Date:26/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/26/stories/2007122653781400.htm

National

Ministry to train student-volunteers

Special Correspondent

To inculcate tourism traits

Short-term training programme launched
Students should obtain NoC from college

NEW DELHI: With an eye on the Commonwealth Games to be hosted here in 2010, the Union Tourism Ministry has launched a short-term training programme under the “earn while you learn” scheme to train youths who can work as student-volunteeers.

The main objective of the scheme, the brainchild of Tourism Minister Ambika Soni, is to inculcate appropriate tourism traits and knowledge among the trainees.

A Ministry spokesman said such programmes would be for 21 days and the students pursuing graduation or post-graduation between 18 and 25 years can apply after obtaining a “No Objection Certificate” from the college or university concerned.

These programmes would be conducted by the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management which has branches in Gwalior, Delhi, Bhubaneswar and Goa. The course will not only train the students on various aspects of tourism but will also teach them aspects of the tourism industry that will enable them to work part-time as volunteers.

The students will be taught about Indian society and culture, historical monuments, managerial and behavioural skills, an overview of tourism sector, and public speaking. They will be taken on study tours to places of interest. The aim is to cope with the target of 10 million tourist arrivals in the country by 2010 which has the potential of generating nearly two lakh jobs.