Hotels sign on for high school head-start program

Red Leaves Resort

BRACEBRIDGE, ON—Deerhurst Resort, Red Leaves Resort and Kelseys have all signed on as corporate partners in a foodservice-specific training program now being offered at high schools across Ontario. The program gives students a head start in the hospitality sector.

These companies are working with St. Dominic Catholic Secondary School in Bracebridge, one of the schools running the hospitality and tourism program this fall. Principal John Young said 40 students each semester will take part in the program taught by a staff member with a hospitality background.

The Specialist High Skills Majors program started in 2003-04 at a select number of schools and has now grown to include most school boards across the province, offering a range of courses in various industries.

Students take between eight and 10 courses, which for the foodservice stream includes classes in hospitality and tourism, food handling, customer service, math for hospitality, English and business. The program is part of the high school curriculum, so students also receive a diploma.

 “A lot of kids are interested in working in the hospitality field. This helps them get a part time job,” Young said.

Students at St. Dominic receive their training in a new 156-square-metre ‘hospitality suite’ built for the program at a cost of nearly $1 million.

It contains cooking stations, preparation areas, stoves and ovens, demonstration space and storage, providing high school level training as a base to pursue a career in foodservice.

He said the St. Dominic program promotes “Muskoka-based training” with the hope that students will remain in the area upon graduation.

“The hospitality and construction sectors are large employers in the area,” Young said.
Young said students have the chance to complete the program’s co-operative education component at one of the partnering businesses.

On Monday nights, St. Dominic students also have the option of attending a night class at the Georgian College campus in Bracebridge to work towards the completion of the college’s tourism and hospitality program as well as a high school diploma.

Young said six of the 20 students currently participating in the Dual Credit Program are enrolled at St. Dominic.
 
Patricia McNeil, senior media relations coordinator with the Ontario Ministry of Education, said administrators realized that some students could benefit from job-specific direction and training.

“There was a need for expanded skills and programs. It is a mix of classroom work as well as hands-on training,” McNeil said.

The province gave $1.5 billion for the Ontario-wide Specialist High Skills Majors program as part of its student success strategy.

The co-operative education component places students with employers in their selected field with the intention of preparing them for a place in the workforce, apprenticeships or further study at college or university.
 
Among the careers promoted for graduates of the Specialist High Skills Major hospitality program are baker, cook, chef, food service manager, dietitian, hotel/restaurant manager and bartender.