Unemployed offered basic hospitality training

| 14/10/2013

(CNS): As government continues to get to grips with the challenges presented by growing local unemployment and as part of the drive to get locals back into tourism jobs, the National Workforce Development Agency (NWDA) is launching a five week food and beverage training programme this week. Once again urging every Caymanian looking for work to register with the agency, those that are registered and want to work in tourism but don’t have the skills can take this short free course as a first step towards a new job. In partnership with the Marriott Hotel, this NWDA Food & Beverage 101 covers a series of topics to equip participants with basic product knowledge and service. 

The workshops are free to anyone registered with the NWDA and are held at the NWDA Conference Room at Midtown Plaza on Elgin Avenue on Wednesdays from 16 October to 13 November. To register or for more information visit the NWDA offices, or contact them at 945-3114 or email nwda.jobs@gov.ky.

 

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  1. anonymous says:

    So how many turned up? 

    Hopefully, more than the unemployment March?

     

  2. Anonymously says:

    Same skill sets apply today that were needed and found from a population of less than today when Caymanians worked at La Fontaine, Seaview, Pageant Beach, Royal Palms, Coral Caymanian, West Indian Club, Caribbean Club, Holiday Inn, Galleon Beach and Tortuga Club.   

    A time when most hotels ran at almost 100% occupancy and a everyone made a liveable wage (how about that). The hotels and many scoffers need to remember they came here and found Cayman not the other way around, they found a blue print, Caymanians created one, big difference.  Caymanians created the Caymanian tourism product including Sting Ray City. This place reminds me more each day of what happened to the Xhosa tribe how they developed, their welcoming attitude now they lost paradise and the struggles made to regain it. Those that cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it, beware Cayman.  Better to live without than be forced to do without.

     

     

     

     

  3. Anonymous says:

    I hope that Caymnians will be grabbing this opportunity. Who knows where this can lead? You may start off chopping the vegetables, but down the line, with the right work ethic, you can be running the hotel and calling all the shots.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      They have to turn up first. Rumour has it that only 3 managed to get there, I rest my case.

  4. Anonymous says:

    What the heck is wrong with you people, this is an opportunity for people to learn something that may lead to them getting a job. Where does it say anything about working for free in any businesses all it is simply free basic training course to get you started. Some people are simply stupid, how does this equal to cheap labor in any why. geez some people will find a negative in anything. I am so sick of hearing hear these downright idiotic complaints from born losers.

    Crap like this only make people lesssympathetic to the problem.

    Shut up already while you lay on you’re a$$ doing nothing for yourself and let those who want to find an opportunity take advantage of one without hearing your stupid comments.

  5. Anonymous says:

    This is exactly the kinds of programs government needs to be doing but on a larger scaleand in a wider variety of trades (carpentry, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, etc.) You have to start somewhere, and I commend government and Marriott for doing this. 

    Now let's see how many Caymanians actually participate. If these 3,000 unemployed choose not to attend, don't cry about not being able to find a job. 

    • Anonymous says:

      What, like the ones with Masters Degrees in hospitality who already know how to wash and chop vegetables?

      • Diver Dan says:

        Clearly a different target audience (and different solution needed)

      • Anonymous says:

        just because one has a masters in hospitality does not necessarily mean that they know how to wash and chop vegetables. I sat a 4 year hospitality degree and only 10 weeks out of the entire course was actually spent in a restaurant or kitchen training facility! the rest was all theory.

        This is why it is also important to have experience along with the qualifications.

        You wouldn't want someone who has only just been given their law degree defending you infront of a judge for murder would you – well I certainly wouldn't. YOu would want someone who has had experience in that field as well as teh qualification. Maybe this was an extreme example, but you get what I'm saying.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Skills needed to excel in hospitality: wear a clean shirt, show up on time, be nice to the people. It is a fun, social, and potentially lucrative industry to work in. But you have to work.

