A total of 38 students have completed a hospitality training programme led by industry veteran Irving Raynor in preparation for the America’s Cup.

And more than half the participants in the 20-hour quick waiters course, which provided a basic introduction with a focus on equipment handling and customer service, have already found work.

“It went well,” Mr Raynor, a retired Bermuda College lecturer, told The Royal Gazette. “The students found it particularly eye opening that they could learn so much in a short period of time.”

Mr Raynor explained that the course was a downscaled version of the classes he used to teach at the college and that it was geared mainly towards preparing the students for caterings and banquets.

He came up with the idea after caterers told him they would need more people to cover daytime events during the America’s Cup and he decided to provide the course to give students in particular the opportunity to participate.

And although the turnout was not what he had hoped, he said a variety of people had applied to the course.

“More than half the students have already found work,” he said, adding that some of the participants had tried working in hospitality before with no experience and had been put off, but they had changed their mind since taking the course.

The course was advertised by MEF Ltd but spearheaded by Mr Raynor, who said assistance was also provided by Beau Rivage Restaurant, Buzz Group and Bone Fish Bar and Grill.

According to Dale Butler, director of training at MEF, an additional 22 people who already had experience in hospitality were entered into the work pool as part of MEF’s recruitment drive.