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1000 residents to get free certified training in tourism

HLSCC’s Director of Culinary & Hospitality Studies Keisha Davis-Barnes.

Government has given $100,000 to the H Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) for the free enrolment of 1,000 residents in the college’s Tourism Certification Training Programme.

Speaking at the recent launch of the programme, HLSCC’s Director of Culinary & Hospitality Studies, Keisha Davis-Barnes said all certifications in the programme will address safety measures and standard COVID-19 precautions for each area in the tourism sector.

“This training and development platform is provided to the people of the Virgin Islands through the colleges’ global academic partnership with the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute and the National Restaurant Association.”

“It is imperative that members of the community have an opportunity to sharpen their skills and become certified within their area of discipline,” she added.

Line level positions in first set of training

Davis-Barnes also said that only a specific set of professions will be available for enrolment within the first programme, and said that training will be available on all the main islands.

“Training offered within the first cohort is geared towards persons working in line-level positions only. Certifications will be provided for the following positions: restaurant servers, guest room attendants, front desk representatives and kitchen cooks,” she stated.

She added, “All training will be provided using two methods, online or face-to-face. We will be facilitating training on Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke beginning on October 20th, 2020.”

Part of marketing strategy

Junior Minister for Tourism Sharie DeCastro revealed that the certification is internationally recognised and is entitled the Skills Task and Result Training, which is also referred to as START.

She said: “The intention is to ensure we provide you with a highly recognised certification which is part of our marketing strategy, as we believe that travellers and guests will be more comfortable travelling to a destination they know is prepared to satisfy their needs and to do so safely.”

These types of standards are needed

Meanwhile, Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Dr Natalio Wheatley said that similar standards are needed across the tourism industry in order to grow the hospitality programme at the college.

He said the government’s aim is to elevate the college and the programme to the point where persons are clamouring to get into the BVI’s hospitality programme because they can be guaranteed a good job once they graduate.

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12 Comments

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  1. Who says:

    Who is teaching the classes? Must be the very friendly people of customs and immigration. They are well known for their friendly greetings and hospitality to the tourists. Can’t make this s**t up that goes on in this Territory.

    Like 21
    Dislike 3
  2. funny says:

    They expect everyone to do this, yet there aremany people far more qualified than this american rubbish, but you still need to go its not free training its obligatory

    Like 3
    Dislike 1
  3. Styles says:

    That appears to be a waste of money.

    Andy Foy has no plans to work with the industry to save whatever is left of the tourism industry so it is probably better not to spend money on training anyone either.

    Like 15
    Dislike 1
  4. vip heckler says:

    but kline was given more money than this to chat foolishness

    Like 15
    • Truth Teller says:

      So, $100,000 for 1,000 students. I’m not great at math, but it appears to me that this allocates $100 per student. Probably $20 of that going to produce the Certificate. Not a great START.

      Like 1
      Dislike 1
  5. Bamboo says:

    Kline is the soul of this government

  6. The Truth says:

    In these times? Yall need to consider another field.

    • Stop it. Tourism man. How do you kno says:

      Give people the chance before you judge them and fail them….Thats what you would want for yourself, a chance and not for anyone to rite you off with the opportunity to see how u will do..

    • Maria says:

      This is so true. Many travellers are reconsidering such arrangement.BVI have no idea how to strategize.

  7. Tourism Man says:

    Everybody talking about open, open, open. But opening comes with responsibilities. People in the BVI don’t care about responsibilities and doing the right thing. Everybody want to do what they want to do. Well guess what, things change.

  8. Embarrassing... says:

    Are we fools… What more do we need to know. For the past 8 months we have been living Civid… Everything is covid..We are well verse on Covid…

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  9. John says:

    I think they would be better off printing out pamphlets telling tourist how to behave and then hand them out at the Airport and Ports.I have seen so many tourists treating people like garbage. No hello how are you today they just start barking out orders and demands. I can not fault anyone for not wanting to work in the service industry and be subject to such treatment day in and day out. It seems ridicoulous to try to change the culture so people act like Disney employees and be taught to accept being treated poorly by tourists.

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