The path to Kijean Dill?s final destination ? a career in the hospitality industry ? has been relatively short to date, yet the 21-year-old Bermudian has already garnered three awards for outstanding performance.

A graduate of the Bermuda Institute who went on to gain his associate degree in hospitality management at the Bermuda College, he is now pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in hospitality at the University of New Brunswick in Canada.

Mr. Dill has already been twice-honoured by his part-time employers, the Elbow Beach Hotel. In addition, he was recently voted Young Person with the Most Promise by the Visitor Industry Partnership. Last summer, the hotel named its neophyte front desk trainee Employee of the Month, and in December its committee selected him over eleven other contenders as its Employee of the Year.

These awards, together with that of the Visitor Industry Partnership, have left the young university student humbled but proud and honoured to be so feted this early in his planned career. Nonetheless, the accolades have validated the decision he made while at the Bermuda College to become involved in the hospitality industry, and assured him that he is on the right track.

?This is definitely what I want to do,? Mr. Dill says. Blessed with an outgoing personality and a genuine love of people, the university student plans to use these attributes to become an ambassador for his beloved Island and its friendly people.

?Many in the industry say they love people, but when you work with them you can see they don?t,? he says. ?I think genuine love is something that is deep inside you, and once you are in your element you know it.?

Admitting that when he first graduated from the Bermuda Institute in 2000 he wasn?t quite sure what his career path would be but felt it should involve ?travelling around somewhere talking about Bermuda?, Mr. Dill credits his cousin Neitra Dill, who is also in the hospitality industry, for helping to foster his desire to become part of it himself.

?She is a lot like me, and whatever she likes I like too, so that was ten percent of the impetus to join the industry, but the other 90 percent was simply because I wanted to do it,? he says.

?While studying at the Bermuda College I was thinking about the hospitality industry, and I just knew that some day, somewhere that is where I would be.?

Part of his studies at the Bermuda College included 12 weeks of hands-on experience in the hospitality industry. This included everything from working in the kitchen and bar to housekeeping, accounting and shadowing the general manager.

Recalling his first days as a front desk trainee at Elbow, Mr. Dill says that although this placement was a surprise, its demands were never a chore even though his duties included dealing closely with the guests: telling them about the hotel and its amenities, answering their myriad questions, handling their complaints, and generally ensuring that the front of house ran smoothly.

?It wasn?t work for me. It was fun, and every day I actually got up in the morning looking forward to going to work to meet people. Some people might think I?m crazy, but that?s how it was for me ? and still is, in fact. Although I am still happy, I am probably looking for something more now.?

Mr. Dill basically works an eight-hour shift with two days off, ?just like anyone else?

Working Sundays and public holidays are accepted as part of the territory, and he views his two days off during the week as a plus because then he can relax and ?be a tourist? himself while others are working. ?Of course, there are some unsociable hours, but it really isn?t bad, and the money is good,? he says of a hotel career.

As a former Rotary Exchange student who spent a year in Villefranche sur S?one, Mr. Dill speaks fluent French ? something which undoubtedly will be an asset in the hospitality industry.

In fact, working positively to attract more European visitors to the Island is something he is anxious to see happen here.

?I would like to see Bermuda open up some kind of connection with Europe, because at present it is expensive and not easy for Europeans to come here. I think it would be really, really great to somehow make Bermuda more accessible to them, perhaps by offering a package that includes air fare and accommodation. Most of our market is from North America, but I am sure the hotels would love to have European visitors too.?

Mr. Dill also feels that our hotels could do a better job of promoting Bermuda?s culture. Being foreign owned, they don?t offer what he calls ?a Bermudian flavour? to their guests.

?On Good Friday or Bermuda Day, for example, why not decorate the lobby with Bermuda kites, or pictures of gombeys? Or at least something Bermudian? They don?t even promote Bermuda Day as a package,? he says.

Meanwhile, Mr. Dill will continue studying towards his graduation in 2006, and while it is still too early to speculate what his next move will be, he speculates it will ?probably? be a return to the Elbow Beach. However, his ultimate desire is to work and travel on behalf of Bermuda?s tourism industry. ?I picture myself travelling and promoting Bermuda. I was an ambassador for my country in France, but the next time I would be paid,? he smiles.

Asked whether he would recommend a career in the hospitality industry to other young Bermudians, the award-winning trainee gives the concept a qualified thumbs-up.

?It is a career of possibilities. Most people think of hospitality as being a waiter or housekeeper, but there are so many other opportunities ? behind the bar, concierge, front desk, sales and conferences, and customer relations for example.

?Each of those aspects will help you to become what you want to be in the long run, but you are still giving back to your country.?