The Grand Cayman Marriott Resort held a job fair last Friday in an attempt to fill 90 available positions.
During the week leading up to the job fair, 35 people called the hotel looking for work. All were to visit the job fair to fill out applications.
But more interestingly, the job fair was also attended by students from three major local high schools, and by students of the University College of the Cayman Islands.
The students that attended got to see some of what the hospitality industry could offer them. Those that went with an open mind should have readily been able to see the tourism industry is replete with opportunities for young, willing Caymanians.
Historically, there has been a stigma attached to the tourism industry by Caymanians, possibility because the hospitality side of the job is likened to servitude. Make no mistake, though, the servitude notion can apply to any lawyer, doctor, accountant or banker who does not own their own business, and people in those professions have to please their customers as well.
Getting a good job in the tourism industry requires many of the same qualities it takes to get a good job in any line of work: training, dedication and a good work ethic. Those who put in the effort can be rewarded very handsomely.
Chefs make good money. Hotel management makes good money. Hosts and hostesses make good money. Bartenders and wait staff, especially the good ones, can make good money. In fact, many positions in the hospitality industry can make better money than lower and mid-tier positions in white collar industries.
Another benefit is that people in the hospitality profession do not have to worry about their jobs being outsourced or off-shored. As long as there is a tourism industry here, there will be a need for people to fill hospitality jobs. And with more and more hotels and vacation properties being built, the demand for hospitality workers will only grow.
Having Caymanians in the hospitality industry will also help strengthen the uniqueness of the tourism product here. People don’t travel here to interact with Americans, Canadians, Indians and Austrians; they come here to interact with Caymanians. Unfortunately, with so relatively few Caymanians in the industry, many tourist find that difficult to do.
It’s long past due for more Caymanians to start thinking seriously about the benefits of a career in the hospitality industry. Hopefully, last week’s job fair at the Marriott got some young Caymanians doing just that.
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