Shannon College of Hotel Management in Ireland-Seychellois wins best academic student award |16 March 2013

Ms Payette was one of 13 Seychellois students who graduated with flying colours at the college.
They form the first batch of students who have completed their Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management tailored by the college.

Ms Payette received a cash prize of 3,000 euros for her outstanding results.
Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) principal Flavien Joubert witnessed the ceremonial hooding of the graduates along with Lucy Athanasius, the pro-vice chancellor of University of Seychelles, and John Nolan, the special advisor on education to the President.

Mr Joubert said Seychelles is proud of the admirable achievements of the Seychellois students.

“Your results are a great achievement for Seychelles. The country counts on hotels and tourism trade partners here to welcome this first group of trained Seychellois hospitality management professionals and to give them a conducive working environment, with continuous training programme possibilities, along with a succession plan to see them move up the management ladder in the tourism industry which remains the pillar of our economy. It is also important that they get a decent salary as per international norms,” Mr Joubert said. 

Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) chief executive Elsia Grandcourt also sent a congratulatory message to the students for their excellent results, saying that even if Seychelles is a small country, its students can produce excellent results when they are given the opportunity to prove themselves.

“The STB is extremely pleased with this high achievement. The principal and the management of the STA should feel proud of their students excelling. Today, I also congratulate Rose-May Payette for her outstanding performance. This achievement has given the highest international visibility to our cohort of students studying at the Shannon Hospitality College,” said Mrs Grandcourt.

She also had a message for the Seychelles tourism trade partners.
“The first in our new groups of Seychellois graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management is another milestone for our tourism academy. The strategy being implemented is paving the way to see more of our young Seychellois professionals take up key positions within the Seychelles tourism industry. We urge the industry partners to continue working with us on this programme, and we also thank them for their support to make the new graduates feel welcome and valued as they return home to work and contribute towards the industry,” said Mrs Grandcourt.

The 13 Seychellois students graduated at the Shannon Hospitality College of Ireland on March 7 among a cohort of about 100 European students.

In March 2008, they enrolled at the STA to become the first group of students to follow a Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management validated by the Shannon Hospitality College of Ireland.

In 2011 the students validated the first component of their course, an advance diploma in hospitality management at the STA after spending four years at the academy.

They then moved to the Shannon Hospitality College in Ireland to validate their fifth year and have now completed their Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management.

During their four years at the STA, they spent over 14 months of work attachment in hotels in Seychelles and two months of work attachment at the 5-Star Belle Mare Plage Hotel in Mauritius.

The 2013 graduates are now following their last 18 months of work attachment in Ireland, Dubai and England while some are back in Seychelles.

Ms Payette, who won the top prize in the hospitality contest held in Ireland, is already back in Seychelles for her 18-month internship with the Hilton Seychelles. She is expected to eventually take a hospitality management post.

A second batch of Seychellois students is now at the Shannon College for their fourth and final year. They are the first group to validate a four-year course instead of five years as it was the case with the 2008 cohort.

A third group will depart Seychelles in August 2013 to also validate their fourth year at the Shannon Hospitality College in Ireland.