Pioneering actions for hard hit industry
With the hospitality industry looking for a post lockdown bounce-back funding has been found for pioneering specialist tourism management courses at University of Cumbria.
The UK’s first postgraduate courses of their kind aim to provide highly-skilled staff for an industry hard hit by Covid-19. Substantial discounts are now on offer to study for a sector pivotal to the county’s economy.
Starting in January, two options are available for postgraduate study which will bolster businesses as they emerge from coronavirus restrictions.
The university’s tourism lead, Dr Angela Anthonisz, said this year had highlighted the industry’s vulnerability in the face of unprecedented external pressures.
She explained: “Responding to change requires creativity and innovative thinking to compete and survive. Our expert training is tailor-made to make managers robust, clever and resourceful.
“The prospects of a vaccine in the near future and examples we’ve already seen where the industry has risen up to meet challenges shows that in 2021 we are more than capable of getting back on track.
“We want to equip management in hospitality and tourism outlets to use their expertise to enhance what they offer and come back even better than before.”
Working with Cumbria Tourism, the university is offering two scholarships for a new MBA course and also significant savings for this and a post graduate study option.
Dr Anthonisz said as the UK’s only campus to sit in both a national park and UNESCO World Heritage site, Ambleside was ideally placed to rollout pioneering training for staff in positions where they were able make a tangible difference.
She added: “We are delighted to be able to offer another British first. The MBA is the only specialist course of its kind in the country, encompassing hotel management, sustainable development, cultural events and heritage.
“Although tourism operators recovered well in summer after the first lockdown, the second has been a real blow, particularly in the runup to the critical Christmas and New Year period.
“However, it’s a time when employees often assess their careers and look for opportunities to progress in challenging, competitive markets.
“Our part-funded and discounted places can have a real influence on future employment prospects and boost skills in innovation, contingency planning and strategic thinking – all crucial in Cumbria’s fightback.”
For further information email angela.anthonisz@cumbria.ac.uk
For course details, visit:
https://www.cumbria.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate/pg-cert-in-tourism-management/
https://www.cumbria.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate/mba-tourism-management/
ENDS
Interview requests to Karen Barden 015395 52366; 07793 083106
Picture shows University of Cumbria’s tourism lead, Dr Angela Anthonisz at Ambleside campus