Unattached youngsters in Hanover urged to apply for free training
by Bryan Miller/Gleaner Writer · The GleanerWestern Bureau:
With some 69 youngsters from Hanover recently completing training in various disciplines linked to the hospitality sector, other young people are being urged to take up the free training offer, which is a joint venture between the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC), the Grand Palladium Hotels and Resorts, and the HEART NSTA/Trust.
The just-concluded training programme, which started just over a year ago, took place in facilities which were retrofitted by the Grand Palladium Hotels and Resorts for the training purpose in Green Island, Sandy Bay, Riverside and Cauldwell, and Lucea. The trainees went through theoretical and practical training over a period of six months, following which they were certified by HEART NSTA/Trust. Some have since secured employment.
“One of the features of this programme is that, despite the fact that the Grand Palladium Hotels and Resorts is one of the partners within the MOU (memorandum of understanding) and that hospitality company provides internship opportunities for the trainees during training, the participants in the programme are not bound to work with that company when their training is complete,” said Lucea deputy mayor, Andria Dehaney-Grant, during last Thursday’s monthly meeting of the HMC.
“We have started registration for a new batch of students, so interested persons can contact their respective councillor, or the HEART NSTA/Trust within the parish,” continued Dehaney-Grant. “We are asking individuals who want to be a part of this training, it is free of cost, there is now one training area in all seven HMC parish council divisions, to reach out to the necessary contacts, and register for this training.”
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Dehaney-Grant pointed out that the target for registration for the first year of the programme was about 200 trainees, but that was not realised, so for this the second year, it is hoped that enough individuals will register for the free training to make up for the shortfall.
“Most of what they do involves online classes, and the centres in the different division will be used to do practical classes, for example in Sandy Bay there will be housekeeping practical, and in Lucea bar practical and so on, while at the Grand Palladium they do their work experience,” said Dehaney-Grant, who noted that training is being offered in areas such as housekeeping, banqueting, bartending, and restaurant service, among other areas.
According to Dehaney-Grant, under the MOU, the HMC is responsible for the mobilising of prospective trainees, while HEART NSTA/Trust is responsible for the provision and payment of the trainers, and Grand Palladium Hotels and Resorts is responsible for the provision of internship opportunities during training and employment where possible after training.
“The hope is that the next batch of trainees will begin their training sometime in January 2025,” she noted.