Marano Fellows Class of 2014
Name: Danielle Olsen
Title:

Executive Director

Organization:

Hospitality Workers Training Centre

Location: Toronto, ON Canada
Industry Sector: Hospitality
 

Organizational Background & Mission: The Hospitality Workers Training Centre (HWTC) is an independent non-profit established in 2004. The HWTC’s mandate is to contribute to a strong hospitality industry in Toronto with good jobs, by working with employers and workers to develop collaborative workforce development solutions, access to good hospitality jobs, and foster a healthy workforce and industry.

The HWTC is a sectoral workforce development organization based on a labour management training partnership between UNITE HERE Local 75 and industry employers in Toronto, including: Fairmont, Starwood, and Hilton, and based on the Culinary Academy in Las Vegas.

Interest in Sector Work: Danielle has been working in the employment sector in different capacities for the last 10 years. Sector specific workforce development became an interest and focus through previous work exploring the most effective strategies for supporting vulnerable workers to access and maintain employment, based on successful models in other regions to support employment and advancement strategies. This interest grew into her current work with the HWTC where the organization is currently undertaking new workforce development strategies to support the incumbent workforce to advance and increase hours and opportunities, as well as new entrant training and employment based on Toronto’s hospitality industry needs.