CHSGA inaugurates ‘PROPEL’ for 2020

CHSGA President Priyal Perera, CHSGA Past President Sumitra Gunasekara and Sri Lanka and Overseas Accommodation Sector Assistant Vice President Irandi Wijegunawardane

The Ceylon Hotel School Graduates Association (CHSGA) inaugurated its ‘PROPEL’ program with a view to encourage and stimulate talented young people from a wide range of educational backgrounds so they can apply their creativity to the highly challenging hotel industry. 

The program, set up in partnership with the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM), gives students an opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge to resolving operating issues and coping with industry demands. It also gives CHSGA the opportunity to directly interact with students and listen to their suggestions in order to build the hotel industry of the future. 

This sustainable initiative will be a vital factor in producing hospitality leaders who possess the necessary skills to deliver Sri Lanka greater success in this sector. Furthermore, in this joint collaboration between CHSGA and SLITHM, both organisations hope to increase their brand value and contribution to the industry. 

The inauguration’s Chief Guest was CHSGA Past President Sumitra Gunasekara, a senior hotelier. The initiative was headed by Sri Lanka and Overseas Accommodation Sector Assistant Vice President Irandi Wijegunawardane and assisted by Vice President - John Keels Group Head of Learning and Development, Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts Patrick Perera. CHSGA President Priyal Perera and Executive Committee members were also present. 

The ‘PROPEL training program is a value-addition to the already established curriculum of SITHM Soft skills development, which is vital for those seeking employment in the hospitality sector as they will be exposed to a challenging environment where clear communication presentation and public speaking are considered core competencies. 

CHSGA President Perera underscored the fact that “the spirit of innovation and achievement is deeply anchored within CHSGA. By helping our students apply their creative talents to challenging hotel industry concerns such as sustainable development, traditional frontiers of hospitality open up. Our objective is also to widen our recruitment pool to accompany our strong growth.”