Technical and vocational schools and colleges around the country have assembled their tourism and hospitality courses under one central Facebook Page titled “Hosts of Laos.”
The Facebook Page, spearheaded by the Technical Vocational Education and Training Department, under the Ministry of Education and Sports, is part of a national campaign highlighting the benefits of vocational training for careers in tourism and hospitality, and contains information on a variety of different courses ranging from three months to three years, depending on previous qualifications and certification levels.
Applications for the 2020-2021 academic year diploma courses in Hotel Operations, Restaurant Operations and Travel Agency and Tour Operations, are now officially open in 18 TVET institutions across the country with more information available through the Facebook Page. These vocational programs provide students with the necessary skills for careers in the tourism and hospitality sector such as cooks, room attendants, bartenders, receptionists, and, food and beverage attendants.
“The Tourism and Hospitality sector is one of the pillars of the Lao economy, and while the Covid-19 global pandemic undoubtedly presents challenges for the sector in the short-term, we are confident that its resilience will help it bounce back rapidly and return to being a key employer and driver of the Lao economy,” says Mr. Nouphan Outsa, Director General of the TVET Department.
Depending on the course and school, tuition fees start at an affordable rate of LAK 250,000 per term, with certain students eligible for a monthly stipend of up to LAK 200,000 to cover living expenses – an attractive proposition for many students from modest socioeconomic backgrounds.
Deadlines for applications vary according to the school and course, with the majority closing their application period towards the end of September.
This campaign is financed by the Skills for Tourism Project (LAO/029) which is funded by the Governments of Lao PDR, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Switzerland, and implemented by the Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR and LuxDev, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency.
