Manama, Apr. 18 (BNA): The General Manager of Fatel Bahrain announced that it has doubled its capacity to provide the local tourism scene with highly skilled national manpower.
He explained that the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management aims to contribute to supporting the growth of local tourism projects and increasing the rate of Bahrainization in the sector.
Founded in 2018, Vatel Bahrain is part of a global network of 55 hospitality management schools located in 33 countries in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa.
The specialized educational institution opened in France in 1981. It is the best French hospitality school in France, and 11th in the world according to the QS rankings.
Vatel Bahrain has just strengthened its program to be more in line with the French programme.
Sheikh Khaled said that Vatel Bahrain is working with Vatel France to further modernize its programs and provide more options to meet the requirements of the labor market. Some of the new programs will meet employers’ needs to provide training to their employees without a full-time commitment. The master’s degree in international hotel management will also be canceled within two years.
He added that Gulf students will soon be welcomed to Vatel Bahrain, and talks are underway to introduce the Vatel program at a university in the Gulf.
Sheikh Khalid said that the success of the Vatel branch in Bahrain is due to the support of the Ministry of Tourism and the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority in line with Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030.
He said that one strong example of the success of Vatel Bahrain is that 48% of graduates in the first and second batches obtained jobs before completing their studies, adding that the overall employment rate currently stands at 55%.
Sheikh Khaled said that the hospitality and tourism sector provides promising opportunities for career development and expansion in regional and international markets.
He explained that the sector continues to grow locally and will need a workforce to support this growth.
Sheikh Khaled said that studying hospitality gives students a wide range of disciplines. These include food and beverage, spa, reservations, front desk, room service, finance and purchasing, events and human resources. The college also covers tourism and cultural aspects.
Bachelor’s degree program is only 50% theory and the rest is practical applications.
Sheikh Khalid said that the students are being trained by professionals in 4- and 5-star hotels in Bahrain and France, adding that work is continuing to increase the number of countries covered by the programme.
Vatel Bahrain also offers the Marco Polo exchange programme, which allows students to complete their second year at other branches in the network.
Sheikh Khaled said that graduates of Vatel Bahrain work in leading hotels such as the Gulf Hotel, Ritz-Carlton, Regency Intercontinental and others.
“Some of them work in the Bahrain International Circuit, and others have established their own restaurant management company,” he said. “Two of our graduates work for a prestigious golf club in France, and we have one in Abu Dhabi.”
The college cooperates with hotels inside and outside Bahrain for training and job opportunities. It also has collaborations with the Royal Golf Club, Bahrain World Show and organizers of international events such as Formula 1 racing and the Bahrain International Airshow.
Sheikh Khaled said that the Gulf Hotel was one of the main supporters of the college.