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University of The Bahamas and Disney Cruise Line Partner to Strengthen Hospitality and Tourism Training in Eleuthera

Fri, Feb 2nd 2024, 09:49 AM
Business Caribbean News Education

The University of The Bahamas (UB) and Disney Cruise Line (DCL)  announced an exciting new hospitality and job readiness training initiative, the Leading Light Program, bringing college-level training to local residents for the first time. This program will increase the pipeline of trained tourism professionals in Eleuthera who are able to deliver the stellar service and professionalism that visitors to The Bahamas have come to know and love. 
 
Delivered through UB’s Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning (CELEARN), in partnership with the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce, this free programme will provide Eleutherans with hospitality soft skills, leadership training and job readiness coaching to support their career goals and the thriving hospitality and tourism industry of Eleuthera.
 
"As we prepare to open Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, we are proud to partner with UB to support this important training for Eleutherans,” said Sharon Siskie, senior vice president and general manager of DCL. “This collaboration is a part of our continued commitment to supporting accessible, high-quality education that helps Bahamians pursue their career aspirations. We hope this program will inspire participants to strengthen their skills and contribute to the thriving tourism industry."
 
The LLP will launch initially as a pilot programme with three cohorts and three parallel tracks for entry level and leadership positions. The courses— Hospitality Skills, Hospitality Leadership and Employment Communications — will be held during the day, after work hours and on weekends to offer flexibility and accommodate a diverse group of participants. 
 
“Professional development in tourism and hospitality is integral because the tourism industry contributes over 50 percent of our country's GDP. Therefore, persons working in the tourism space should be up skilled continually for this fast, growing field. The LLP program offered by UB in partnership with DCL is unique because it offers targeted workforce skills in this dynamic industry," notes the Director of Personal and Professional Development, CELEARN, Tammy Archer.
 
Participants in the LLP will receive a grant to help with personal expenses during their enrollment, as well as a uniform to support their success. Training will be delivered during Spring, Summer and Fall 2024. As a commitment to the sustainability of the programme, UB will also stay connected with each graduate for up to one year after completion to monitor and report on their progress. 
 
For entry-level training, participants will learn how to serve guests, promote goodwill and manage the daily challenges of working in a demanding hospitality sector through strong communication, and time and crisis management skills. For those on the leadership track, the training will centre on overseeing daily operations, analysis, delegation, leadership, problem solving, team skills, and training, using proven research techniques and targeted scenarios. 
 
Courses will be held at the Eleuthera Business Hub, which is largely funded by DCL. In 2021, DCL committed more than $1 million to fund the construction and operation of the Eleuthera Business Hub and introduce Access Accelerator Small Business Development Centre programming to the island.
 
The Ministry of Tourism and Aviation recently revealed that total visitor arrivals to The Bahamas in the first three months of 2023 equaled the total number of visitor arrivals in 2019 and that the country was on course to welcome more than 8 million visitors last year. Air arrivals to Eleuthera were reported to have increased by 44 percent in the same period.
 
UB has played an integral role in training the industry’s brightest and best talent in hospitality and tourism, the country’s main economic engine, with educational programmes focusing on increased capacity in areas of paramount national need. 

The University of The Bahamas (UB) and Disney Cruise Line (DCL)  announced an exciting new hospitality and job readiness training initiative, the Leading Light Program, bringing college-level training to local residents for the first time. This program will increase the pipeline of trained tourism professionals in Eleuthera who are able to deliver the stellar service and professionalism that visitors to The Bahamas have come to know and love. 
 
Delivered through UB’s Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning (CELEARN), in partnership with the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce, this free programme will provide Eleutherans with hospitality soft skills, leadership training and job readiness coaching to support their career goals and the thriving hospitality and tourism industry of Eleuthera.
 
"As we prepare to open Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, we are proud to partner with UB to support this important training for Eleutherans,” said Sharon Siskie, senior vice president and general manager of DCL. “This collaboration is a part of our continued commitment to supporting accessible, high-quality education that helps Bahamians pursue their career aspirations. We hope this program will inspire participants to strengthen their skills and contribute to the thriving tourism industry."
 
The LLP will launch initially as a pilot programme with three cohorts and three parallel tracks for entry level and leadership positions. The courses— Hospitality Skills, Hospitality Leadership and Employment Communications — will be held during the day, after work hours and on weekends to offer flexibility and accommodate a diverse group of participants. 
 
“Professional development in tourism and hospitality is integral because the tourism industry contributes over 50 percent of our country's GDP. Therefore, persons working in the tourism space should be up skilled continually for this fast, growing field. The LLP program offered by UB in partnership with DCL is unique because it offers targeted workforce skills in this dynamic industry," notes the Director of Personal and Professional Development, CELEARN, Tammy Archer.
 
Participants in the LLP will receive a grant to help with personal expenses during their enrollment, as well as a uniform to support their success. Training will be delivered during Spring, Summer and Fall 2024. As a commitment to the sustainability of the programme, UB will also stay connected with each graduate for up to one year after completion to monitor and report on their progress. 
 
For entry-level training, participants will learn how to serve guests, promote goodwill and manage the daily challenges of working in a demanding hospitality sector through strong communication, and time and crisis management skills. For those on the leadership track, the training will centre on overseeing daily operations, analysis, delegation, leadership, problem solving, team skills, and training, using proven research techniques and targeted scenarios. 
 
Courses will be held at the Eleuthera Business Hub, which is largely funded by DCL. In 2021, DCL committed more than $1 million to fund the construction and operation of the Eleuthera Business Hub and introduce Access Accelerator Small Business Development Centre programming to the island.
 
The Ministry of Tourism and Aviation recently revealed that total visitor arrivals to The Bahamas in the first three months of 2023 equaled the total number of visitor arrivals in 2019 and that the country was on course to welcome more than 8 million visitors last year. Air arrivals to Eleuthera were reported to have increased by 44 percent in the same period.
 
UB has played an integral role in training the industry’s brightest and best talent in hospitality and tourism, the country’s main economic engine, with educational programmes focusing on increased capacity in areas of paramount national need. 
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