Higher Certificate in Tourism and Hospitality in the Accommodation Sector

Purpose

The aim of the Higher Certificate in Tourism and Hospitality, with specialisation in the accommodation sector, is to equip learners with knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that will enable them to become confident and independent and to be able to make responsible contributions to the ever changing industry of Tourism and Hospitality.

The purpose of this qualification is to teach learners

• To address the growing interest from the public in Tourism and Hospitality.
• To apply their knowledge and skills so that they can become valuable human resource assets to the accommodation sector of the growing Tourism and Hospitality industry.
• To contribute their values and attitudes to the benefit of their co-workers and the social environment.
• To apply their acquired Tourism and Hospitality knowledge and skills ethically and responsibly.
• To analyse and interpret information in order to make informed decisions.
• To communicate effectively in the business environment.
• To understand and participate in activities that will promote effective business relations.
• To demonstrate the ability to manage and organise themselves effectively within the context of their field of study.
• To represent the accommodation sector in the Tourism and Hospitality industry with their theoretical and vocational knowledge and skills.
• The theory and practice required as a foundation in the field of Tourism and Hospitality and its associated professional bodies.
• To function in the vocational areas of the accommodation sector in the Tourism and Hospitality industry, to meet the high standards and the requirements set by the industry and to be able to compete nationally and internationally.

Rationale

The Higher Certificate in Tourism and Hospitality is specifically designed for young adults wishing to enter the industry and who aspire for a management career in this industry. The qualification offers learners an academic education together with core competency training. It can also benefit people looking to obtain the necessary specialised knowledge when considering opening their own business.

The tourism industry is one of the only sectors in the South African economy which shows a constant year on year growth. It is thus an expanding industry with lots of opportunities. It creates jobs and attracts constantly new employees.

Many tourism qualifications focus only on tourism managerial aspects and not as such on the operational aspects. This qualification covers both aspects. The qualification seems to be unique as not a lot of qualifications seem to cover tourism and hospitality, as well as operations and management aspects in one qualification.

During the course of this qualification, learners will develop skills, alongside extensive travel, tourism and hospitality knowledge that they will be able to apply in a number of professional roles across a wide range of industries. This certificate will open up a vast range of professional opportunities such as to start a career as a switchboard operator, receptionist, reservationist, guest relations officer, housekeeper, food and beverage attendant or a conference/banquet attendant in the accommodation sector in the Tourism and Hospitality industry, and even later to become a Business Development Executive, Hotel Manager, Travel Consultant, Operations Manager, Tour Manager, and Travel Agency Manager.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Learning that has been acquired through formal, informal and non-formal means is recognised for the fulfilment of the requirements of this qualification or part of the qualification. It is required that through assessment practices, the learner should demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in this qualification. Recognition of Prior Learning is performed by means of an Integrated Assessment.

This Recognition of Prior Learning may allow for accelerated access to further learning. All recognition of Prior Learning is subject to quality assurance by the relevant accredited Education and Training Quality Assurance Body and is conducted by a registered workplace assessor.

The purpose of RPL is to recognise all forms of prior learning in order to

• Widen access to Higher Education through admission to qualifications;
• Grant advanced placement;
• Facilitate mobility and progression within the career paths and qualifications.

The following quality assurance standards are explained with regards to the implementation for access and admissions

Academic standards

• Credit is awarded for competence (demonstrated learning) only, not for experience.
• Competence refers to the ability to act in ways that reflect internalised knowledge, skills and attitudes which are best described in terms of four kinds of competence: foundational, practical, reflexive and applied competence.
• Credit is awarded only for learning that is aligned to the learning outcomes of the qualification.
• Credit is awarded only for learning that has a balance between theory and practical application, appropriate to the module.
• Credit is awarded only for learning that has the required breadth and depth of the module to the minimum level of competence.
• Appropriate subject matter and academic experts with assessment experience determine competence levels and credit awards.
• Credits must be appropriate to qualification in which they are accepted, and make a clear link between the career path and the learning outcomes of the qualification.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 4 qualification.

Or

• National Senior Certificate granting access to Higher Certificate studies.

