The Carnegie School of Home Economics is exploring the possibility of offering online training to persons wishing to obtain qualifications in areas of hospitality during its new developmental phase.
This is to ensure that persons interested in pursuing a career in the hospitality industry can be gainfully employed, Principal Penelope Harris told a press conference yesterday.
The school is also hoping to implement an electronic register, which will commence operation throughout the institution from January 13, along with an electronic data management system, where student records amongst other documentation will be kept in the soft copy.
Harris said that the institution will be transitioned to provide excellent hospitality training and added that it will be partnering with other similar institutions nationwide in order to compare managerial skills among other elements to better improve the services provided by Carnegie.
During the upcoming annual retreat workshop, which will be held in New Amsterdam, Berbice over the next three days, the aim will be set at examining the assessment procedures of students who study at Carnegie and providing evidence to coincide with the results of the student assessments, Harris said.
She added that the evidence will be shown on specification tables, which will also be introduced since the institution recognises that a simple test will not satisfy employers looking to employ graduates from Carnegie. “If we say a student is competent in a certain area, we must be able to provide the evidence to show what we are saying to employers,” Harris said.
In addition, student and teacher self-evaluation and the incentive scheme will also be introduced.
Throughout 2014, there will be a lot of work done in order to develop the institution. Working along with the Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) programme, Chief Education Officer Olato Sam said that significant restructuring will be done to improve the services provided by Carnegie and added that Guyana’s hospitality industry is behind its sister nations, such as Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados, among others.
He urged that Guyana’s hospitality standards reach those of its neighbouring countries.
Speaking at the press conference, Chairman of Carnegie’s Board of Directors John Seeram suggested that the lead facilitator and participants of the retreat, focus on the areas of where the school was approximately two years ago, where it is now and where it will be in the next two or three years, taking into consideration the school’s mission statement, vision, goals and objectives it is expected to obtain through a development plan and operational plan.
He added that Carnegie will have to focus on its human, material, physical and financial resources available.
Seeram said that from the Board of Directors’ standpoint, the retreat should address staff development and other matters, such as availability of staffers currently and for the near future, the advancement of staff skills, review of the school’s courses and programmes, taking into consideration the demands of the hospitality industry.
He also urged that Carnegie keeps abreast with the latest developments in the respective subject areas, and that the internship programme be addressed.
Seeram further stated that consideration should be given towards the delivery of hospitality education in regions, 2, 3 and 6 and added that courses and programmes will need to be accredited by the National Accreditation Council in order to keep in line with quality assurance.
