Four ambitious young women were awarded a total of $30,000 yesterday as part of Bermuda?s initiative to get more young people involved in the hospitality industry.

Kamilah Cannonier, Tiffany Roberts, Dashae Sampson-Smith and Sharica Robinson received scholarships from Minister of Tourism and Transport Dr. Ewart Brown aboard the .

The scholarship recipients boarded the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line vessel for the ceremony along with members of the press, organisers and their friends and family.

In presenting the awards, Dr. Brown said it was vital that Bermuda continue to attract bright young people into the hospitality sector ? and keep them working at home.

All the awardees are recent graduates of Bermuda College.

Ms Robinson was the big winner of the day, receiving $15,000 to assist her in her studies at the Culinary Institute of America in New York.

Ms Robinson plans to become a pastry chef because she loves to cook. ?I love to make cheesecake,? she said. ?Any type of cheesecake. And any cake that I can decorate.?

Ms Robinson will begin her three-year programme at the end of August. She said when she is finished, she hopes to open a pastry shop with her father.

Ms Roberts ? who received a $5,000 scholarship ? previously worked at Willowstream Spa at Fairmont Southampton. Ms Roberts will leave in September to study hospitality and spa management at the University of Derby in England.

Ms Cannonier also received a $5,000 scholarship to use towards her studies at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. And Ms Sampson-Smith was awarded $5,000 to pursue hospitality management at Johnson and Wale University in Miami, Florida.