Government to Invest in Hospitality School

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the Government will be investing in a hospitality school, to prepare tourism workers for the boom expected in the sector.

Addressing  tourism stakeholders in Ocho Rios on May 20, the Minister said while the school will function as a hotel, akin to the Cardiff Hotel and Spa in Runaway Bay, St. Ann, it is intended to increase and prepare skilled personnel for all aspects of the tourist industry.

The country, he said, has to be prepared for a tourism renaissance by lifting the level of production, improving the quality of service and providing a greater level of competence. In addition, Jamaicans must benefit fully from every dollar spent in the industry, Mr.  Bartlett said.

“We are not going to wait for the thousands of hotel rooms to come on stream before we start training our workers. We want to ensure that they are ready to fill all the vacancies that will be available and that hoteliers don’t have to look overseas to fill positions,” the Minister said.

He pointed out that the school will offer programmes that will give students  opportunities to keep pace with growth in the sector.

Mr. Bartlett also noted that there are opportunities  globally for Jamaican hospitality workers, as tourism employers worldwide are searching for persons who are trained at recognized hospitality institutions.

“We want  our workers to get the best training available in every aspect of the  sector, where they can continue to make their mark on tourism. This is a worthwhile investment and one we are confident will reap rich dividends,” the Minister said.

Mr. Bartlett pointed out that  while career possibilities are  unlimited, some of the surest areas are: hotel and restaurant management, catering, housekeeping, event management, hotel marketing and sales, spas and entertainment.