This project seeks to develop and define the skills and abilities necessary for success as an entry-level travel consultant. The job title "Travel Consultant" is used as an umbrella term to cover the specific jobs of travel agent, tour, cruise or airline reservationist, or customer service agent.

Our project research consisted of intensive work with two focus groups (one made up of professionals from all major aspects of the travel industry and one made up of airline professionals only). These focus groups worked to develop and define the critical work functions, key activities and performance indicators (which define how we know that the work activity is performed well) necessary for success in any of the travel consultant job titles. We then mailed out a validation survey to 1100 travel companies in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska which asked respondents to rate the importance of each defined task or key activity in their jobs. Over 20% of our surveys were returned. During this time, we also sent out a survey to define and rate the importance of employability skills and personal qualities (including basic skills of reading, writing, arithmetic, listening and speaking, thinking skills, personal qualities such as creative thinking and decision making, time and information management, interpersonal skills and use of technology) for the entry-level travel consultant. We added to this research, case studies and scenarios to give concrete examples of how and where the skills and abilities we defined are used in the various jobs in which a travel consultant might be employed.

On May 26, 1999, our project team hosted an industry luncheon at Edmonds Community College to share our findings and to thank our Steering Committee, Industry partners, the State Board, and our staff for all their hard work and support of our project. We now hope to be able to disseminate our findings even further through industry and education contacts.

-submitted by Beth O'Donnell, Program Contact, June 8, 1999