22 | It’s all about partnership | The VENI project
Skilling up, for a year round visitor economy VEE has been a key player in the Visitor Economy Network Initiative (VENI), a project that’s changing the perception of the visitor economy and challenging the idea that there aren’t good careers in the sector.
The European Social Fund contributed £1.8m to the project, with a further £1.8m of match funding from local partners, not least Visit East of England.
It has aimed to rewrite the narrative that the sector is seasonal, low-skilled and low-paid and demonstrate the myriad of exciting opportunities to be found in the industry.
The visitor economy is about much more than waiting on tables while you wait to get a better job. The visitor economy has so many entry points and there are so few barriers to joining. A positive attitude, a great work ethic and the willingness to learn and progress are all that are needed.
It is an industry collaboration project, led by West Suffolk College and VEE, to help develop skills for the visitor economy and supporting businesses in the sector so they can make better use of skills provision in the region.
With such a wide-ranging local economy, there are many exciting opportunities for work. And the visitor economy has a reputation for promoting people into management roles faster than in other sectors.
Over the course of the past two years it has brought educators and SMEs closer together to help create opportunities for young people to develop work-ready skills and participate in, and learn more about, their local visitor economy.
The visitor economy is gaining a reputation for flexible working, as well as part-time and seasonal options. And employers are increasingly willing to invest in staff training and allow time for outside study. After all this is the people sector!
By Andrew Wheeler Executive Director Curriculum Initiatives and European Programmes, Eastern Education Group
