Participants in Welcome to Excellence training programmes now have a new opportunity to gain a nationally recognised qualification – the NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Customer Service for Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism.

The national awarding body, NCFE, and the regional tourism organisations – led by Tourism South East – have collaborated to develop the new qualification, which has been accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA).

It includes five units that can be separately assessed and certified, each one being based on a Welcome to Excellence training programme:

Unit 1: Welcome customers in the tourism industry (Welcome Host)
Unit 2: Meet the requirements and expectations of customers with specific needs (Welcome All)
Unit 3: Welcome overseas visitors (Welcome International)
Unit 4: Communicate by telephone and email (Welcome Line)
Unit 5: Deliver excellent service in the tourism industry (Welcome Host Plus)

The qualification aims to raise service standards, improve job satisfaction and encourage new recruits into the industry.

Paul Shipley, Head of Qualifications at NCFE, said: “This qualification has been developed from the existing Welcome to Excellence courses.  It will have a more structured approach and enable students to qualify with a Level 2 Certificate in Customer Service.”

For more information on Welcome to Excellence training programmes, visit www.welcometoexcellence.co.uk