Training of employees in the tourism and hospitality industry through a refresher courses model.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of employee’s demography on demand for refresher course training and employees ‘post- training expectations. The study hypothesized that employees age, gender, marital status, education, terms of employment, and work experience influence their decision on whether to participate in refresher training or not, and also the employees post- training expectations. The study design was exploratory and triangulated both qualitative and quantitative research methods. A total of a total of 500 questionnaires were distributed from which 414 were completed and returned, giving a response rate of 83%. A cluster sampling method was used. The target population was employees working in three, four and five star hotels located in five towns in Kenya. The study noted that there was positive correlation between the respondents’marital status (rs = 3.00, N (385), p < 0.007), levels of education (rs=0.098, N (414), p=0.046), and work experience (χ 2= 23.285, df=8, p<0.003) and their expectations upon completion of refresher courses. These expectations include enhanced productivity, greater economic and financial reward, and reduction in fear of being retrenched during the low seasons.The study concludes that training institutions should consider employees’ demographic attributes as they develop any refresher course training and recommends continuous training for the industry to meet the growing demand based on tourism increases.

Keywords

• Refresher courses
• training
• tourism industry
• employees
• Kenya