The St. Maarten Youth Development Program is now registering youngsters interested in pursuing careers in the Hospitality industry. The Program offers courses such as Front Desk Agent, Bartender, Restaurant Server and Maintenance. Before being able to follow the hospitality program, candidates must successfully complete the preparatory program, which is set to begin this September.
The preparatory program is a four -month phase in the program where the students receive an introduction into the Hospitality field and focus on developing their social skills, computer skills and English reading and writing skills. Students must complete this phase of the program before moving on to the career courses that they have chosen. The main goal of the preparatory program is to provide the youngsters with not only the knowledge but also the social skills needed to succeed in the work place.
Registration will take place throughout the entire month of July. All you need to register is a copy of your St. Maarten identification (I.D.) card. Registration will be held at the Youth Development Program office upstairs of Carl and Son’s Bakery on the Walter J Nisbeth Road in Philipsburg. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. For more information, please contact Janelle Presentacion at 543-0497 or email her at sxm_ydp@hotmail.com.
The Youth Development Program is a second chance educational program, funded by USONA, for youngsters between 16 and 24 years who were unable to complete secondary education. With this program youngsters obtain the basic qualifications needed to enter the job market at an assistant’s level or further their studies at the SBO/ASVE schools. The Youth Development Program is executed by the Division for Educational Innovations (DERPI) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs.