- Sold-out event to promote careers in tourism and hospitality
- Event to bring more than 120 education professionals together to showcase career pathways for students
- Part of the Cook Government's economic diversification strategy so we can continue to provide quality jobs and business opportunities for Western Australians
Tourism and hospitality will be promoted as a career of choice to more than 120 teachers, coordinators, and career advisors from across Western Australia this week.
Supported by the Cook Government, the sold-out Tourism and Hospitality School Connect Professional Development Event 2025 brings education professionals together to learn about the career opportunities WA's tourism and hospitality industry offers students.
Delivered by Tourism WA with support from the Department of Education and the Department of Training and Workforce Development, the event aims to showcase the diverse and rewarding career pathways open to young Western Australians.
Building on the success of the 2023 and 2024 events, this year's program features interactive industry activations, panel discussions, and presentations showcasing traineeships, apprenticeships, and higher education pathways in the tourism and hospitality sectors.
The event forms part of a suite of initiatives that the Cook Government is undertaking through its Tourism Workforce Development Program.
The program aims to create a sustainable local tourism and hospitality workforce pipeline and further diversify WA's economy by creating local jobs and providing a boost to local businesses.
Other tourism workforce initiatives include theChef Ambassador Program and the Tourism Careers Promotion Program, which together reached more than 18,000 WA secondary school students in 2024-25, showing the breadth of career opportunities available in the sector, and will continue in 2026.
In the 2024-25 financial year, WA's tourism and hospitality industry supported over 120,000 local jobs, ranking it the fifth largest sector in the State.
Find out more at www.tourism.wa.gov/workforce
As stated by Tourism Minister Reece Whitby:
"A skilled and passionate workforce is the foundation of our tourism and hospitality industry, and one of the key drivers in diversifying Western Australia's economy.
"This event is designed to inspire young people to see tourism and hospitality not just as a casual job but as an exciting and rewarding long-term career choice.
"The Cook Government is helping create sustainable job pathways for young Western Australians, while ensuring our State continues to deliver world-class experiences for visitors."
As stated by Skills and TAFE Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
"Our record investment in TAFE, including $80.1 million for projects that included improvements for tourism and hospitality training, enables students to learn in modern, industry relevant facilities.
"Qualifications in tourism and hospitality are among the 140 fee-free and 160 low-fee TAFE courses supported by the Cook Government, making education and training affordable and accessible."
As stated by Education Minister Sabine Winton:
"This event allows our teachers, career advisors and coordinators to open new doors for students, showing that tourism and hospitality jobs are rewarding career paths with exciting opportunities.
"School staff will walk away with real industry insight and knowledge that they will take back to the classroom, providing students with the confidence to pursue a career in tourism and hospitality."
