Sandals HTP Graduates.
PRESS RELEASE - Saint Lucia’s hospitality industry has been made that much stronger with the graduation of more than 50 young and energetic individuals from the Sandals Hospitality Training Programme (HTP) – the second batch for the year 2014.
The 10-week programme, or 420 combined hours – saw the participants scattered across the three Sandals properties on the island.
The group comprised individuals 18-25 years old without experience or formal training in the industry. It targeted school-leavers who have a desire to work or further their studies in hotel of tourism disciplines, as well as graduates of SALCC or Vocational Training Centres.
A combination of soft and technical skills training throughout the various departments at each property was afforded to the graduates.
“Our aim is to ensure that we have prepared the Saint Lucian workforce for the hospitality industry locally, regionally and internationally,” said Ryan Matthew – Regional Human Source and Training Manager for Sandals Resorts International Eastern Caribbean.
From each property two individuals were honoured with the titles Host Outstanding HTP and Hospitality Personality. From Sandals Regency La Toc – which saw the largest complement – were Aloysius Frederick from Watersports who was awarded the title Hospitality Personality and Lusinschi Alfred from Housekeeping who was awarded the title Most Outstanding HTP from that property.
Yannil Simon and Erica Jean from Sandals Regency La Toc secured the honours Hospitality Personality and Most Outstanding HTP respectively. For Sandals Halcyon, were Thugia Gregg and Posher Albert respectively.
Also addressing the gathering was General Manager for Sandals Regency La Toc Golf Resort & Sap – Michael James, who advised the graduates that their new certification was nothing shy of a ticket to get them to the next level of their career in hospitality.
He said they should also clothe themselves going forward with the attire of attitude, determination, passion, image and integrity – the key attributes to succeed in any environment.
Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Tourism Donovan William was also on hand to applaud the graduates for deciding to and consciously following through with the programme.
William praised Sandals and its training management team for the unwavering commitment to human resource development in Saint Lucia and across the Caribbean.
In the meantime, some of the graduates themselves addressed their fellow team members and Sandals management. Kimma Alphonse spoke of her journey with Sandals and how it impacted her development both on a personal and professional level.
The Hospitality Training Programme (HTP) began in 2006 in Jamaica and was the brainchild of Chairman of Sandals Resorts International Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, who recognised a need to develop the human resource needed to support the tourism industry in the Caribbean.