Jetwing Hotels’ second careers initiative recognised at Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards

Second Careers - Associates from Jetwing Yala  

Jetwing Hotels was adjudged a winner of the Best Project Sustainability Awards 2023 at the recently concluded Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability (BCCS) Awards organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, in recognition of their innovative women empowerment and inclusive recruitment initiative ‘Second Careers.’

Launched in 2021, during one of the most challenging times for Sri Lanka and the hospitality industry, ‘Second Careers’ is a pioneering project initiated by Jetwing Hotels to provide an opportunity for women aged 45 and above from economically challenged backgrounds to enter the workforce. 

The Second Careers program targets homemakers aged 45-55 who have completed childcare responsibilities but now face unemployment due to age-related perceptions and skill gaps. Through capacity-building programmes, Jetwing bridges these barriers, equipping participants with the necessary tools for seamless integration into the professional world by augmenting the existing skills of these women in the areas of housekeeping, kitchen, and garden. 

The primary objective of this initiative is enhancing the accessibility of skilled employment in hospitality by offering comprehensive capacity development, onboarding processes, and mentorship programs. Through these efforts, Jetwing Hotels aims to diversify and break cultural barriers in the industry by actively engaging an untapped pool of talented women.

Sri Lanka has a significant gender gap in labour force participation, with women only making up 33.1% despite comprising 52% of the population. The tourism sector is particularly unequal, with less than 10% of the workforce being female. Second Careers has thus far proven to be an effective and sustainable solution to the difficulty in attracting female talent to the industry while ensuring local communities benefit economically from tourism operations.

Initially, the programme offered employment to women from the localities of Jetwing Jaffna and Jetwing Kaduruketha, changing the trajectory to attract more women into the workforce through employment of the most economically marginalised in our communities. Following the success of this initiative, the concept was rolled out at various properties, such as Jetwing Yala, Jetwing Vil Uyana, and Jetwing Lake. Jetwing Hotels has enabled over 50 middle-aged women from rural regions such as Tissamaharama, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Wellawaya, and Jaffna to join this global industry, through the imbuing of technical skills needed to engage in their operational roles. Collaborating with local authorities and religious leaders, the initiative has enhanced the livelihoods in rural communities fostering a supportive learning culture for women seeking gainful employment in the tourism industry. This influx has not only uplifted women and their communities but is also shattering misconceptions about the tourism sector. By creating opportunities for mature women, Jetwing is paving the way for younger generations to see tourism as a viable and empowering career path.

The initiative has also earned recognition at the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold awards 2022 for celebrating women in tourism and hospitality. Jetwing Hotels champions community wellbeing by integrating sustainable practices and cultural preservation into hotel operations. The latest accolade exemplifies this focus, with initiatives like the “Second Careers” program empowering women to enter the tourism sector.