Tourism academy takes in 400 new students |20 March 2015

Four-hundred new students joined the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) yesterday to start their first year at the institution’s brand new facilities at La Misère.

A special assembly was organised to welcome the new students in the presence of the Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St Ange, Minister for Labour and Human Resource Development Idith Alexander, the principal secretary for tourism Anne Lafortune, Pastor Michael Bijoux of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, the principal of STA Flavien Joubert and John Stravens.

This is the biggest number of students ever recruited by the STA.
After the devotional part, Mr Joubert welcomed the new recruits and urged them to develop respect towards each other and get to know their colleagues and friends.  

He also announced that each student will have an e-mail address which will become a major communication mode: “The students will receive their assignments, letters and other correspondences through e-mails and through this mode a better relationship will be established between students and lecturers.”

Minister St Ange stated that “Today is a milestone for Seychelles. We are welcoming the new students in the Tourism Academy built by the government of Seychelles for our students. In the previous facility, every time it rained, we had to close the academy. In consultation with President James Michel, we came to the outcome that if we want tourism to stay as the pillar of our economy, we need to invest. Another bold decision taken by the President is to move away from the traditional concept of sea, sun and sand and to include our culture in all aspects. We need to ensure that we bring the local colours in our industry including food, arts, crafts, songs and dance.”

Minister St Ange reassured the students that “it is our duty to ensure that every Seychellois finds a job in their country. Without tourism our economy will crumble but not everybody wants tourism to succeed. We have to be united and prepared to defend and consolidate this industry that is so vital to us.
Minister Alexander and I will be by your side to assure that your career is on the right track”.

The minister cautioned the students that to be recruited in the tourism industry “you have to live in an orderly manner and keep a very good standard”.

Seychelles Nation spoke to two new recruits, Terrence Arnephy and Sandy Finesse. Terrence said he has enrolled for a two-year course for barman and he is looking forward for this new experience.

Sandy, who completed her secondary schooling on Praslin, has come to Mahe for a two-year course for chambermaid. “My choice is to become a receptionist but I have to complete this chambermaid course first and then move to the other one for another two years. I hope everything goes well for me,” she said.

The STA is the biggest campus in Seychelles. It sprawls from La Misère to Grand Anse. It has the capacity to accommodate 1,000 students when the hotel will be ready but currently STA has 580 students on campus with 100 staff. On Praslin, 80 students are affiliated with STA.

Guests touring the new-look academy and its facilities