BUSINESSES in the Tees Valley are about to be offered training facilities in the rapidly growing tourism and hospitality sector.
A project piloted by the Tees Valley Development Company (TVDC) is to provide a wide range of subsidised training courses covering everything from customer care to food hygiene.
It is in response to a survey conducted by the TVDC of small to medium-sized businesses working in tourism and hospitality which identified a need to invest in staff.
The project is being funded by the Tees Valley Learning and Skills Council and the European Social Fund.
Bespoke training will be provided by a range of organisations including colleges in Stockton, Hartlepool and Redcar.
Councillor Bob Gibson, chairman of the TVDC, said: "Visitors to the Tees Valley spend £393m a year, supporting more than 14,000 jobs in the area.
"If we are to maximise any future potential for tourism growth, we need high quality facilities and high quality staff.
"Our aim is to give smaller companies, who form the backbone of our local tourism industry, access to the kind of training that will improve their business performance, develop the potential of their staff and make the Tees Valley a place more people will want to visit."
* For information about training, contact Jez Davison at Tees Valley Tourism Bureau, on (01642) 862011.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article