Six Antiguan women have been awarded full scholarships by the Antigua Hotels and Tourist Association (AHTA) to pursue associate degrees at the Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute (ABHTI).
Four of them will study Resort Management, while the remaining two will focus on Hospitality Management – a move AHTA officials said aims to position nationals for top positions in the industry.
“Antigua and Barbuda has often struggled with a mismatch of expatriate management and Antiguan workforce in the hospitality sector and it’s not that there isn’t the talent out there,” AHTA Chairman Andrew Hedley said.
“A big part of the challenge is that we need to create the environment that is attractive enough for much of the Antiguan Diaspora to want to come home and to want to give something back.”
A scholarship awards presentation was held on Tuesday at Jumby Bay, a Rosewood Resort for Tameka Ferris, Ava Mason, Karen Lewis-Williams and La Toya Wallace who will study Resort Management, while Ryancia Henry and Tiffany Roberts will study Hospitality Management from this September.
The number of scholarships granted in 2013 totals the amount awarded over the past three years through the AHTA’s Tourism Development Fund.
“If we provide today’s young people with scholarships to get the education and give them the tools that they need then we can position Antigua as a quality destination by having good management,” AHTA General Manager Neil Forrester said.
The scholarships are in line with the Succession Planning initiative that has been discussed by the association and Minister of Labour Dr Errol Cort, which seeks to enable Antiguans and Barbudans to understudy work permit holders in top management positions within the sector.
Executive Director of the ABHTI Calvin Ambrose said the partnership between the institute and the Hotel Association has been yielding dividends.
“It is for development and it is for succession within the industry where our people working within the industry can come to us and be trained and then after a year or two roll into that position in middle or upper management,” he said.