The Minister of Education, Jerome Fitzgerald, Bahamas Hotel Association president, Stuart Bowe, and pioneer Bahamian hotelier Nettica Symonette, pose with educators and tourism industry stakeholders who participated in the recent ninth Annual Summer Educators Internship Program.
More than 60 teachers have spent a week volunteering their time to learn about over 1,000 different types of careers in the tourism industry via an initiative between the Bahamas Hotel Association (BHA), the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Tourism.
Now in its ninth year, the programme has attracted more than 800 educators from all grade levels and subject disciplines, as well as guidance counsellors and administrators from throughout the Bahamas.
BHA president, Stuart Bowe, said “The summer educator internship program me is one of our core partnership activities with education.
“It recognises that many educators have not been exposed to our industry, and is designed to broaden their understanding about it and what it takes for young people to be successful and rise within its ranks”.
Jerome Fitzgerald, minister of education, said: “Your experience should prove beneficial to our students, as you will be able to cater to their career goals, particularly as it relates to the tourism industry.
“This programme has led to educators being better equipped to prepare young people to enter the tourism industry and convey to them that it is not an industry of last resort. It is, in fact, a sector which needs highly skilled employees and leaders.”
He added: “We want to see these types of collaborations replicated more often throughout our educational system - where education is tailored to our students’ interests and abilities. The time has come for us to become more realistic and practical with our limited education resources, and use them so that students, on leaving school, will have knowledge and certification for the job market. “
Mr Bowe added: “Our industry is at an important crossroads. Tremendous opportunities are before us. In just under three years, Baha Mar will be engaged in a mass recruitment exercise, and while our collaborative efforts have been good and have borne fruit, all of us need to raise the bar and challenge ourselves to work together, even more so if Bahamians, particularly young Bahamians, are to realise the opportunities which this project presents. The opportunities will be everywhere in the country, but they will only be available to those who are prepared.”
“We’ve connected the dots between tourism and education with activities like the junior hotelier program – now reaching over 1500 students each year.
“A growing number of students are spending time in industry on weekends, breaks and summers in structured programmes which we support – the latest being over 60 juniors and seniors who are spending most of their summer in industry as part of the American Hotel & Lodging Education Institute’s certification program.”
Educators exposed to the programme have worked with BHA over the years to introduce hospitality programmes and develop the curriculum in several private high schools.
Through the programme, the BHA and the Ministry have been able to also bring industry people to the table with educators to review and upgrade junior high school and high school tourism-related curriculum to ensure it is relevant to today’s workplace environment.
The BHA and the Ministry will launch a second week’s internship programme on Grand Bahama this August when over 50 educators are expected to participate.
Comments
monkeydonkey 12 years ago
This is a well written article that provides quality information.Education plays an essential role in nowadays society and it is very important to encourage our children to continue their studies http://benoticed.org/places-to-find-hea…">after graduation in order to reach successful careers and to have many job opportunities.
monkeydonkey 12 years ago
It is a great idea to encourage people to travel and to visit different places as there are many destinations that deserves to be visited.I've recently traveled with my colleagues and my teacher to Spain and we visited some beautiful places there.Moreover the http://destinia.com/hotels/hotels-in-ba…">Barcelona hotels are very nice and comfortable.
TheFixer 11 years, 11 months ago
Being an educator is great, I always considered this one of the most http://www.socratescafe.net/basic-knowl…">satisfying and fulfilling careers. They spend most of their time with children and also travel a lot.
nicolae 11 years, 11 months ago
This is a great http://www.professionalintern.com/how-t…">internship experience that could help you decide what career path you should follow. I had a similar experience during college and it was great.
dudu 11 years, 11 months ago
This is a great topic.I think that we all should concentrate on http://dcyoungdems.com/achieving-your-s…">student learning because they are the future of the society.
dudu 11 years, 10 months ago
Interesting article. I believe that the most important thing in life is to be healthy and to learn. I've just took my http://www.ladyinfo.com/log-learn-advan…">degree online and I am very satisfied and I hope to be in my work field soon.
dudu 11 years, 10 months ago
This article gives you so much http://www.umlnews.net/inspiration-tips…">inspiration. As many of these readers, I also believe that education is maybe on the first place in our life.
TheFixer 11 years, 10 months ago
I've hard that education in the Bahamas is in a very bad shape. That is why children can hardly wait to http://www.ladyinfo.com/log-learn-advan…">escape the classroom but I'm sure this will change in the future.
TheFixer 11 years, 10 months ago
It's good that educators are learning about the tourism industry, this can be like a http://www.totallytop10.com/education/1…">Personal Development for them. Who wouldn't enjoy that?
dudu 11 years, 10 months ago
http://www.childrenofsouthafrica.org/do…">Expertise with emerging technologies shows that more and more educators and teachers are learing about tourism industry.
dudu 11 years, 10 months ago
The tourism field start developed soon and the http://www.totallytop10.com/education/1…">tips to improve concentration are welcomed. It's easier to explain to children what that means this when you are helped by this field.
dudu 11 years, 10 months ago
This is a very interesting and helpful post.I am in a program called http://youngworkathomemoms.wordpress.co…">work at home career and I think it is very challenging ant interesting and I recommend it to all of you
dudu 11 years, 10 months ago
This is certain great news and I think that with http://www.amberrisme.com/2013/02/05/ho…">group job interviews the time required for interviews will be reduced considerably.
spencerid 11 years, 4 months ago
I support their project, the Univeristy and its students will only have to gain from it. The cultural exchange experience will improve in no time and on the other hand the University will have good publicity and new funds. As a student I choose the http://ashgrovebandb.com/5-must-dos-in-…">Atlanta Georgia to go to a local university to study for a semester. My teachers expect good results from me and I can not wait to see how I will handle everything.
TheFixer 10 years, 9 months ago
What teachers do is a very good thing because most of Bahamas income comes from tourism. That way teachers can help in the progress of Bahamas economy. I took my degree at http://montgomeryacademyonline.org/">Montgomery Academy and I must say that the teachers from there had also other activities which I consider a very good thing.
ashleyalex 10 years, 4 months ago
Education is the main thing that boosts anything anytime and anywhere that’s why you can http://www.click2assignment.co.uk/buy-a…">buy cheap assignments at click 2 Assignment for better career.
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2014…
Fourgeswilliam 10 years, 2 months ago
Education is the basic thing in any Industry who can boost up that thing, I always advice the student to concentrate on your studies to achieve your goals, students who asked http://www.courseworkbox.co.uk/">Coursework writing | coursework box to get better rank.
Marc 10 years, 1 month ago
Helping students find their way on the job market is something more educators should do, it would help boost the students chances to become successful. The study materials on http://www.assessmentservices-edu.com/">http://www.assessmentservices-edu.com/ are just as important though, the more you pay attention to your studies the higher chances are that your future will be brighter!
miche 9 years, 10 months ago
This a very valuable practice. Hope that this experience will help educators to transfer their knowledge to students on how to become more successful in their future lives! I think this kind of internship should be initiated by other industries as well. http://essayhelp24.com/">essayhelp24.com
alexjones 8 years, 11 months ago
I appreciate your efforts in preparing this post. I really like your blog articles. https://www.allassignmenthelp.co.uk">Assignment help
Sign in to comment
OpenID