The Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board on Friday, November 18, hosted a Tourism and Hospitality Career Fair at the Yellowman and Sons Auditorium in Grand Turk.
The Tourism Career Fair, which sought to showcase the various careers, and potential in the national tourism industry, invited fifth-form students from Grand Turk’s Helena Jones Robinson High School to hear presentations from the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board and the TCI’s Junior Minister of Tourism of 2022-23, Chelsea Been of H.J. Robinson High School, prior to having the opportunity to network with representatives from the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR), Beaches Turks and Caicos, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, the Turks and Caicos National Museum, Yummies Tasty Treats, the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, Antonio Clarke, CHUKKA, Exclusive Escapes Tours, the Grand Turk Cruise Center, Aunty Nann’s Homemade Delights, Invest Turks and Caicos Islands, as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board’s Financial Controller, Diedra Been, who also attended the H.J. Robinson High School, provided the official welcome.
In it, Been articulated that the options and opportunities in the industry are “essentially limitless” and that she always knew that she wanted to be an accountant, but had no idea that her interest would lead her to working within the tourism and hospitality industry.
“The goal of our Tourism and Hospitality Career Fair was to provide an opportunity for students to see that careers in tourism and hospitality go far beyond those that initially come to mind.
Through the Career Fair, we displayed that no matter what one’s passion is, there is almost always an opportunity to be working within the tourism and hospitality industry”, said TCI Tourist Board’s Training Manager and Coordinator of TEAM, Blythe Clare.
“We are extremely thankful for the attendance and attention of the students of the H.J. Robinson High School, as well as for the participation of the various business entities,” added Clare.
TCI’s 2022-23 Junior Minister of Tourism, Chelsea Been provided a captivating speech where she challenged her H.J. Robinson High School peers to “rediscover the Turks and Caicos Islands”.
Been encouraged the audience to emphasize rediscovering our heritage, culture, and environment – which included, but was not limited to listening to stories from community elders, being intentional in learning and practicing our culture, as well as embracing our environment and sustainably managing it for the benefit of future generations.
Afterwards, Acting Director of Tourism, Mary Lightbourne gave a presentation on the tourism and hospitality industry – highlighting the multitude of career options available, how to get into the industry, as well as the relevant programs available at the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, which is now free for Turks and Caicos Islanders and British Overseas Territory Citizens. Layton Lewis, Marketing Officer for the TCI Tourist Board later delivered the vote of thanks.
“The Turks and Caicos Islands has one of the best tourism products in the world and it has provided for our citizens for decades.
In order to maintain our rank amongst the best of the best, we need to invest into the future of our industry – beginning with our youth – which is what we sought to do through our Tourism and Hospitality Career Fair”, stated Acting Director of Tourism, Mary Lightbourne.
“We look forward to continuing to invest into our youth and would like to thank everyone who was involved in making this year’s Tourism and Hospitality Career Fair such a success” added Lightbourne.
Following a month of activities and events under the theme, ‘Rediscover the Turks and Caicos Islands’, the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board will be concluding its Tourism Environmental Awareness Month events on Tuesday, November 29 with an Open House at the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC), in collaboration with the TCICC’s tourism students.