The lack of Bermudians in the tourism industry and the number of opportunities available to them was highlighted by Kellianne Smith, director of human resources at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess hotel at Bermuda College's latest BC Downtown Recruit session.

Ms Smith, who was talking at the fourth such event, entitled 'The Gift of Service', held at the Chamber of Commerce earlier this week, revealed that only 10 percent of sous chefs at the hotel were locals, while Bermudians also accounted for just 16 percent of waiters and 20 percent of butchers and chefs. Meanwhile, they made up 30 percent of accountants, 29 percent of landscapers and 36 percent of executive chefs.

But, on the flipside, Bermudians had a strong showing in jobs such as captains and Maitre'ds, where they represented 60 percent of the total, according to the figures from August 2008.

The event was attended by 10 participants.

Ms Smith encouraged attendees interested in a number of different careers to consider that there were accountants and other positions at the hotel that could be filled by Bermudians, not just in room service or other popular hotel jobs.

She added that new employees could start in a maintenance or housekeeping position and move up the ranks to reservations, front desk and even managerial positions. "There are 100 careers in one hotel," she said.

Sandra Dill, programme manager for the PACE division at the College then spoke about the popular bartending course, pointing to the fact that most people who hold such a qualification use their skills as a source of additional income during these tough economic times, working part-time as a second job, with the opportunity to make a good bit of money on the side, at the same time as learning about mixology and wine tasting.

One such avenue was the popular Happy Hour at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess, which was looking to hire 10 bartenders, with bartenders and waiters able to make $1,000 per week with tips and gratuities included, according to Ms Smith.

Teneika Eve, the first female Culinary Arts instructor at the College, concluded the session with a talk on the culinary arts and hospitality management programmes, with a Bermuda Institute senior student coming along to the session with his mother, interested in the culinary arts programme and a Saltus student also contacted Bermuda College to inquire about the programme with the hope of taking some courses during his senior year.

The mother of the first student said her son chose the College over any other college or university to attend immediately after graduating from Bermuda Institute. "I would have paid for him to go anywhere he wished but after researching schools, he said, 'Mom, I think I want to go to Bermuda College before going overseas!'," she said.

The final session of BC Downtown Recruit will be 'Hands-on Smarts' - the applied science and technology associate, certificate and diploma programmes. The special industry guest presenter will be Pandora Glasford, CEO of National Training Board (NTB). She will speak to several partnership initiatives that the NTB is planning with Bermuda College. Llewellyn Trott, vice-president and chair of the Applied Science and Technology Division at the College, will also speak to the group about what the College has to offer.

For more information on BC Downtown Recruit or Bermuda College contact recruitment officer Cha'Von Clarke on 239-4099 or email cclarke@college.bm