The Ministry of Tourism (MITUR), together with the La Vega Senatorial Office and several government institutions visited the Escuela Técnica Hotelera Serranía in order to learn about its management model, as well as its main needs.
Together with the senator for the province, Ramón Rogelio Genao, the vice ministers of International Cooperation, Carlos Peguero, and of Quality of Tourism Services of MITUR, Roberto Henríquez, visited the facilities of this educational center located in Jarabacoa.
Within the framework of this visit, a work session was held, headed by Vice Minister Peguero, who defined a critical route of execution, based on the constitution of a technical table for the follow-up and accompaniment of this institute, in the search for timely solutions to the needs required by this educational center.
During the meeting, the work that the technical hotel school Serranía has been developing for several years in the municipality of the eternal spring was recognized, contributing to the quality preparation of enterprising women to be integrated into the tourism and hotel labor market of the country.
Peguero highlighted the interest of the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, to support the formation of new talents to support the high demand of jobs that the tourism sector is generating day by day in the country.
“The reactivation process that Dominican tourism is undergoing demands more and more qualified labor, which is why training centers like Serranía are of special interest to the central government,” said the official.
Roberto Henríquez, Vice-Minister of Quality of Tourism Services, recognized the great work that Serranía has been doing, highlighting the high competitive level of its graduates, who for years have been highly valued in the labor market.
The Technical School of Hotel Management Serranía, is oriented towards the excellence of the hospitality service, directed to Dominican women, high school graduates and single, with ages between 16 and 22 years old, who are part of a theoretical-practical teaching model, in the modality of student interns, explained Maribel Pichardo, director of the institution.
Pichardo explained that this center also has an impact with its training processes on women from neighboring rural communities as external students, while serving as a training center for hotels and restaurants that wish to train their personnel or validate knowledge acquired empirically.
At present, the financing model is based on contributions from companies and individuals who sponsor the young students, as well as a basic aid provided by INFOTEP.
The activity was also attended by the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPyD), Olaya Dotel; Ondina Marte and Arisleyda Tineo for the Technical Professional Training Institute (INFOTEP) and Abel Capellán, representing the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MEESCYT).
Challenges of the Serranía Hotel School
Serranía has great challenges related to its financing, infrastructure, equipment and increasing the number of places in order to accommodate more women interested in being part of its education plans.
Regarding the training system, the challenge is to be accredited as a higher education center, so that its graduates, if they consider it appropriate, can continue their education in universities in the country, once the courses taken at Serranía are validated.
