Jahzeen: Empowering the Tourism Workforce for a Post-COVID Reopening
In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, the tourism sector faced numerous challenges, including workforce alienation due to safety concerns, a shift of skilled workers to other industries during closures, and the need to adapt to post-pandemic regulations. Jahzeen emerged as a comprehensive solution, designed to address these challenges and achieve several key objectives: keeping the workforce engaged, enhancing their capacity to navigate the COVID era, alleviating safety fears, and preparing the sector for a successful reopening.
To achieve these goals, particularly in the context of movement and gathering restrictions during the pandemic, a digital learning platform was identified as the ideal solution to deliver a wide range of relevant materials to tourism workforce members across different categories and professions.
The development of Jahzeen was informed by a groundbreaking COVID-assessment survey, which gauged the impact of the crisis on workforce members and provided valuable insights into the challenges they faced. This survey served as a foundation for designing targeted solutions. (See more link)
Built in record time, the platform leveraged a combination of open-source software and proprietary code. It featured an extensive library of 74 courses, delivered in bite-sized modules with audio narration and captivating destination-specific visual designs. Furthermore, the courses were made available in multiple languages to cater to a diverse audience from a dynamic sector.
Covering all categories of the tourism value chain, Jahzeen offered tailored cross-platform web and mobile courses for each profession, ranging from front desk operations and F&B services to housekeeping and more. The platform also provided destination-specific customization, such as courses for tourist camel operators, a common profession in Palestine. During its first year of program enrollment, Jahzeen facilitated for more than 5,000 active members the completion of over 12,000 courses and awarded certificates based on mandatory regulatory exams required for workforce members and businesses to resume operations during and after the pandemic.
Recognizing its immense value, the Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities and the Palestinian Tourism Recovery Workforce adopted Jahzeen as the cornerstone of the destination’s tourism recovery plan. Additionally, multiple tourism development support programs utilized the platform to deliver financial assistance to workforce members through Training for Employment course programs.
As the crisis persisted, the platform evolved to support more interactive learning formats such as SCORM and HP5. This update enabled the delivery of additional courses aimed at upskilling the existing workforce in various tourism domains during these challenging times. Topics included Excellence in Tour Guiding, Excellence in Transport Services, Excellence in F&B Services, and many more.
Jahzeen stands as a testament to the power of digital learning in empowering the tourism workforce and enabling a successful recovery. By equipping professionals with the necessary knowledge and skills, Jahzeen ensures that the Palestinian tourism sector emerges stronger and more resilient than ever, ready to welcome visitors and deliver exceptional experiences in a post-COVID world.
