Government’s National Employment Programme (NEP) is leaving its mark on yet another community; this time in the constituency of Soufriere.
There, 62 individuals prepare to participate in the NEP’s third Hospitality Apprenticeship Training Module in collaboration with the Dominica State College.
From tomorrow Thursday 07th, the 62 nationals will begin their twelve week training programme.
At an opening ceremony at the Pointe Mitchel Community Centre on Wednesday May 6th, Hon. Minister for Employment, Ian Douglas expressed that programmes such as these are Government’s way of ensuring that the nation’s human resource is well equipped to succeed.
“In our quest to develop this country, there are challenges and we have to ensure that our population is trained to meet them. That is why we are here today,” he said.
According to Hon. Douglas, Government’s initiative is governed by its Growth and Social Protection Strategy.
Hon. Member of Parliament for the Soufriere Constituency, Ian Pinard says the hospitality module will significantly benefit his constituency as its landscape poses great potential for increased revenue in the tourism industry.
“This programme is timely. Training in hospitality is coming at a great time in the Soufriere Constituency,” he said.
Hon. Pinard called on the participants of the programme to take the training seriously.
“If you take it seriously,” he said, “It will take you very far in your personal development.”
Also addressing the ceremony was Deputy Chairman of the Soufriere/Scott’s Head/Gallion Village Council, Heston Charles.
He described the programme as Government taking action to meet the obvious and immediate need of that area.
The Hospitality Apprenticeship Training Module has been launched in the east and north of the island, training approximately 98 nationals.
The Dominica Labour Party Government has spent over $167,000 on this module for the south-west which includes the payment of stipends during the six week training and an additional six week attachment.
Additionally over the past two years, more than $12m have been invested by Government in this programme for the development of its human resource.
To-date close to 1500 nationals have been trained by the National Employment Programme.
Third…so that means there were two previous workshops…yet the cry is that customer service has gotten worse over the years, especially among those employed in the hospitality industry. This is something that should be done REGULARLY, not just when the tourists and visitors complain. Tell those young women to get off their goddamn phones and smile and ASSIST somebody. Some of them act like it’s a favor they doing you when you’re actually the one keeping them employed. Smh.
Ah ah, the gals sure looking thick…………. LOL. Seriously though, every bit of education helps. Keep movin forward folks.
Take a closer look at the picture and you will see sadness and frustration of these people.
I am all for training our young people, provided there are realistic job prospects where these skills can be applied to generate an income.
We had a similar training module completed in Feb. 2014 in Portsmouth by 119 young men and women, the majority of whom were supposed to have found employment at the new Moroccan hotel, supposed to have been completed in Oct. 2013. (see also Govt. release from the P.M.’s office by CUOPM of 25 July, 2014).
Govt. should refrain from the temptation to make itself look good by raising expectations that can not be met. Nothing is more soul destroying and eventually it will come to bite them.