Or

• National Certificate (Vocational), NQF Level 4, granting access to Higher Certificate studies.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 5 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules,120 Credits

• Rooms Division Operations, 30 Credits.
• Basic Conferencing Skills, 10 Credits.
• South African Tourism, 20 Credits.
• Food and Beverage Skills, 20 Credits.
• Food and Beverage Preparation, 20 Credits.
• Experiential Learning, 20 Credits.

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the main areas within the accommodation sector of the Tourism and Hospitality industry including front office, housekeeping, conferencing, food and beverage and general knowledge of South African tourism.
2. Understand key terms, concepts, laws, principles, rules and theories in the Tourism and Hospitality industry.
3. Know and understand the principles and practice of client relations and service standards and how it relates to the Tourism industry and its demands.
4. Understand the operation, functions and applications of both the practical and academic aspects of the industry.
5. Evaluate, select and apply of appropriate Tourism and Hospitality operations techniques and skills according to particular industry accepted methods, policies and procedures within the context of client relations.
6. Identify and deal with challenges in an unfamiliar industrial field related to the accommodation sector in the Tourism and Hospitality industry.
7. Apply known theory and skills to solve unfamiliar problems within the context.
8. Recognise when problems fall outside their scope of practice and know who to refer it to.
9. Make decisions and act with full cognisance of ethical implications such as intellectual property issues, privacy, copyright and confidentiality within the context of the Tourism and Hospitality profession, including the optimum and correct application and use of appropriate computer software, proprietary processes and data management and security.
10. Evaluate appropriateness of different sources of information such as the quality and legitimacy of open source information pertaining to the Tourism and Hospitality industry, such as the evaluation of internet and textbooks.
11. Adequately select the most appropriate information related to the task and to apply well-developed processes of analysis, synthesis and evaluation based on acquired appropriate information.
12. Draw up a project or task proposal with effective designs and a product report with operational instructions that will communicate the design and complex management systems to a colleague and/or client.
13. Compare and evaluate systems operating within a specific context and indicate the relationships (present and absent) that characterise different tourism service systems and their potential impact on each other. Suggest appropriate actions to address identified problems.
14. Apply criteria pertaining to tourism service systems to accurately identify and address their own task-specific learning needs in a given context and support the learning needs of others.
15. Effectively complete group tasks identified by a competent team and/or industry. Take responsibility for their own decisions and actions and those of others in the group. Apply and utilise resources showing a high level of responsibility.

The following Associated Assessment criteria will be applied in an integrated manner across the Exit Level Outcomes

• Demonstrate an informed understanding of the core areas, disciplines and practices in the Tourism and Hospitality in the Accommodation Sector, as well as an informed understanding of the key terms, concepts, facts, general principles, rules and theories of this field.
• Demonstrate an awareness of how knowledge develops and evolves within Tourism and Hospitality in the Accommodation Sector.
• Select and apply standard methods, procedures and techniques within the Tourism and Hospitality Accommodation Sector, and to plan, manage and implement a process within a well-defined, familiar and supported environment.
• Identify, evaluate and solve defines, routine and new problems within the Accommodation Sector of Tourism and Hospitality, and to apply solutions based on relevant evidence and procedures or other forms of explanation appropriate to this field, by also demonstrating the consequences.
• Take account of, and act in accordance with prescribed Tourism and Hospitality ethical codes of conduct, values and practices, and to seek guidance on ethical and professional issues where necessary.
• Gather information from a range of sources, to select what is appropriate, and to apply the basic process of analysis, synthesis and evaluation on that information.
• Communicate information reliably, accurately and coherently, using conventions appropriate for Tourism and Hospitality, with an understanding for conventions around intellectual property, copyright and plagiarism, including the associated legal implications.
• Operate in a range of familiar and new contexts, and demonstrating an understanding of different kinds of systems, their constituent parts and the relationship between these parts, and to understand how actions in one area impact the associated areas within the same system.
• Evaluate own or other's performance, and to take appropriate action where necessary; to take responsibility for own learning with a structured learning process; and to promote the learning of others.
• Account for own actions, to work effectively with respect for others, and in a defined context, to take supervisory responsibility for others and for the responsible use of resources, where appropriate.