Tourism Scholarship Students Graduate

Students from across the tourism industry were among those who recently graduated from the National University of Samoa (NUS) with a Certificate II in Tourism & Hospitality.

The students were the recipients of scholarships funded through Phase II of the Government Stimulus Package, a key initiative mobilised in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic to build the capacity of displaced tourism industry workers including those on reduced-hours.

A total of 58 students earned formal qualifications specialising in Cookery, Food and Beverage, Tour Guiding and Front Office and Accommodation Services, after having successfully completed the prescribed courses.

A further 7 students will graduate in December, taking the total number of recipients of the Certificate II in Tourism & Hospitality to 65.

Following the graduation, Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) hosted a special prize-giving ceremony at its head office to recognise the top students from the programme streams.

• Cookery – Victorya Lautolo Va’atiuola
• Food  and Beverage – Matena Elisara
• Tour Guiding – Silia Visesio
• Front Office – Yvonne Poasa
• Overall Top Student– Victorya Lautolo Va’atiuola

STA CEO Faamatuainu Lenata’i Suifua commended the students for their commitment and acknowledged that the programme supports Government’s recognition that a key pillar to recover tourism when travel restarts is through workforce training and education.

Training opportunities under the Stimulus Package have been implemented in partnership with NUS as well as the Australia-Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) and the accredited qualifications awarded pave the way for graduates to upgrade to higher credentials in the future.