Reopening Canada: Building Skills for a Stronger Tourism Workforce
As Canada reopens and travel confidence gradually returns, the tourism and hospitality sector is facing a defining moment. The disruption of the past few years did more than halt guest arrivals; it reshaped labour markets, exposed skills gaps, and accelerated the need for new approaches to training and workforce development. In this environment, traditional, one‑off training sessions are no longer enough. The industry needs a structured, ongoing system to build skills, resilience, and agility.
That is where the mindset of a “training camp” and “skills drills,” championed by OTEC’s Joe Baker, becomes crucial. Rather than treating training as a checkbox, Baker encourages tourism employers and workers to see it as a continuous practice—much like athletes who prepare, refine, and repeat core skills to stay game‑ready.
From Crisis to Capability: Why a Training Camp Mindset Matters
The tourism sector was among the hardest hit during the pandemic. Job losses, early retirements, and career changes created deep talent shortages just as demand began to rebound. For many operators, the challenge is no longer only about attracting visitors; it is about having the people and capabilities needed to deliver safe, consistent, high‑quality experiences.
A training camp mindset reframes this challenge as an opportunity. Instead of trying to simply “get back to normal,” employers can develop a deliberate, structured approach to capability building. This means:
- Planning training cycles that align with seasonal demand and anticipated recovery timelines.
- Emphasizing practice and repetition through skills drills, not just theory‑heavy workshops.
- Integrating new competencies such as digital literacy, health and safety protocols, and inclusive service practices.
- Supporting mental well‑being so teams can handle the emotional and operational pressures of reopening.
By adopting this approach, Canada’s tourism businesses can move from a reactive posture to a proactive one, ensuring that workers are prepared for the realities of an evolving marketplace.
Skills Drills: Turning Training Into Everyday Performance
Skills drills are short, focused exercises that allow staff to repeatedly practice specific competencies until they become second nature. Inspired by how athletes train, this method shifts learning from the classroom to the workplace, embedding development into daily operations.
Core Areas for Tourism Skills Drills
For Canada’s tourism workforce, the most impactful drills often centre on a few critical domains:
- Service excellence under pressure: Role‑playing heavy check‑in periods, high‑volume restaurant services, and last‑minute guest changes to build calm, confident responses.
- Health, safety, and cleanliness: Practicing new hygiene protocols, contactless procedures, and clear communication so guests feel secure and informed.
- Digital guest interactions: Using booking platforms, mobile check‑in tools, and messaging apps to deliver responsive, tech‑enabled service.
- Inclusive and accessible experiences: Drilling language that is welcoming, respectful, and sensitive to diverse needs and backgrounds.
These drills do not need to be long or complex. Ten minutes at the start of a shift, weekly scenario‑based discussions, or quick refreshers before a busy event can build muscle memory that directly improves guest satisfaction and operational consistency.
Tapping the Tourism Talent Pipeline in a New Era
Rebuilding the tourism workforce means more than refilling vacancies. It requires tapping into a broader, more diverse talent pipeline and offering clear pathways for growth. Emerging workers, career changers, newcomers to Canada, and displaced employees from other sectors all represent vital sources of talent.
Training‑camp style programs, championed by organizations like OTEC, provide the structure to welcome these new entrants and rapidly bring them up to speed. By focusing on foundational skills—communication, problem‑solving, adaptability—and layering on sector‑specific skills drills, employers can create inclusive on‑ramps into tourism careers.
In turn, this investment supports regional economic recovery. Tourism is an anchor for many communities across Canada, driving employment, local spending, and cultural exchange. When businesses commit to building skills intentionally, they create sustainable jobs and stronger local ecosystems.
Rapid Response Training: Adapting Fast to a Changing Market
One of the key lessons from recent years is the value of rapid response training. Programs developed through collaborations such as those between the Future Skills Centre and OTEC show how quickly the sector can adapt when training is designed to be responsive, targeted, and data‑informed.
Rapid response initiatives help workers pivot—whether that means moving from front‑line roles to digital guest support, from seasonal positions to year‑round opportunities, or from one region of the country to another. By embedding these initiatives within a training camp framework, tourism employers can:
- Quickly assess emerging skills gaps as demand patterns change.
- Launch short, intensive upskilling modules focused on those gaps.
- Use skills drills to keep new competencies sharp over time.
This agility is essential as Canada competes internationally for both visitors and talent. Markets and traveller expectations will continue to evolve; the organizations that thrive will be those that can learn and adapt fastest.
Keeping Canada Well: Workforce Well‑Being as a Strategic Priority
Recovery is not only about economic metrics; it is also about the well‑being of the people who make travel experiences possible. The concept of “keeping Canada well” extends beyond public health to include psychological safety, job quality, and a sense of belonging at work.
Training camps and skills drills can be powerful vehicles for this broader well‑being agenda. When thoughtfully designed, they:
- Normalize conversations about stress and resilience by integrating them into learning modules.
- Build confidence as employees see themselves mastering new tools and responsibilities.
- Foster teamwork and trust as staff practice scenarios together and support one another.
- Highlight career pathways so workers recognize that skill development can lead to advancement, not just more tasks.
In a sector that depends on emotional labour and human connection, investing in well‑being is an essential part of delivering safe, authentic, and memorable guest experiences.
Practical Steps for Tourism Employers to Launch Their Own Training Camp
For organizations ready to embrace this approach, the path forward can be broken into manageable steps:
- Assess current and future skills needs. Map the behaviours and competencies required for the guest journey now and in the next 12–24 months.
- Design short, targeted modules. Break down large training objectives into specific drills focused on real tasks and scenarios.
- Integrate training into daily operations. Schedule skills drills into pre‑shift briefings, team meetings, and seasonal ramp‑up periods.
- Use feedback loops. Gather input from staff and guests to refine drills and highlight areas needing more attention.
- Recognize progress. Celebrate milestones, new certifications, and visible improvements in service and safety.
By implementing these steps, tourism employers send a clear message: skill development is not an occasional event but an ongoing commitment to excellence, safety, and opportunity.
The Road Ahead: A More Skilled, Resilient Tourism Sector
Canada’s tourism industry is entering a pivotal phase. The choices made now around training, talent, and workplace culture will shape not only the speed of recovery, but also its quality. By adopting Joe Baker’s training camp and skills drills philosophy, the sector can move beyond short‑term fixes and build a deeper foundation of capability.
In doing so, Canada can position itself as a global leader in visitor experience and workforce innovation—welcoming travellers with confidence, keeping communities well, and creating meaningful careers across the country.