Workforce Development

Infrastructure & Facilities

Objective: Collaborate with City and educational partners in the broader region to develop, train and expand the hospitality and tourism workforce in Albuquerque by promoting the benefits and opportunities available in the hospitality industry, highlighting successful career paths and providing support for hospitality education and training.

In the post-pandemic landscape, destinations worldwide have faced increased challenges in developing and retaining a skilled workforce to support their hospitality industry. Albuquerque, as a prominent tourism destination, is not exempt from this trend.

Workforce and talent development, along with talent retention, emerged as one of the top three priority areas within the stakeholder survey in response to rating how to best allocate tourism resources. An overwhelming 75% of stakeholders rated it as very important or extremely important. This underscores the significance of investing in initiatives that enhance the hospitality industry's workforce and attract and retain skilled professionals.

Collaborate with the City and Hospitality Industry Partners to Establish a Comprehensive and Standardized Workforce Development Pipeline

Strategy 1: Work with the City's Economic Development Department to provide input and guidance in collaboration with Visit Albuquerque partners on enhancing the hospitality and tourism workforce training module in the Job Training ABQ program. As of September 2024, one of the first developed modules focuses on training individuals in the restaurant sector. Visit Albuquerque can contribute valuable insights to broaden the program's scope by identifying additional modules and tracks, such as event planning and hotel management. Providing input on the curriculum and expanding the program's offerings can help create a consistent and standardized process for equipping employees with the necessary skills to enter or transition within the industry seamlessly.
Visit Albuquerque's Role	Partners	Progress Made
	City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance (AREA) Greater Albuquerque Hotel & Lodging Association (GAHLA) New Mexico Restaurant Association New Mexico Tourism Department New Mexico Workforce Connection - Hospitality Sector CNM Workforce Training Center New Mexico State University School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Ingenuity Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) - Hospitality and Tourism Programs TalentABQ Job Corps Albuquerque
Strategy 2: Raise awareness of the newly developed hospitality modules within the Job Training ABQ program among Visit Albuquerque partners and industry stakeholders. By promoting the benefits and goals of the program, Visit Albuquerque can contribute to the overall program objective of getting every employer to engage at least one employee in this training initiative or recruit individuals from the program.
	City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance (AREA) Greater Albuquerque Hotel & Lodging Association (GAHLA) New Mexico Restaurant Association New Mexico Tourism Department
Strategy 3: Support partnerships with hospitality industry partners to develop a comprehensive and standardized pipeline that generates a pool through a shared resource platform within the city, allowing private sector employers to easily scale their workforce while providing hospitality workers with increased opportunities to secure more working hours. This initiative aligns with and can complement the efforts of organizations like Ski New Mexico, which is developing a workforce portal as of 2024 to connect seasonal workers in tourism and outdoor industries with employers, streamlining the hiring process. Work closely with private sector employers in Albuquerque to identify partners willing to participate in a pilot program. Support defining specific job-related criteria that will serve as the basis of the program. Collaborate with industry leaders, employers and key stakeholders to align on essential skills, experience and preferences that will streamline the matching process between employers and workers. Identify an appropriate partner organization, such as an economic development-related entity, to house and oversee the employment pool platform. Establish the employment pool platform within the identified partner organization and in collaboration with the City of Albuquerque, initially piloting the program within the city and surrounding areas of Albuquerque. Evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program while taking into account feedback from participating employers and workers. Once the pilot program proves successful, scale the shared resource platform across the entire city.
	City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance (AREA) Greater Albuquerque Hotel & Lodging Association (GAHLA) New Mexico Restaurant Association Ski New Mexico
Strategy 4: Collaborate with transitional workforce organizations to establish a pilot training program focused on transitioning disengaged individuals into joining the hospitality workforce. This collaboration will include: Collaboration between Visit Albuquerque and the City’s Economic Development Department to create comprehensive training modules that start with entry-level and back of the house positions. It is worth noting that as of 2024, the City of Albuquerque’s Economic Development Department and its workforce division are working on a similar program focusing on youth aged 16-24 years old who are disengaged from their academic studies. This recommendation is aimed at complementing the current program by focusing on creating transitional work opportunities for members of the community who are disengaged from the workforce. Engagement between the City and the hospitality employers on streamlining the background check process for employers for graduates of this program. Raising awareness on federal incentives available to employers for hiring and employing individuals from certain targeted groups who have faced significant barriers to employment. These incentives include the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, Federal Bonding Program and Growth Opportunities Grant Program. Collaborate with industry associations like Greater Albuquerque Hotel & Lodging Association (GAHLA) to connect program graduates with employment opportunities. and provide guidance to employers on the process of hiring individuals from the transitional workforce.* The City of Vancouver (Canada) partnered with local workforce development agencies to develop a program called "TourismWorks." This program provides short-term job placements, training and support to individuals facing employment barriers, facilitating their integration into the tourism industry. "Tourism Works" in Alberta (Canada) offers a comprehensive job placement service for individuals seeking transitional employment in the tourism sector. They provide individualized support from job searching and matching to interview preparation and post-placement support. was initiated as a collaborative effort between the Government of Alberta, Tourism HR Canada and industry stakeholders. The program aimed to address labor market challenges, enhance workforce development and promote employment opportunities within the tourism sector. *https://www.uschamber.com/workforce/employer-guide-to-second-chance-hiring-programs-and-tax-credits
	City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department Greater Albuquerque Hotel & Lodging Association (GAHLA) New Mexico Restaurant Association New Mexico Hospitality Association

