Chat with this year’s Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) President’s Cup recipient Sheriffa Amisse |04 September 2020

Sheriffa Amisse

‘I am keeping myself busy while I wait for a permanent job’

Eighteen-year-old Sheriffa Amisse was the ecstatic recipient of this year’s President’s Cup from the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) cohort of 187 students who had successfully completed their training courses.

With her advanced certificate in restaurant and bar in hand, the vibrant and excited 18-year-old, full of vitality, is ready to face the challenges of the world of work in her chosen field – the tourism industry.

Catching up with her this week, the young girl said she has been keeping herself busy while she waits for a permanent job.

Soon after completing her training course the active young girl had taken a job in a restaurant on La Digue but had to end it all and come back in view of the Covid-19 situation.

“I was really enjoying my work and putting into practice my experience there. It was great fun and I really had a good time,” Sheriffa said.

But soon after that, Sheriffa, who did not remain idle, went to work for a few months at the Connect Call Centre as a call agent. Following the short spell at the Connect Call Centre Sheriffa followed a short training course in her area of preference with Hilton Hotels.

“There again I learned a lot and it was another great experience for me,” Sheriffa said.

She added that she has submitted all her documents to Hilton and is waiting to know if she will secure permanent employment there.

Reminiscing about the two years spent at the STA, Sheriffa said it was a phase in her life that she really enjoyed even though at the beginning things were not that smooth as she had a lot of adjusting and adapting to do in order to be in line with the strict regulations of the academy.

“But I soon got use to everything – from the challenging lessons to the rules there – and I worked hard and remained focused on what brought me to the academy in the first place. As I was about to complete my course I was really excited and I thanked God that I have successfully completed the two years and I really looked forward to the graduation and subsequently the new chapter that was about to begin in my life,” Sheriffa recalled.

She described the two years at STA as really great, the lecturers very helpful and eager to push their students to develop to their full potentials.

She said her fellow students were also very friendly and helpful which made the time spent at the academy more enjoyable.

Still basking in the excitement and joy of winning the prestigious President’s Cup, Sheriffa said she still cannot figure out why she was chosen for the award.

But she admitted that she has done her utmost to be an exemplary student –being respectful and courteous to everyone, being hardworking and attentive and making time to take part in as many activities as possible organised by the academy.

Sheriffa admits she is very keen to move forward in her career and at present while she awaits for a permanent job she is exploring ways to boost her career by following short online courses and taking time to learn more on other related areas.

“I want to move forward and explore other areas related to tourism like hotel management,” Sheriffa said.

The young girl says she perfectly understands the challenges being faced by the hospitality industry in the present economic situation but she is very patient and optimistic that sooner or later something will come up for her.

Meanwhile she is calling on other students facing the same predicament to remain positive and optimistic for the future bearing in mind that they can take any job that come their way while keeping in mind that once the situation improves they can get the job for which they have been trained for.

Marie-Anne Lepathy