The ‘Hospitality Initiative’ project, which aims to provide better career opportunities through an internationally recognized hospitality certificate, has delivered its first successful results. In total, 15 participants have obtained their certificate. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) and the National Institute for Professional Advancement (NIPA), the initiators of the project, are pleased with this outcome.

Dr. Peggy-Ann Dros-Richardson, chairman and representative of the NIPA board, showed her enthusiasm about this milestone: “We are delighted to see the positive impact of the ‘Hospitality Initiative’ on the islands of Saba and St. Eustatius. This milestone is proof of the dedication and hard work of our participants, our facilitator, and the entire project team.”

The first course of the project was the Certified Hospitality Instructor (CHI) course. Former teachers with a hospitality background had the opportunity to enroll to become certified instructors. The course attracted a lot of interest with a total of 20 participants, 15 from Saba and 5 from St. Eustatius. After 13 intensive weeks of comprehensive training, 15 participants have successfully completed the course.

The project, which started in March, saw the completion of the Level 1 exams in the CHI course as a major step. The next step is to fully certify the instructors, after which the START trainings will begin at the end of this year. START trainings form the basis within hospitality.

The ‘Hospitality Initiative Island’ project, funded by the OCW, aims to strengthen the position of hospitality workers in the job market. The participants can obtain an internationally recognized certificate for free, which provides them with better career opportunities and contributes to the availability of qualified hospitality staff.