The Bahamas: After signing an agreement with the Bahamanian government, Airbnb has agreed to support a tourism education program.
High schools in the Bahamas will now include a series of panels on hospitality and tourism studies, created in partnership with the Ministry of Education.
Public policy associate for Central America and the Carribean Chloe Burke said: “We are excited to provide hundreds of students with exposure and access to the industry’s multifaceted opportunities. By sharing first-hand knowledge of the various career paths available, we hope to inspire students to explore the robust opportunities this segment of industry offers.”
These panels will visit multiple schools in and around the new providence area. Four discussions occurred from the 4th to the 6th of march, which taught over 250 ten through twelfth grade hospitality students improve their understanding of the modern industry.
Rachel Turnquest, acting education officer for the Ministry of Education said: “It is really to let the students know there is something else besides the cruise ship industry and the mega resort industry in The Bahamas. We now have Airbnb which is basically an entrepreneurial type platform where the average citizen can leverage whatever they have; their skills, their home, and earn an income.”
Airbnb has been forging deeper connections with Airbnb as of recent. The group just announced a new sabbatical programme in the area focused on helping the economy recover from the destruction of Hurricane Dorian.
They have also piloted a similar education partnership for adult entrepreneurs in July of 2019, with the intention of connecting themselves more with regional stakeholders.
Keyshan Bastian, assistant director of education, career and technical division, said to the students in a speech: “Everything that will be presented to you today, you can do on some platform or the other tomorrow. The career that you are preparing for does not yet exist, you have to create opportunities for yourselves.”
