B.T.B. helps university’s hospitality programme
With the tourism industry in Belize booming it’s no surprise that many Belizeans are seeking employment opportunities within the sector. Responding to the increased activity, last year, the University of Belize offered degree programs in tourism to its students. This morning the sixty students presently seeking Associate and Bachelor of Science degrees in tourism at U.B. got a much welcomed donation, in the form of audio-visual equipment, from Minister of Tourism Mark Espat. The contribution is expected to arm the young people in the programme with the relevant skills they will need to survive within this ever-changing industry.
Kevin Geban, Dean of the Faculty of Business
“We developing an audio visual room that will be exclusively, the equipment will go in there and students from the programme will be able to view videos and will do lectures with Power Point et cetera in that room.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Are the students in the B.Sc. programme prepared enough to take on the challenges of the industry when they graduate?”
Kevin Geban
“Yes. When we were developing the programme we worked closely with the B.T.B. and the B.T.I.A. in terms of the research and looking at the industry needs. They looked at the programme, made arrangements and recommendations as to what we should include, what should not include and that was the final end product that went to the board for approval.”
Mark Espat, Minister of Tourism
“I think that at this particular stage the bachelorette degree programme here at the University of Belize, is a general exposure, with some specifics to the tourism industry. There are many other course and certification programmes that we offer that delve into greater detail, such as in the hotel industry, specialising in tour guiding, in tour operating for example, in the culinary arts. But this programme I think offers and excellent overview and certainly will prepare a Belizean man or woman for a managerial, or ownership position in the tourism sector or one of its sub-sectors.”
As the program prepares to enter its second year, some forty-seven new students have signed up for the course.
