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EcO15 Partners with IU Faculty Researchers to Conduct a Tourism Career Needs Assessment

Economic Opportunities through Education by 2015 (EcO15) is partnering with Indiana University faculty researchers from the Tourism Research and Education Center in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Studies to perform a career needs assessment for the Hospitality/Tourism industries in a 10-county region. Counties include: Bartholomew, Brown, Dearborn, Decatur, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley and Switzerland.

Dr. Charles Chancellor, Dr. Shu Cole and graduate students Wei Wang, Michael Valliant, Ellen Coe and Lauren Duffy will help quantify the employment opportunities; identify employment trends; assess education needs; identify career paths and develop career pathways; and evaluate the impact of Hospitality/Tourism industries. These industries represent approximately 12,000 jobs.

The researchers will ask Hospitality/Tourism attractions and stakeholders to share their knowledge, opinions and experience. They will also ask targeted businesses about major tourism attractions, key tourism stakeholders and visitors to each county.

EcO15 is a regionally- focused initiative whose goal is to advance residents in Southeast Indiana by at least one level in their education, training, job placement and income. Lilly Endowment, Inc. provided grants for educational programs to develop a competent workforce for three employment clusters: Advanced Manufacturing, Healthcare and Hospitality/Tourism. The grant will fund the research of Hospitality/Tourism as a viable, sustainable employment option for the residents of this region.

Two Bartholomew County organizations (Heritage Fund-the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County and the Community Education Coalition) administer the grants and provide leadership, oversight and management support for the EcO15 Project.

For information about the study, contact the EcO15 Hospitality/Tourism Coordinator, Jeanne Robinson by email Jeanne.robinson@eco15.org or phone (317) 412-3917.

For more information about:
EcO15, visit www.eco15.org.
Community Education Coalition, visit www.educationcoalition.com.
Heritage Fund-the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County, visit www.heritagefundbc.com.