication and organisation;organisation;

Small team approach to Small team approach to simulate event management simulate event management context;context;

Dedicated roles, e.g. Project Dedicated roles, e.g. Project Manager, HR, PR, Venue Manager, HR, PR, Venue Liaison, Front-of-House Liaison, Front-of-House

EmployabilityEmployability

Professional Professional and and

industry-relevant industry-relevant skillsskills

Communication Communication and and

presentation presentation skillsskills

Planning and Planning and time time

management management skillsskills

EventsEvents

Student commentsStudent comments

“A steep but extremely interesting learning curve!!”

“We have had so much fun and learned so much. This kind of knowledge can not be learned through reading and writing”.

“My absolute best unit ever since I came to Stirling Uni four years ago!”

“The module was well organised and we had experts and advisors available to us. The guest lectures were helpful and interesting”.

“Fantastic unit which stimulated a lot!!”

Module EvaluationModule Evaluation

Graduate DestinationsGraduate Destinations

Examples of 2005 graduates:Examples of 2005 graduates:

Assistant Manager, National Wallace Assistant Manager, National Wallace MonumentMonument

Business Adviser, SE Edinburgh and Business Adviser, SE Edinburgh and LothiansLothians

Audit Team, Green Tourism Business Audit Team, Green Tourism Business SchemeScheme

Managerial positions in hotel and cateringManagerial positions in hotel and catering

SummarySummary

Student engagement with industry and Student engagement with industry and industry-relevant skills industry-relevant skills

Forging links with potential employers Forging links with potential employers early onearly on

Creating a link between theory and on the Creating a link between theory and on the ground issues - identify the relevance and ground issues - identify the relevance and allow the students to experience it for allow the students to experience it for themselvesthemselves