Launch of TUI Academy Sri Lanka

• New initiative of the TUI Care Foundation in cooperation with Youth Career Initiative and SOS Children’s Villages 
• Life-skills and hospitality training at the Aitken Spence Institute for Hotel Management with a special focus on female empowerment
• First initiative of the TUI Care Foundation in Sri Lanka builds on the potential of international tourism for the country – sixth addition to the international TUI Academy program 

Opening up new perspectives for over 150 underprivileged young people through training in hospitality

The TUI Care Foundation launched the TUI Academy Sri Lanka which will provide underprivileged youth in Sri Lanka with hospitality training. The three-year project will be implemented in partnership

Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya

Minister of Foreign Relations and Minister of Skills Development Dinesh Gunawardena

TUI Care Foundation Board of Trustees Member Dagmar Wöhrl

SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka National Director Divakar Ratnaduri

with the International Tourism Partnership’s Youth Career Initiative and SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka.

Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya, and Minister of Foreign Relations and Minister of Skills Development Dinesh Gunawardena, were the dignitaries at the event. TUI Care Foundation Board of Trustees Member Dagmar Wöhrl, and Aitken Spence PLC Chairperson Stasshani Jayawardena graced the launch ceremony in Ahungalla.

In the first year of the project, 60 disadvantaged young people will receive a two-month vocational training course on hospitality and life-skills at the Aitken Spence Institute for Hotel Management. This will be followed by a three-month practical training in a luxury hotel or resort. The students are recruited from surrounding communities and from SOS Children’s Villages. Disadvantaged young people, who might otherwise not have access to professional education, receive the chance to join the training programme to kick-start their career in tourism.  Speaking at the launching event, Dagmar Wöhrl said: “The youth are an inspiration to us all and we would like to empower these young women and men to start a career in tourism and pave their way for a promising future. Our initiative will especially encourage young women to take part. Aiming to get at least one third of the graduates to be female, the project is promoting women empowerment and gender equality.” 

International Tourism Partnership Director Madhu Rajesh added: “We are delighted to be able to use our experience of helping young people in Sri Lanka to support the TUI Academy Sri Lanka, so that even more young people have the chance to start an enjoyable and rewarding career.”

The two-month vocational training course will cover life skills, hospitality, English and subjects like communication, customer service, health and sustainability. The practical training will take place at key properties of RIU Hotels and Resorts, Aitken Spence Hotels, Hilton and Taj. Upon successful graduation students will be awarded with a certificate recognised by the hospitality industry.

The TUI Academy Sri Lanka builds on the support network provided by SOS Children’s Villages. “SOS is always striving to do the best for the youth of this country. Our involvement with the TUI Academy is not just limited to the duration of the project, but it will also extend to supporting the trained youngsters in taking the next steps in the journey,” states Divakar Ratnadurai of SOS Sri Lanka.The TUI Academy Sri Lanka is part of the worldwide TUI Academy program of the TUI Care Foundation, which provides education and practical training for vulnerable youth to open up job opportunities in the tourism industry. With currently six operating projects in four different continents, the program focuses on empowering disadvantaged young people through personal development, tourism-related training, internship placements and career guidance.