Yellowknife (Feb 20/04) - Good customer service can be hard to find in Yellowknife, but Wenda Dahl says there's no good reason for the lack of "pleases and thank yous" for customers.

Dahl has been transforming students into skilled customer service experts for five years. She also runs her own employee training business.

As the instructor for the government-funded Ready to Work -- Tourism Careers for You course, she says training is the answer to issues like bad service.

"A lot of people expect negative service. We're trying to change that," she said.

The course provides certification that benefits employees as well as the employer.

The 16 students currently enrolled will walk out the door with first aid training, a Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) certificate and a Northern Most Host certificate, which is required for many restaurant workers. Those skills help with employee retention, a never-ending problem for businesses in Yellowknife, she said. "I think you can get good people to stay with you if you train them."

Thirty-six students applied for the course, which requires 100 voluntary hours between October to May.

Doug Needham and Lindsay Cunningham jumped at the chance to boost their resume. The high school students hope to join the tourism industry in the future.

They are already using their new skills in part-time jobs at Extra Foods and Tim Hortons.

"I can use it every day at work. I feel I'm able to serve customers better," Needham said.

The Grade 11 St. Patrick high school student has even learned to diffuse difficult situations in the workplace.

"I've learned how to deal with those issues better," he said.

Dahl is hopeful that businesses will recognize value in training as her students have.

There is already a waiting list for next year's course.