The Cresta Marakanelo hotel group was this week accredited by the Botswana Training Authority (BOTA) as a training institute as it moves to be the best in the country.
The MD of the group, Tawanda Makaya, says that the hotel recognises that training of employees is not a cost, but a development.
“We are therefore committed to the career development of our employees and the fullest possible use of their talents. No organisation can succeed in a globalised environment unless its people have quality knowledge and skills,” says Makaya.
He added that it was hunger for quality knowledge and skills that prompted Cresta to register and accredit its training programmes with BOTA.
“We remain confident that that the graduates of these programmes will add value to the vision of Cresta Marakanelo,” he adds.
The organisation (BOTA) coordinates an integrated vocational training system that meets the needs of learners and industry through the development of standards, quality assurance, policy advice, monitoring and evaluation.
BOTA stated that the significance of the accreditation is that Cresta clients will be assured of exceptional customer service because the quality standard will be of international standard.
Abel Modungwa, the Chief Executive Officer of BOTA said the hotel group is now placed at a competitive edge to recoup its training costs from the Vocational Training Fund and BURS as income tax/ training deduction.
“Cresta investors should witness a return on their investment as training which is outcome based is guaranteed to raise the level of productivity and subsequently job satisfaction”, he said.
Modungwa also stated that accreditation is synonymous with quality and that should speak volumes to clients, potential investors and audits and monitoring will be regularly done.
He also added that the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs, in conjunction with BOTA, has developed structured work based training regulations in accordance with Section 31 of Vocational Training Act No 22 of 1988, which was gazetted in 2008.
The regulations stipulate that any learning activity that takes place at the workplace must be structured, assessed and linked to national awards so that it could be recognised and certificated.
The hotel group, which last year was on a P105 million refurbishment prgramme, runs several hotel outlets across the country, including the recently revamped President Hotel.
In its stable, the group, which also operates hotels in the SADC region, owns President Hotel, Bosele in Selebi Phikwe, Rileys in Maun, Thapama and Marang in Francistown and Cresta Botsalo in Palapye.
Work is also in progress at Rileys Hotel in Maun and is scheduled for completion in September 2009 and the hotel will have a completely new restaurant overlooking the Thamalakane River.
