The Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI) between April to August of this year increased its rate of certification to 94 per cent after the majority of candidates that participated in its programmes were successfully certified.

Dr Carey Wallace, executive director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), in making the disclosure at a mid-year performance review session for the tourism ministry and its public bodies done last week, said that during the period, approximately 1,195 of the 1,262 students who participated in the training programmes successfully passed their exams with a grade of at least 70 per cent.

The JCTI, which is a division of the TEF, is tasked specifically with facilitating the development of Jamaica’s human capital and supporting innovation for the tourism sector.

Launched in 2018, the entity through partnerships with a number of local and international bodies such as the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), HEART/NSTA Trust and the American Culinary Federation (ACF) offers a variety of supervisory and middle management certification programmes. Some of these include: certified hospitality supervisor (CHS), certified sous chef (CSC), certified food and beverage executive (CFBE), certified hospitality housekeeping executive (CHHE) and certified hospitality trainer (CHT).

The institute also has responsibility to deliver the hospitality and tourism management programme, which it offers to high schools in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Youth. Graduates of this programme are prepared to work in entry-level positions in industry and commerce. At the recent review session it was revealed that some 350 high school students are to participate in the upcoming third cohort of the programme.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, in commending the entity on its recent success, described the performance of hospitality workers as remarkable.

“We are very proud of our hospitality workers who have prioritised certification and have performed above average. It indeed proves that the JCTI continues to be the primary platform to build a quality tourism workforce that can access attractive jobs that offer decent work, social protection, and upward social mobility,” he said.

Further lauding the work of the JCTI, he noted its role as being critical to the sector’s continued recovery. Through its contributions, the minister said that the aim was to develop a strong local capacity with an unrelenting dedication to quality by facilitating tourist workforce certification.

“Furthermore, as we ‘Build Forward Stronger’ from the pandemic through the implementation of our Blue Ocean Strategy, the focus is on attracting a diverse set of visitors seeking a uniquely Jamaican experience, leveraging local supply and tourism experiences, and creating an even more resilient, safe, and sustainable future,” he stated.