  7. Anonymous says:

    I was at the grocery store on Saturday and I went up to the empty line.  Had to wait while the cashier fiinished reading an article in a magazine.  She never spoke a word to me other than the amount of the bill.  Never had a smile on her face and made me feel like I was bothering her because I chose her line.  Can you imagine if I was a tourist…pathetic

    • Anonymous says:

      The cashier would win "Employee of the Month" in Tortola with that kind of attitude.

      • Anonymously says:

        You are so right this is exactly why I told my friends to keep abreast of what is happening in Cayman via CNS to read the comments and enact the necessary law that BVI does not become the next Cayman instead aim to be better than Bermuda.  BVI is the next stop but remember you have it all The Rockefellers' and Sir Richard Branson long before it was known to many of those who will try to come there and pick the meat off your bones.  The stage has now been set, put your plans in place fast.  Don't back down from what you have in place with immigration and development and you will continue to do well.  Keep Foxxys and Bomba shack, enjoy being locals …., you have what they want and need!

      • Anonymously says:

        Far too many expats have it easier in Cayman than they do in BVI yet they are so ungrateful and condescending towards Caymanians (read this) http://www.bviplatinum.com/news.php?page=Article&articleID=1381338722.

    • Anonymous says:

      This is the most common attitude in grocery stores at the checkout line. No hello or have a noce day. Just a why are you bugging me attitude.

      • Anon says:

        I can honestly say that I do not agree.  I shop at Kirks, Hurleys and Fosters countryside frequently and the cashiers and other staff are always very friendly and helpful.

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, I know just the supermarket that has cashiers with that kind of attitude!  And, it's the expensive supermarket!!

      • Anonymous says:

        They either ignore you or talk to the other cashiers in Spanish, I was taught it is rude to speak a different language in front of someone like that. It was amusing as they assumed I didn't understand them, never gone back since.

  8. SSM345 says:

    The NWDA needs to let us all know how many people turn up for this.

    • Anonymous says:

      Absolutely!! If they did not turn up then I would guess that they are not interested- It is as simple as that.

    • Anonymous says:

      I have it on good authority that there was certainly more than one person turn up.

      There was also less than three persons arrive there in total.

      I will leave the rest to be deduced.

      • Anonymous says:

        I deduce that you are a troll. The article itself shows that the classes had not started (16 October) when you posted (14 October). So, from one anonymous to another,  your 'good authority' is as bogus as your 'good name'. (What is perhaps even mroe interesting is how many people quickly and uncritically thumbed up the troll.)

        • Anonymous says:

          How does someone posting verifiable facts get labled a troll? Could someone who clicked explain their reasoning because I am confused.

          • Anon says:

            Because you're so wrapped up in your facts, you can't detect sarcasm when you see it.

      • Government Accountant says:

        Is the answer four?  This math thing is so hard. 

    • Only Two? says:

      I would be interested in the feedback and breakdown of how successfull this was.

    • Anonymous says:

      One man and his dog.  The dog had potential.  The dog also had a clean police record and did not smoke crack.

      • Anonymous says:

        To: Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 15/10/2013 – 06:04                             Sorry to hear that your dog was not hired even though he had potential and was drug free.Welcome to the club.

    • Anonymous says:

      Also, follow up on how many got job offers (or got applications turned down) afterwards and why. There are several unknowns in the 'no work' equation and 'training' is (we are often told) just one of them.

  9. Anonymous says:

    "training" a,k,a cheap labour.

    • Anonymous says:

      If you don't want it let the expats do it and shut up then..

    • Anonymous says:

      and what did you do in the unemployment war 12.46? "Oh, son, I sat back and wrote incredibly stupid and cynical comments on CNS". At least they are doing something you muppet, more than you ever will.

