After two years of border closures, stay-at-home orders, and international travel restrictions, Singapore’s tourism industry is finally and cautiously on the mend.
The city is expecting up to 6 million visitors this year, following the reopening of its borders under the Vaccinated Travel Framework in April. In addition, industry experts are optimistic that tourism flows will recover to pre-pandemic levels between 2023 and 2024.
With the projected influx of tourists, people who have a passion for hospitality are invited to join the hotel industry. Find out how hotel employees can benefit from a wide range of career growth opportunities in the comic below.
Room for innovating and upskilling
Covid-19 was an opportunity for many sectors – particularly the hotel industry – to hit the reset button. Ms Margaret Heng, executive director of the Singapore Hotel Association, noted that hotels here have used the downtime during the pandemic to refurbish and innovate their services – be it through digital transformation, employee upskilling or job redesign – to cater to a new generation of travellers.
“A challenge that luxury hotels in Singapore face is a lack of local talent, particularly at the general manager level,” noted Mr Gino Tan, country general manager, The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts. “Hence, it is important to groom a pipeline of local talent.”
To help develop such talent, Workforce Singapore (WSG)’s Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs) are great gateways for those exploring job opportunities in the hotel industry. The CCPs provide structured on-the-job training plans that help job seekers reskill to take on new job roles.
The post-pandemic world presents many exciting changes for the hotel industry as operators are ramping up recruitment efforts while implementing new workplace initiatives to attract and retain key talent.
The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts, for instance, rehired former employees, revamped its referral incentive programme, and conducted a review of employee benefits vis-à-vis industry standards to offer competitive packages. In addition, high-performing talent are retained and promoted to senior leadership roles through The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts’ career development programmes. The hotel group also participates in outreach programmes at Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL) to recruit and train persons with disability.
Mid-career individuals interested in joining the hotel industry with no relevant experience can apply for WSG's CCP for Hotel Professionals. The three-month programme will provide employers with wage support while the individuals undergo on-the-job training.
Ready, Reset, Go with WSG! Explore new opportunities and kickstart your new career today. Visit www.wsg.gov.sg/explorecareers-hotel to find out more.
