The 76 graduates, formed part of the United States of America (USA) placement programme, in partnership with department of Tourism, Awesome Travel and Nedbank, that formulated the placement programme to provide workplace experience in the culinary arts for unemployed graduates between the ages of 19 and 29.
The graduates will participate in a 12 months placement programme and will be placed at various hospitality establishments across the USA.
They will receive practical experience in advanced cookery, restaurant management, hotel management, etc.
Says minister of Tourism Tokozile Xasa:” We plan to contribute to a skilled and capable tourism workforce offering service excellence to tourists with this programme by offering young graduates with an opportunity to explore and seek work experience within the hospitality sector,” she noted.
“We want the learners to go and sell South Africa to the Americans, and the world. Upon return, we plan to track you because we want you to participate in the enterprise development programmes in order or you to develop further,” says the Minister.
The programme plans to place 1400 learners in the next coming three years, with 480 learners per year.