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We’re dedicated to shaping the future of Nova Scotia’s tourism and hospitality industry, and your voice is essential in this journey. Whether you’re seeking to enhance your skills, elevate your business, or simply have questions about our online courses, we want to hear from you.

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Registrar's Office

General

Frequently Asked Questions

What training resources are available from NSTI?

Training resources from NSTI are available for dozens of occupations.

National Occupational Standards are manuals that describe the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to be considered competent in an occupation. The standards are set by the industry and are the basis for NSTI training and certification programs.

Workbooks are occupation-specific, self-study guides used for training or to prepare for certification. They contain exercises, checklists and self-tests based on the National Occupational Standards for the occupation. Some workbooks are also available for e-readers.

Online courses are occupation-specific, self-directed training designed to be flexible. Training modules based on National Occupational Standards can be completed when it is convenient for the learner, from any computer with internet access. Online courses are available to learners for one year from the date of activation. Upon completion of all modules of a course, a learner may request a Certificate of Achievement by emailing info@emerit.ca.

Does NSTI offer content licensing agreements?

Yes. For more information on licensing content from our collection of National Occupational Standards, workbooks and online training modules, contact copyright@tourismhr.ca or 1-800-486-9158 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time).

Does NSTI offer emerit certifications?

Certification from emerit recognizes an individual’s competence in their occupation as measured against the National Occupational Standards.

Professional Certification is available for frontline and supervisory occupations, providing a marketable credential both for those just starting out in their occupation and for seasoned veterans of the tourism industry.

Professional Certification from emerit is also offered for select management level occupations, and is a valuable tool for advancing a tourism and hospitality management career, owning and operating a small or medium sized business, or refreshing and honing professional skills and knowledge.

What are the steps to becoming certified?

On average, the certification process is completed from six months to one year after registration. To become certified, individuals must:

Pass a proctored, online knowledge exam. Exams are in a multiple choice format, and are updated periodically to reflect changes in the occupation and industry.
Have the required hours of relevant and current experience. Previous work experience is most commonly used; credit may also be given for prior education and volunteer hours.
For management level occupations, pass a practical evaluation of performance. This may include an on the job evaluation, a phone evaluation, or a submission of case studies or of a professional portfolio.

Why become certified?

Certified employees enjoy:

Professional recognition in their chosen occupation
Advancement within the tourism industry
Direction in their career paths
Individual pride, self-improvement and job satisfaction

Businesses that certify their employees benefit from:

An increase in productivity and sales
Decreased employee turnover and absenteeism
More repeat customers and positive online reviews
Happier staff, and a healthier bottom line