HAMILTON, Bermuda – Bermuda’s Premier Dr. Ewart Brown, Minster of Tourism and Transport, will join the Tourism workforce in 2009, beginning with a stint in the guest services division at the Elbow Beach, Bermuda later this month. The Premier will also work in at least three other hospitality establishments in the first half of the year.
The objective is two-fold: learn more about the industry from the front lines to help better shape Tourism policy and to generate excitement about an industry with strong career opportunities for Bermudians.
The workplace visits are just one part of an initiative designed to create renewed interest in Tourism industry careers. The initiative is called Rejuvenating the Tourism Workforce, announced today in a speech on the Bermuda Tourism industry by Premier Brown.
“I have long said that our people are the country’s greatest resource as a tourist destination,” said the Premier. “One of the best ways to improve our tourism product is to get more Bermudians in the mix. I want to see them working at every level of the industry.”
In addition to the workplace visits, the rejuvenation effort will include the launch of a centre for hospitality training. Plus the Department of Tourism will use electronic media later this year to disseminate first-person stories of current industry employees who are excelling in their fields.
Director of Tourism William Griffith said: “The best advocates for joining the Tourism industry will come from those people already in the Tourism industry. I think the public will be as excited as I am about our Tourism future once they hear what some of these outstanding professionals have to say.”
The Premier’s first workplace visit at the Elbow Beach, Bermuda is scheduled for February 23rd. He will then visit Fairmont Hamilton Princess in March, Tucker’s Point in April and Newsted-Belmont Hills in May – taking on a different kind of job with each visit.
In many ways this is a return to the Tourism workforce for the Premier. He worked as a wine steward back in 1966 at the former Bermudiana Hotel.
“When I go to Elbow Beach I’ll be working in the shadow of Kijean Dill, a young man who I have heard great things about,” the Premier said. “There are so many fine professionals like Kijean playing a critical role in our economy and I am excited we are shining a positive light on some of them. I look forward to learning from them all.”
Premier Dr. Ewart Brown with Elbow Beach Director of Communications, and former Bermuda Department of Tourism intern, Zeudi Hinds
Elbow Beach Director of Communications, and former Department of Tourism intern, Zeudi Hinds said: “We’re pleased to have the Premier with us highlighting the diverse and bright opportunities available to individuals in our industry.”
This Tourism workforce initiative will be focused on attracting fulltime and part-time employees to the industry.
