Tourism grads lack English skills, right conduct

CEBU CITY, Oct. 11 (PNA) – A tourism industry leader in Cebu has said most graduates in tourism-related courses lack proficiency in the English language and only a few end up in the tourism industry.

”Only about 11 to 12 percent are absorbed by the industry,” said Robert Lim Joseph, chairman emeritus of the League of Tourism Students of the Philippines-Cebu (LTSP-Cebu).

Joseph, also chairman of the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies–Philippines Inc. (Naitas), said roughly 11,000 tourism graduates join the industry because of the stiff competition.

”Competition is tough” and tourism graduates have to vie against those from other courses for jobs in the industry, he said.

However, Joseph pointed out that the tourism students’ grasp of English and right conduct were the main reasons that fewer tourism graduates get jobs in the industry.

”The number one problem right now is the grasp of good English. We also have to learn good manners and right conduct and also proper grooming,” said Joseph.

But schools cannot be blamed for the students’ lack of English skills, said Joseph. “I think the basic English education given by the schools is enough. It the poor grasp of English has something to do with the culture and the students,” he said.

He said students should put what English they have learned in the classrooms to good use in order to improve it.

The move of Rep. Eduardo Gullas (Cebu, 1st district) to revive English as a medium of instruction is a welcome development, said Joseph.

Joseph said the academe and the industry should “put their act” together in addressing the problems that affect the students’ employment.

He said the Tourism Educators Movement Philippine, a national organization of schools that offers tourism courses, hopes to address the problems.

”We would like to send our tourism teachers abroad and join tourism tours, like in Singapore,” he added.

To ensure the development of tourism students’ skills and to create a united body of tourism students in Cebu, the LTSP-Cebu will host a summit for tourism students.