Training opportunities and scholarships abound in the tourism industry and Tourism Minister David Allen yesterday made a point of clueing in students not already in the know.

In a Ministerial statement to the House of Assembly, Mr. Allen outlined a number of scholarships and training opportunities spearheaded by his Ministry and the private sector and urged students with an interest in the industry to take advantage of them.

"The fall semester is a time when students normally begin to focus on how they will be spending their summer next year, and the purpose of this Ministerial statement is to place our internship programme on their individual radar screens so that the broadest spectrum of young Bermudians can position themselves to take advantage of the attendant opportunities, which are significant" he said.

He named students that had taken advantage of them, but said many others were not aware they existed despite considerable publicity.

"We are aware that some young people only became aware of these options after the fact, despite substantial publicity being organised. Thus I am, on behalf of the Government, extending a clarion call at this early stage to ensure that as many young Bermudians are aware of the opportunities as early as possible in the school year," Mr. Allen said.

"As Bermuda embarks on a reinvented tourism industry, thanks to the many new hotel facilities being generated by Government's landmark Hotel Concessions Act 2000, it is vitally important that the industry is also injected with new talent form amongst the ranks of young Bermudians. Now is the time to prepare for the many exciting new career options available in the tourism industry."

He told the House that overseas marketing agencies contracted by the Tourism Ministry are required to provide an internship to a Bermudian student. These agencies are based in New York, Baltimore and London.

"The summer intern programme was designed to expose young Bermudians to various aspects of destination marketing and is geared specifically for students interested in a career in the tourism industry," said the Minister.

"The programmes run for eight weeks and places two students in each of our overseas marketing agencies.

Students also have the opportunity to intern in the Department of Tourism's own overseas offices."

In the private sector, he reminded the public of "Bermuda's first comprehensive national scholarship endowment programme" set up early this year with a $1 million donation from Royal Caribbean International, as part of its contract.

Five students had already received awards from the fund, he said.

The deadline for the next academic year is in June.

He added that the Ministry is also working with cruise ships to offer on board training to Bermuda College hospitality students.

And he said that hotels here and overseas offered training opportunities to Bermudians.

"This industry will be rebuilt not only with bricks and mortar, but with the utilisation of Bermuda's most vital national resource, its human capital."