Jamaica News: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says 5, 000 tourism workers have so far completed training in a number of key skills areas.
The free online training initiative was launched on April 22 as part of the Government’s thrust to ensure the continued development of employees in the sector, who were laid off as a result of the closure of hotels during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
The courses, which are being offered by the Jamaica Centre for Tourism Innovation (JCTI), will run until late July.
Training began with an initial 11 courses namely: laundry attendant, gift room attendant, kitchen steward/porter, public area sanitation, hospitality team leader, certified banquet server, certified restaurant server, Servsafe training in food safety, certified hospitality supervisor, introduction to Spanish, and disc jock (DJ) certification.
Since then Tourism and Law has been added in collaboration with University of the West Indies (UWI) Faculty of Law.
Giving an update during a digital press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister Media Centre on Friday (June 5), Mr. Bartlett informed that 2, 930 persons have completed certification in Servsafe training.
“This has a lot to do with the sanitation and the health protocols in particular and to be more conversant with that,” he noted.
In addition, 55 candidates have successfully completed the certified restaurant server course.
“Two groups totalling 192 persons started training on June 1, under the Human Employment and Resource Training/National Service Training Agency (HEART/NSTA) Trust. An additional 1, 250 persons are also training in this critical area by HEART/NSTA Trust,” Mr. Bartlett said.
The Tourism Minister informed that the first 19 students in the certified hospitality supervisor course have completed their examinations and 16 of them were successful. A second cohort is expected to begin training on July 16.
“We have ensured that all categories of workers, those who are in furlough as well as those who were laid off have had access to training in one area or another,” Mr. Bartlett said.
In addition, 220 persons are enrolled in the Spanish programme, while 62 are participating in the law course.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) will undertake a training programme for all workers starting this weekend at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.
The training will provide detailed information on how to apply the COVID -19 protocols and will include hands on practise and role play.
Source: JIS News