Wednesday 4 March 2009

What’s in a name?

At my last meeting with my work mobilisation advisor she decided that I should concentrate on tourism. My homework before the next meeting is to go to the employment and solidarity education centre to chat to a lady about my burning desire to become a tourism technician. It is possible that the French state would pay for me to go to Carcassonne to study for 7 months to get the qualification necessary to apply for jobs in this seasonal tourism sector. Bed and board would be paid for and I would return home at weekends. There are other locations for the training throughout France, but Carcassonne is the nearest. I think that work placement is part of it too, so perhaps I would not be home for weekends. There is usually a waiting list to go on these courses so if I was lucky enough to convince the lady that this is where I really want to work, then I might get on a course later in the year.
Unlike the UK where there is probably one category of tourism worker, in France there are about 14 or so, all minutely different and requiring a specific qualification to be eligible to apply for suitable posts which come up.
Not that there are many posts in this part of France. I would probably have to travel afar to find work.
The next person that I have to see is the Head of Tourism for the Ariege, based in the Town Hall. I have to find out what planned direction, if any, tourism is to take in the Midi Pyrenees, where the work is etc.
I also have to go to the big secondary school and speak to one of the teachers / lecturers who provide the tourism course there. I have to find out from them where the best locations to find tourism jobs in France are.
Disneyland probably has their own training school, so there is not much chance of Mickey Mouse tapping you on the shoulder and it being me.
Before I start harassing the above people, I have 17 pages of text to read about this role of “Technicien d’accueil touristique option accompagnement” entails so that I can prepare my sales pitch to try to get onto a course. The speaking 3 languages requirement will be an issue…..

2 comments:

  1. wow, the French seem very determined to help you find gainful activities ... I'm impressed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Maybe, but only in any other department than the one that I am resident in :-(

    ReplyDelete

Feel free to send me your comments or suggestions