Orientation Course – City Tourist Guide Course and Assessment

We are fortunate to have the Principal of HTC International Academy, Mr Chua Eng Han, to conduct a 4-session long orientation course. Mr. Chua brought with him over 30 years of tour guiding and lecturing in tour guiding course. He has experience in guiding visitors from Mandarin, Cantonese, English, Bahasa Indonesia and even French. With these experience, there has never been a dull moment listening to his stories.

As tour guiding is a practical course which emphacize on practical knowledge and skills, sharing of practical experience is vital to ensure knowledge and skills are effectively transmitted. There are no textbook answers to some of the practical situation faced by a tourist guide, only experience shared.

Besides explaining each of the modules (see my previously post), he explained clearly the course work assessment and examinations. There are 2 ministries overseeing the tourist guide certification. I am impressed with the professional structure enforced to ensure the quality and employability of the tourist guides.

In MOTAC website, it is stated in MOTAC website: http://www.motac.gov.my/en/faqs/140-tourist-guide-course

To be a City Tourist Guides (can guide tourists in cities throughout Malaysia), one has to:          

Attend and pass the Basic Tourist Guide Course to obtain a city tourist guide licence. The duration of the course is 500 hours (4-6 months) and it is conducted by tourism training institutions registered with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia.

The assessment is conducted by 2 ministries. Department of Skills Development http://www.motac.gov.my  or Jabatan  Perkembangan Lemahiran (JPK) under the Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR) and Ministry of Tourism and Culture (http://www.motac.gov.my). The structure is depicted below:

	PPL (by Dept of Skills Development)
	1. Checking of student home work
	2. Checking of Lecturer’s work
	3. Checking on Program Director Work

Written Test (Ministry of Tourism & Culture)		Practical (Ministry of Tourism & Culture)
Paper 1 Multiple Choice		1. Interview
Paper 2: Essay Answer		2. Commentary based on Slide Showing tourise attraction
		3. Coach Commentary

Reviews of training completion

Students need to follow a 4-6 months course conducted by a college authorized by MOHR and MOTAC. As a practical course, course work and proof of works are to be audited by JPK ‘s PPL. Course work assignments are to be kept in a file / folio for inspection by PPL.

Examination

On satisfactory proof that the students have attended at least 90% of the course, and have completed the assignment and coursework, only will the student be allowed to proceed to examination conducted by MOTAC. The MOTAC examination will have 2 parts, written and practical, as depicted above.

Temparary Tourist Guides

A probationary badge will be issued to candidates who have successfully passed the examination by MOTAC. The license will be confirmed 2 years after candidates have passed the examination and have logged in some minimal hours of practical works.