SHMA partners NYC to skill and unlock talent among youth in hospitality sector

Baurs CEO/Managing Director Rolf Blaser (left) exchanges the MoU with National Youth Corps of Sri Lanka Director Brig. Sujeewa Rathnayake

With the aim of encouraging and empowering the youth of Sri Lanka in equipping themselves with the required skills and talents to take on as tomorrow’s leaders in the hospitality industry, the Swiss Hotel Management Academy Ltd., (SHMA) of A. Baur & Co. Ltd., recently signed an MoU with the National Youth Corps of Sri Lanka (NYC).

NYC which comes under the purview of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs will now be a learning partner for the Skills for Sustainable Growth (SSG) project, a private and public sector partnership between Baurs and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the agency for international cooperation of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) of Switzerland.

NYC is the pioneering state training institution dedicated to youth development since 2002 with 58 training centers across the island, grooming and guiding the youth through its unique training modules, ranging from soft skills, academic, vocational, recreational to community based. Established in 2014, La Hotelier in Dambulla managed by NYC is a prestigious hotel school where several batches of graduates have gone onto being employed by leading hotels and restaurants in Sri Lanka.

The MoU was signed on 17 October at the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs’ auditorium. Representing SHMA and Baurs were CEO/Managing Director Rolf Blaser, Director Finance and Compliance Pavithra Samarasinghe, GM of Education and Tourism Daniela Munasinghe, SHMA Manager Sureeka Fernando and Project Leader Cheryl Arndt. From NYC, its Director Brig. Sujeewa Rathnayake, Add. Director Training and Development Saman Kulasuriya, Director Central Province Major. Ashoka Wijerathne, and Asst. Director Development Inoka Gunawardhana.

The event was graced by the Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, joined by the Embassy of Switzerland Deputy Head of Mission Olivier Praz and First Secretary Migration Doris Manor. The SSG project aims to create 2,240 skilled young men and women by 2025 including increased female participation in hospitality education to 40%, with a two-third of its curriculum weighing towards practical on-the-job training coupled with internships and possible extension in various hotels. SHMA will also be opening a total of eight SSG centers by the end of 2025.

The project is aimed at aligning and deploying a Swiss Vocational Skills Development (VSD) curriculum that will contribute significantly to NYC, the hospitality sector and the overall economy. The diverse and experienced professionals at SHMA will facilitate the program at NYC in producing competent and employable youth, whilst NYC continues to support the SSG project.

GM of Education and Tourism Daniela Munasinghe revealed some eye-opening results through a recent survey conducted by SHMA. She said ‘‘92.3% of students received promotions either in their current employment or within a new organisation, with over 75% of the students employed at 5-star establishments at present.’’

‘‘SHMA students have enjoyed a significant increase in their earning capacity following the completion of the VET by EHL program. Half of the students whose earnings were below Rs. 50,000 per month now earn above the Rs. 100,000 salary scare, with 64% of those students taking home a salary of over Rs. 200,000. We have also onboarded various hotels, and also have established partnerships with CIPM and Nestle,” she added.

SHMA is an education institute that facilitates high-class education at international standards, producing highly qualified hoteliers. The academy is also licensed to deliver the VET (Vocational Education Training) by EHL Professional Diploma program offering specialised tracks in Culinary, Food & Beverage, and Hotel Operations, which is provided by a pioneer in hospitality education since 1893 École hôtelière de Lausanne, with a global network of over 25,000 alumni representing more than 120 nationalities.