First degree holders have been urged to acquire additional skills and knowledge to enhance their chances of getting jobs.
The Managing Director (MD) of Aptaz Tours Limited, Ms Stella Appenteng, explained that due to the difficult nature of the global market, it would be necessary for them to seek support from parents and other stakeholders to acquire additional degrees to meet the demands of the job market especially the hospitality industry.
Ms Appenteng was speaking at the graduation of about 20 students of the Prime School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts on Saturday in Accra.
According to her, the first degree was an eye-opener to the world and an additional course would enable the graduates to venture into other avenues to earn lucrative contracts instead of relying on non-existing white colour jobs.
Ms Appenteng disclosed that the country’s graduates could fit into any managerial position in the hospitality industry, hence the need for them to have basic knowledge and if possible advanced skills to push them to the top.
The MD, stated that the tourism and hospitality industry was not only about cookery and serving people, but had other specialised areas, including front desk management, gardening (florists), hygienic food preparation and cruise ship management, adding “all these fields are specialised areas that earn so much money”.
She indicated that the hospitality industry demands hard work and dedication adding that “cruise ships have opportunities for cleaning, personnel housekeeping, guest management, while food experts are to ensure that the numerous clients are served with their desired meals.”
A Hospitality Consultant, Nana Baah Wiredu, said Linda D’or, a popular tourism and hospitality entity had afforded to employ all the graduates and urged them to keep on learning so as to give of their best towards getting a permanent job.
The hospitality industry, he explained needed about 10,000 employees, including chefs in the shipping industry every year, adding that the over 2,900 hotels in the country were also seeking highly skilled individuals to manage their premises, adding that “the onus lies on the country’s graduates to take advantage of the existing opportunities and free themselves from the claws of poverty”.
The Vice President of the South African Chefs Association, Kabelo Segene urged the graduates to take advantage of the hospitality industry and get an employable skill.
The industry, he explained, was not for lazy ones because it demanded lots of sacrifice and travelling and called on the youth to take centre stage in the training in order to acquire the knowledge needed in promoting the history.
The proprietor of the school, Prosper Kumi commended the parents for supporting their wards education and urged the graduates to exhibit exemplarily life styles anywhere they find themselves.
