MORE HOSPITALITY TRAINING TO MEET GROWING DEMANDS
Forty-four (44) trainers and several hotel supervisors are already registered to benefit from a Cuban Hospitality training mission launched here on Tuesday at the Holiday Inn Express.
The sessions are being conducted at three (3) Technical Institutes across the country. The program will be complemented later this month by specialized training for cruise sector workers, delivered by the Aquila Centre for Cruise Excellence.
This three-week program brings together eight (8) Cuban experts who will deliver practical training in key areas of the hospitality sector, including Housekeeping, Bartending, front Office Operations and Massage Therapy. The initiative builds on a 2023 Memorandum of Understanding signed between both governments and is being facilitated by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Tourism Authority, the Ministry of Education, and the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College.
Delivering remarks at the opening ceremony, Minister of Education Hon. Curtis King reflected on the deep, historic ties with Cuba and said that it was important to move beyond access to education to a focus on improving quality, particularly through technical and vocational education.
Minister King noted the need for students to graduate not just with skills but with true competence, adding, “We must prepare our young people with the right mix of academic foundation and practical ability.”
Minister of Tourism and Culture, Hon. Carlos James, said that while SVG has made progress in TVET, the hospitality sector continues to express the need for workers who are not only trained in theory but are able to deliver excellent service.
