Training SA’s future hoteliers
The Peermont Hotel School was established on the grounds of Emperors Palace in May by the Peermont Community Benefit Trust, a corporate social investment (CSI) initiative of Emperors Palace.
The school offers scholarships to learners from around the City of Ekurhuleni. Learners must be between the age of 18 and 25, and must have passed matric with at least 50 per cent in English.
During a two-day group selection, potential candidates are required to demonstrate their passion for the hospitality industry.
The school has already trained over 600 learners, and plans to train more than a 1 000 by the end of next year.
The total cost of the three-year CSI project is estimated to be R20-million.
“Peermont is proud of this initiative and the quality of training that it offers,” says Peermont Hotel School director Dave Milne. “With the tourism industry growing each and every year, this is a wonderful opportunity for unemployed youth to enter the workplace.”
Thembekile Makhoba, the school’s chairperson, explains: “The school has a unique opportunity to make a difference to the lives of young people and set their career paths in motion.
“We have seen a number of success stories over the past 12 months, where with the right guidance, training and skills transfer the learners are able to create a bright future by using the tools we have given them. In this way they start to support themselves and their families by becoming economically active.”
On October 3, the Peermont Hotel School held its second graduation ceremony. The event took place on the school’s premises, giving proud parents and family members the chance to get a first-hand look at the ultra-modern facility. A total of 116 learners received City and Guilds accredited certificates.
The hospitality industry is an exciting place to be, and one of the few industries in the country in which jobs are always plentiful.
