BTEC Successfully Trains 45 Job Seekers
The Belize Training and Employment Centre, BTEC, was created to prepare individuals with skills in different disciplines so as to provide them a higher chance of being employed. Today, forty five men and women were recognized for completing a three week training course in housekeeping, waiting and bartending. But besides learning soft and technical skills, the participants learned the importance of positivity. News Five’s Hipolito Novelo has the story.
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
Gleeful and proud- these forty-five men and women were recognized today for successfully completing a training course facilitated by the Belize Training and Employment Centre. In search of employment and a career, these participants engaged with trainers for three weeks, some learning waiting staff, housekeeping and bartending skills. These trainings were divided into soft and technical skills.
Marcelli Richards
Marcelli Richards, Training Facilitator, B.T.E.C.
“The soft skills portion covered modules such as the power of a positive attitude. I know you guys must be tired of hearing be posting, have a positing attitude but I am sure that you will agree that it does take you a distance further. We also covered subjects such as stress management, professionalism, and work ethics, diversity in the work place, time management, resume preparation as well as giving a few tips on how to manage and handle an interview. For those who pursued bartending they had the opportunity to work with the President of the Belize Bartending Association in learning how to prepare both local and exotic mixtures. Our wait staff participating, you guys all learned how to properly provide customers with professional service while making their experience that much more of an experience, one to remember, by practicing to meet and greet, table presentation, and of course, that good old’ servicing etiquette. When it comes to housekeepers, you guys all learned the value of the different cleaning supplies, how to be organized by using the five S’s. That system definitely works once you put it into play. And overall, just to how to ultimately be a well kept cleaned individual as well the services you’re going to be offering in the housekeeping field.”
The primary focus of the training is to equip the participants with adequate skills to have a higher chance of obtaining employment in their respective field. But there is a subtle, yet fundamental aspect of the training, that is, character building. The interaction among the trainees and the facilitators has helped to keep participants focused and optimistic.
Leroy Almendarez
Dr. Leroy Almendarez, Executive Director, BELTRAIDE
“If we adopt a negative attitude then basically what happens, we have a tendency if we want to be negative then somehow we tend to attract some negative people as well. That’s not what we want. That’s not what this training is about and that’s why the training was not only focused on bartending, or waitressing or housekeeping. It also thought you certain skills because we must know how to interact with people. In other words this is service driven and if it is service driven then it means that the quality of service that you provide, that will be the thing that will make you excel in life.”
And these career hopefuls have made new friends for life; friends who will support each other because after today the real challenge begins.
Melanny Belisle
Melanny Belisle, Participant
“We must say that the experience was an enriching and exciting one because I made new friends. I was equipped with both the soft and technical skills which will give me and all of us a winning edge and a head start in searching for a new career.”
Lynn Santos
Lynn Santos, Participant
“These skills that we have learned will help us in our daily lives and assist us in becoming productive individuals in the work field. To my fellow colleagues, I wish all the best on your journey. Always remember the sky is the limit.”
David Lewis
David Lewis, Participant
“You all showed us that everyone has different ways and have different styles and ways of teaching. We accept that and love it. I speak from the heart when I say that we really love you all. Straight talk. My friends, I hope that all of you take what you learned along with you because I will tell you, I have been out there. I have been in bartending, hospitality management and dealing with the public on a whole. It is nothing nice but the overall point is that if you have a sense of humor, you will get over it.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.
