Over 2,000 tourism workers certified

The CARIBCERT programme is presently being offered in 14 Caribbean countries throughout the region.

More than 2,000 persons have been certified since the start of the programme. In 2007, a record of 884 persons were either certified or awaiting certification.

The hospitality and tourism sector accounts for approximately 93,000 or seven per cent of participants in the labour force with an employment rate of approximately 86 per cent in 2006.

Given a replacement rate of eight per cent, the education and training system needs to produce approximately 7,440 per annum to cope with normal attrition. Given the ongoing and projected expansion of room capacity, demand for trained hospitality workers is expected to grow significantly in the next three years.

more jobs

The overall expansion is expected to create more than 33,000 jobs in areas of greatest demand, such as restaurants and bar services, housekeeping and kitchen services.

The CARIBCERT professional certification programme is one such accreditation through which persons employed within the industry can meet the growing demands of the hospitality sector. The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the HEART Trust/ National Training Agency (HEART/NTA ), which allows successful participants in the CARIBCERT programme to matriculate in the HEART/NTA's National Vocational Qualification.

new standards

Godfrey Dyer, chairman of the Tourism Enhancement Fund, stated, "CARIBCERT for the JHTA represents an opportunity for every professional in the hospitality and tourism industry to achieve their full potential. It will build self-esteem, lift the standard of operations at every level and give us the resources to build the best possible service in any tourism destination anywhere in the world."

The CARIBCERT programme is accepted and recognised regionwide and is being considered for endorsement by the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association, The Hotel and Catering International Management Assoc, and the Canadian Tourism Human Resources Council. The JHTA is strongly encouraging all hospitality-training managers to have their staff certified under the CARIBCERT programme.