Talent City Grant Recipient Profile – Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC)
Talent City Vaughan is a first-of-its-kind municipal workforce development initiative that supports purpose-driven training initiatives across Vaughan. The 2024 cohort of grant recipients offers a host of in-demand training programs for Vaughan residents and employees of Vaughan-based businesses – like the Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC) De-Escalation training program!
The Program
OTEC’s De-escalation Series provides the tactics and skills to help mitigate challenging guest interactions and provide great service. With topics ranging from Conflict Management to Self-Care, this new series includes practical, instructor-led workshops and interactive and accessible eLearning courses to support a range of learning styles and approaches.
Conflict is an unavoidable aspect of human interaction, but how we respond to it can make all the difference. This is especially felt in the tourism and hospitality sector. Via this new program, OTEC will provide de-escalation training and coaching to several accommodation businesses in the Vaughan area, to support staff in being able to de-escalate tense customer interactions and equip them with the tools required to successfully cool down difficult situations that may arise.
About Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC)
Founded in 1991, the Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC) is an Ontario-based, independent, not-for-profit training, consulting, and workforce development organization that provides sector-based research, project management, workforce strategies, training development, and delivery throughout the workforce lifecycle. OTEC’s specialized expertise has driven its reputation as a leader in workforce development strategy, implementation, and job-based skills training for the tourism and hospitality sector.
Skills and labour challenges are among the most pressing issues faced by the tourism and hospitality industry. To address this, OTEC leads Tourism SkillsNet Ontario (TSNO) – an award-winning alliance focused on workforce development and programming at a local level. TSNO connects over 300 members from public, private, and non-profit organizations, building community partnerships, helping businesses access resources and training, and advocates for tourism and hospitality operators across the province. TSNO maintains strong ties with industry partners in the Vaughan community, such as Tourism Vaughan and Central Counties Tourism.
Are you a non-profit organization that offers upskilling or reskilling training? You can apply for a grant of up to $10,000 to run training programs for Vaughan residents or employees of Vaughan-based businesses. To learn more about Talent City Vaughan click the button below!