    • Anonymous says:

      My dear cheap labour is better than no labour. Some of you are looking for a job and wishing to God you never find one. If other nationalities can leave their home country to come here to work the cheap labour why not the Caymanians!!. I know that some people with good Resumes are out of work and eagerly looking but there are some of you out there who have no intention – it is easier to phone up someone and beg. The Reform that the Government is undertaking will make it much harder for a guest worker to get a Permit- what are Caymanians doing to capitalise on this. Please Caymanians if you are out there and if you have a decent Resume and get it into the labour office and hound them until you get an opportuity. All of these jobs must be advertised and if suitable qualified Caymanians applies you will have a chance. If not then the person in the job or some other guest worker will get it. Really the ball is in your court!!

      • Anonymously says:

        Cheap labour is better, I'll agree if there is nothing else but the young people don't think so. As a result they are turning to a life of crime, in my opinion it is far better to pay a decent wage than to pay cheap and have a working class poor and a crime infested country.  Poverty is the gateway to social ills and this is what  the Cayman Islands have imported for themselves by bringing in cheap labour and people like you trying to justify the fact that other nationalities have to come here and work for low wages so Caymanians should be happy to do the same.  I will say most if not all of the people that come here to work have to pay income taxes so why don't they pay if here? Just a thought.  Cayman is going to lose every good thing because they are too quick to listen to every ill concocted advice given by people like you.

        • Anonymous says:

          May be it is now time to tell the young people that half a loaf is better than none. The reason why they don’t know that is because of people like you encouraging them not to work. Doyou realise that some businesses cannot afford to pay higher salaries- have yu looked around Cayman lately and see that tourism is on the decline. Today there is not even one ship in the harbour, many of the tourist related stores in town are closed today- so how can you expect the shopowners/ restaurants etc to pay more. Some of you out there has no conception at all of how difficult it is to run a business now. Your comment about why they don’t pay income tax- well I guess if it was the law here they would have to and so would you- so you better be careful what you wish for- you might just get it. People like me has a pretty good job- because I am qualified and I do the work. I will try to hold on to this job until someone like you steps up to the plate, get qualified and come looking for my job. You better hurry because I am now past retirement and might retire any day now.

        • Anonymous says:

          Comments like this is why Cayman is in the position it is today.

    • Anonymous says:

      You think they will be peeling onions in the Elgin Ave conference room? 

    • Anonymous says:

      "Unemployed" a.k.a. no labour…stop complaining..

    • Anonymous says:

      Ahw; come on now, don't be so cynical!  training equals an opportunity to learn that is were the road to making a living starts and certainly in the beginning trainees cost an establishment more than they can produce. It only becomes cheap labour if they use the trainee to mop floors and wash pots beyond the point were they are familiar with the work, (because, that too has to be learned)! So give them a chance! we've been asking for training opportunities now we are getting some, let's avail ourselves of them!

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes.. it does. And what is wrong with that? What is wrong with volunteering your time when you have no training, experience or skills? To get into the industry that I'm in now I volunteered my time for a year. In exchange I got certain course costs waived, experiences paid for and learning under my belt. I've been at it every since and that makes almost 14 years now. 

      Why is it that people don't value volunteering? You only see it as what the employer might get out of you but what about what you get out of the employer? A chance to gain experience in an industry. A chance to show some hard work and willingness to learn. Why not take advantage of the opportunity for free training instead of making a snarky remark? I paid a lot for my degrees and would love to have been born and raised here where there are so many opportunties provided. It certainly would have cost me a lot less to gain the education I did. 

    • Anonymous says:

      "Honorable"  a,k,a cheap labor.

    • The Caymanian says:

      And there you have it.  The real reason expats will always be needed in Grand Cayman.

    • SSM345 says:

      12:46, the sheer stupidity of your comment tells everyone why Caymanians do not get employed or choose not to be employed in this industry.

      The service and hospitality industry here is a f**king gravy train if you apply the right attitude and get in the door.

      Most of the servers in restaurants and bars on SMB make CI50K a year when tips are included in their salaries. I used to carry home CI250 a night cash, plus my salary.

      You are a f**king idiot.

      A Caymanian.