Hotelier training program for local youths
• BY Martha Nangombe
THE role of education has become more significant for the development of seasoned professional chefs in the hospitality and tourism industry.
This is what hotelier, Simon N.
Williams aims to contribute with the establishment of the Global Hospitality Education Internship Programme (GHEIP) that provides valuable education and instils leadership skills in students with the view of breeding more established hoteliers.
The GHEIP allows student hoteliers to pursue their passion and advance their careers in global hospitality in the United States of America (USA) under the J1-Visa programme for 12 months.
“I devoted time to studying and develop my hospitality professional career in Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the USA and it gave me the opportunity to broaden my understanding when it came to working in the Hospitality and Tourism industry,” Williams said.
“The aim of creating this program was to empower the youth with the right skills and looking at our high unemployment rate, it was just right from our side to give back to the youth and provide them with such life changing opportunities,” he further added.
The cultural exchange program started in 2016 and has over the years seen more young people applying for the 12 months training. Benefits of enrolling in the program include an internship with five-star hospitality brands in the USA, and this comes with provided accommodation, transport to and from work, and uniforms and meals on duty.
The internship allowance/stipend is per hour and then there is hope for enriched cultural diversity and work ethics for the trainees.
Williams teamed up with the Global Hospitality Education partner in the USA – American Hospitality Academy (AHA) – to promote tourism through bilateral and international collaborations.
His work aligns with that of the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN), which regards service as key to the hospitality sector.
HAN has identified core values for the association and its members which focus on the need and importance to serve guests, the industry and the country.
It uses the acronym SERVE, which summarises HAN’s core values: Service, Excellence, Respect, Value and Ethics in all operations their members engage in.
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