It’s never too early to begin to shape young minds about the many career and business opportunities in the world’s largest industry – tourism, according to officials from the Bahamas Hotel Association. As part of its program of activities to improve the quality of the industry’s current and future workforce, two years ago BHA created the Junior Hotelier Program which is now reaching over 200 students annually.
Recently, over thirty (30) students from the Oakes Field Primary School, led by Joan Knowles-Turnquest, teacher met in the Boardroom of the Bahamas Hotel Association with BHA President Stuart Bowe to discuss the industry, its importance, the range of opportunities, and what it takes to succeed in the industry.
“You already have many of the tools you need to succeed in our industry, you just need to know how to use them” stated President Bowe, as he and the students talked about some of the more than 1,000 different tourism job and career options available today in The Bahamas.
“I came away from the meeting with the students most impressed with their knowledge of our business and feeling confident about both their future and our industry’s future” stated Bowe who encouraged all young people to set their sights high and strive to do their best in school in order to be prepared to seize the many opportunities which the industry presents.
BHA’s Junior Hotelier Program is open to students in grades four to six and grade 12 who are selected based on either results from an interest inventory combined with Holland’s RIASEC codes or by recommendations from teachers. The program in now offered in Oakes Field, Centreville & Stephen Dillet Primary Schools and Anatol Rogers High School. Its success requires an in-school partner who is willing to facilitate the program with BHA’s workforce development team.
The objectives of the ten (10) week program are to: explore careers; meet with industry professionals to learn about the industry; become aware of industry and guests’ needs and expectations; and link classroom learning and experiences to the workplace.
Students meet once a week with industry professionals and representatives from hotels, BHA, the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, and the College of The Bahamas’ tourism program. They also participate in a field trip to Dolphin Encounters, Ardastra Gardens, or the Bahamas National Trust and partner with a hotel for a shadow experience and tour of the partner’s property.
