With all that’s been going on, Tuesday’s news that University of St. Martin (USM) Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) Hospitality Management students can now enrol in the fast-track programme of the Hotel School in The Hague should not go unnoticed. The importance of preparing young professionals to take on top jobs within the island’s tourism industry is obvious.
It’s a public secret that mostly foreigners currently occupy these functions, which not too long ago prompted Finance Minister Richard Gibson to warn of a possible “revolution.” He said none of the general managers at major resorts on the Dutch side were local, which later proved not to be entirely correct, but the message was clear.
While the Minister seemed to blame especially employers, the apparent failure of the education system to produce suitable candidates for such positions cannot be overlooked. Efforts are undoubtedly being made to change that and USM’s arrangement with the Dutch college ranked fifth in the world serves as a good example.
One of the advantages is that students will have to stay in the Netherlands just two years to earn their degrees, increasing the chance for their successful return and possibly reducing the burden of their study loan debt. Judging by the number of views on and reactions to the story on The Daily Herald’s Facebook page, this latest development is being widely welcomed as a significant breakthrough in empowering future generations of St. Maarten.
Congratulations are in order.