Leverage Albuquerque’s Unique Appeal as a Destination to Attract Skilled Individuals to the Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Pool

Strategy 1: Collaborate with the City to synergize targeted promotional campaigns with positioning Albuquerque as a premier market for families and professionals in tech, healthcare and tourism sectors. Leverage the proximity to major metropolitan areas, support the City in joint marketing efforts, circulate marketing materials on relocation when meetings and conventions are occurring in the City to tap into a larger labor market.
Visit Albuquerque's Role	Partners	Progress Made
	City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance (AREA) Greater Albuquerque Hotel & Lodging Association (GAHLA) CNM Workforce Training Center New Mexico State University School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) - Hospitality and Tourism Programs TalentABQ Job Corps Albuquerque
Strategy 2: Showcase Albuquerque as a destination that promotes women's empowerment in the workforce and their overall well-being.* New Mexico ranks fourth in Gender Parity Index States With the Highest Percentage of Female Top Executives
	City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department
Strategy 3: Support the enhancement of public perception and reputation of careers in the tourism and hospitality industry through targeted joint campaigns with the City and associations such as the Greater Albuquerque Hotels and Lodging Association (GAHLA) that highlight the diverse and rewarding nature of hospitality and tourism jobs.
	City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department New Mexico Restaurant Association New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions New Mexico Tourism Department New Mexico Workforce Connection - Hospitality Sector CNM Workforce Training Center New Mexico State University School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) - Hospitality and Tourism Programs

Establish a Robust Pipeline of Talent by Fostering Partnerships with the Local Academic Institutions

Strategy 1: Collaborate with the City of Albuquerque, Central New Mexico Community College and New Mexico State University to establish a joint apprenticeship program in the hospitality and tourism industry. This program will serve as an attractive incentive for hospitality and tourism students to return to Albuquerque after graduation.
Visit Albuquerque's Role	Partners	Progress Made
	City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department CNM Workforce Training Center University of New Mexico New Mexico State University School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) - Hospitality and Tourism Programs
Strategy 2: Develop comprehensive promotional initiatives to raise awareness of college hospitality offerings in Albuquerque. Collaborate with educational institutions and industry professionals to showcase the range of educational opportunities available, encouraging students to pursue a career in the hospitality and tourism field.* *M'tucci's, a renowned restaurant in Albuquerque, exemplifies best practices in workforce development and retention. Recognizing the importance of investing in their employees' growth, through comprehensive training programs and a strategic partnership with the College of New Mexico (CNM), the restaurant brings culinary students to gain hands-on experience in their establishment. This holistic approach to workforce development has yielded outstanding results, as M'tucci's boasts a remarkable 2x higher employee retention rate compared to the national average. By prioritizing employee training and fostering partnerships with educational institutions, M'tucci's has created an environment that supports employee growth, loyalty and long-term success within the organization.
	City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department CNM Workforce Training Center New Mexico State. University School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) - Hospitality and Tourism Programs Local High Schools Local Businesses and Organizations such as M’tucci’s, IPCC, CRAVE and Dion’s
Strategy 3: Foster partnerships with local high schools and nonprofit organizations to support the development of a hospitality education program for youth. This initiative aims to spark an early interest in the hospitality and tourism industry as a viable career choice, providing them with the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue successful futures in this dynamic field.
	City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department Local High Schools

Workforce Development

Infrastructure & Facilities

Collaborate with the City and Hospitality Industry Partners to Establish a Comprehensive and Standardized Workforce Development Pipeline

Visit Albuquerque's Role

Partners

Progress Made

Leverage Albuquerque’s Unique Appeal as a Destination to Attract Skilled Individuals to the Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Pool

Visit Albuquerque's Role

Partners

Progress Made

Establish a Robust Pipeline of Talent by Fostering Partnerships with the Local Academic Institutions

Visit Albuquerque's Role

Partners

Progress Made