Description: The data set contains 118 variables and 107 graduates and current learners of HEI Tourism and related qualifications who completed the web-based online survey. Abstract: The HSRC was commissioned by the National Department of Tourism in partnership with CATHSSETA to undertake a Tourism Human Resource Development Skills Audit and to develop a Tourism Human Resource Development Strategy for South Africa.

A mix methods approach was adopted to facilitate the data gathering process including primary and secondary qualitative and quantitative data analysis. One of the primary data gathering activities was the survey of graduates and current learners who have enrolled or completed a qualification in tourism and related subjects through Universities, Training and Vocational Education Training Colleges (TVETS) and Universities of Technology in South Africa, whether offered by public or private institutions.

In order to understand how post school training and education in tourism has contributed to skills development, employment and entrepreneurship in the tourism industry, a survey was conducted with learners and graduates of tourism courses.

The survey had two objectives namely; to understand the aspirations and expectations of the tourism sector graduates and learners, and to understand the labour market and employment outcomes of these graduates and the challenges they have faced post qualification.

The study focused on the following thematic areas:

Demographic profiles of learners and graduates of tourism qualifications

Tourism sector learner and graduates exposure to and value of access to work integrated learning

Nature of support received by learners and graduates with respect to work placements;

Employment history of learners and graduates;

Access to career guidance; and

Assessment of relevant skills and competencies required for employment in the tourism industry

Web-based self-completion

All Graduates and enrolled learners who have/had taken Tourism, Hospitality and Conservation and related qualifications and Skills Development Programmes in higher education institutions in South Africa, in the public and private sector.

There was no database of graduates and learners who have enrolled in HEIs to take Tourism, hospitality and related qualifications in South Africa, in either public or private registered institutions.

In order to source participants for the study the research team undertook the following:

Liaised with the NDT to access contact details for learners and graduates who had attended the NTCE events;

Requested database of learners from CATHSSETA;

Communicated with training institutions to request them to share the information about the survey with their current or past learners. The data base of HEI had been compiled for another survey. The list comprised of 79 institutions.

• 8 Universities of Technology
• 31 TVETS
• 12 Universities
• 28 Private Colleges

Advertised the survey on the HSRC website;

Advertised the survey on a private sector Tourism site called Tourism Update for 3 months, funded by the NDT;

Communicated with Tourism enterprises who employed graduates or learners via the skills audit survey to share information about the survey;

Shared the information about the survey to provincial tourism departments in all nine provinces and requested them to disseminate the information;

Encouraged those who came across the survey to share with others;

The survey was directly distributed to 3726 individuals. Its not possible to assess the wider impact from disseminating via other stakeholders.

494 responses were received, 75 declined to participate, of the remaining 419 only 107 completed the survey fully.