Peermont Hotel School, a first of its kind in Ekurhuleni
The school will upskill more than 1 080 learners over a three-year period
THE R3.5 million Peermont Hotel School, established by the Peermont Community Benefit Trust (PCBT) in association with service provider Celo, was officially opened on June 7.
Proudly supported by the Metropolitan Municipality of Ekurhuleni, the school offers skills-based training that gives young individuals the necessary platform and opportunity to start a career in the hospitality industry.
“The hospitality sector remains one of the fastest growing sectors in the economy. With that in mind, the Peermont Hotel School empowers the community through education and development, ultimately grooming our future hospitality leaders,” comments Vusi Zwane, a PCBT trustee.
Celo, hospitality specialists in events, training and consulting, have been appointed by the PCBT to establish the school and manage the delivery of the training programmes. “The method of delivery and type of training will ensure transfer of skills, creation of jobs, and in so doing contribute towards poverty alleviation,” said Jeanne Visagie of Celo.
Located at Emperors Palace, the school offers skills proficiency certificates to chefs, waiters and housekeepers. All learners are contracted on a 12-month period, and over and above the bursary, receive a stipend from the Metropolitan Municipality of Ekurhuleni.
The learners will spend two months at the school, two months at Emperors Palace and a further eight months with hospitality industry partners for practical experience. The duration of the qualification supports the learners in becoming employable and to earn an income to support their families.
There are a number of factors that make the Peermont Hotel School different from other hotel schools. The most notable difference is that the school was founded through a need that existed for basic skills in the hospitality industry.
The school’s objective is to focus on the fundamentals of the various disciplines and to lay a solid foundation for the learners’ careers. With work ethic and values in mind, the programmes are structured in such a way that they represent conditions faced in the workplace.
Lastly, most hotel schools are run as profit centres and are therefore subject to tuition fees. The tuition fees are in many cases the main reason why potential learners are unable to pursue their dreams of a career in hospitality. At the Peermont Hotel School, the selected learners study on a full bursary.
