MONTEGO BAY, St James — Jamaicans employed in the overseas hospitality programme have received high praises from their USA employers, who have described them as “well-trained workers who display excellent work ethic”.

“With the Jamaican programme there is a large body of workers and people who are well-trained and experienced in hospitality from all facets — from kitchen to the dining, to the housekeeping, to laundry, to guests services — and that’s what leads us to continue working with the programme,” remarked Bradley McCallum, managing director for Mission Point Resort located in Mackinac Island, Michigan.

“They are very, very good. There are several reasons that make them outstanding. One is that they are just very hospitable. They embody and imbue what hospitality is. They are friendly, they are warm, very hard-working and thirdly, because of their experience of having a tremendous culture of serving guests and visitors here in Jamaica, they bring that with them and there is a real passion.”

McCallum was in Montego Bay recently to participate in a recruitment exercise to select workers for his overseas resort.

David Vine, human resources manager for Swingle Lawn, Tree and Landscape Care, domiciled in Denver, Colorado, who was similarly in the island to enlist workers for his company, was equally impressed with the high standard of the Jamaican workers.

In fact, he rued that he was unable to sign up all those interviewed.

“We interviewed about 50 persons yesterday (last Monday) and honestly if we could have hired everyone we would have. I would hire all of them because they are great workers; their work ethic is great, their dedication is good, and they speak great English,” expressed Vine, whose company has participated in the overseas H2B Overseas Employment Programme for the past 15 years.

Meanwhile, Minister of Labour and Social Security Shahine Robinson, who recently hosted McCallum, Vine, and other representatives of US employers at a breakfast meeting at the Rose Hall Hilton Resort, noted that, “Jamaica has some of the best trained workers.”

“This can be attested by our ‘repeat’ employers here today,” Robinson expressed.

She revealed that last year approximately 2,300 were placed in the US on the programme — a 19 per cent increase over the previous year.

“This year, projection is for the upward trend to continue as the ministry welcomes several new employers,” Robinson said.