JAMAICA Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) Vice-President Robert Headley is encouraging students to think big picture when considering a career in the hospitality and tourism industry.

“The only limit there is in tourism is the limit you place on yourself,” Headley said as he addressed more than 200 students attending a World Tourism Day open house at Sandals South Coast recently.

Headley also shared his own journey within the industry from a mini bar attendant at Sandals Royal Caribbean to the office he holds today as vice-president of the JHTA.

“As you prepare to enter this exciting industry, it is important that you know your island, explore your island and understand what Jamaica has to offer to the world,” he said.

He also encouraged them to look at how tourism connects the dots with other industries like transportation, craft and construction, and explore opportunities in emerging industries that are driving tourism, like tours and weddings.

The open house event was part of Sandals South Coast’s ongoing Tourism in Schools initiative. The Tourism in School initiative, a Sandals South Coast release said, provides opportunities for students with an interest in tourism and hospitality to experience resort operation first-hand, while interacting with hospitality professionals.

The event attracted final-year students from four high schools in Westmoreland, St Elizabeth and Manchester, as well as students from Shortwood Teachers’ College and the Heart Trust/NTA in Culloden.

The release said the day began with Sandals South Coast General Manager Adrian Whitehead welcoming the students and encouraging them to gather as much information and contacts as they could, to help them determine what area of hospitality would best suit them.

Thereafter, the students floated around the resort’s grand ballroom, which had been transformed into a kaleidoscope of miniature display booths showcasing various resort departments. Among the key departments presented were food and beverage, rooms division, watersports, weddings, landscaping, loyalty and travel, and sales, as well as various revenue areas and administrative departments like information systems, public relations and environment, health and safety, the release continued.

Commis chefs in training, who were in attendance at the event, also had an opportunity to tour the resort’s expansive kitchen facilities with resort Executive Chef Marco Goldin and his team.

For Rogelio Grant, a chef de partie in training at Culloden Heart Trust/NTA, the experience was especially useful.

“I found the tour of the kitchen facilities and its operation to be very informative as I one day aspire to work in a similar facility,” said Grant.

He described the atmosphere in the kitchen as very fast-paced.

“Everyone there seemed to know exactly what they’re about and the stations within the kitchen were organised and easily identified. Chef Goldin also reminded us that no matter where we go, the rules of the kitchen remain the same.

“His take-away for us was to ensure that food preparation is something that we’re truly passionate about and then just be prepared to work hard and always keep developing,“ he said.

In keeping with the theme of the day, Tourism and the Digital Transformation, students also received instructions from resort Information Technology Manager Richard Griffiths on how Sandals Resorts is using digital technology to serve guests better.

Sixth-form students at Black River High, Annika Gray and Shevieka Laird, expressed their gratitude to Sandals South Coast for hosting the event.

“This is my first year doing tourism and hospitality and the World Tourism Day expo at Sandals South Coast really helped to open my eyes to what’s available,” said Gray.

For the management team at the resort, the open house was also a recruitment drive.

“We are passionate about hospitality,” said Training and Development Manager Lennox Lawrence, whose office helped to organise the event along with public relations. “It is for this reason why we are always looking for opportunities to share our experiences in this industry with the next generation of hospitality professionals.”