P.E.I.'s tourism industry braces for ripple effects of Holland College program cuts

When Ricardo Salvini began his vocation successful Prince Edward Island's tourism industry, it changed his life, helium says. 

Salvini enrolled successful the edifice and edifice absorption programme astatine Holland College aft moving to P.E.I. six years ago. Now he's the vice-president of operations for Rodd Hotels and Resorts. 

"When I graduated 4 years ago, I was acceptable for the industry," helium said. "I took a absorption relation close aft Holland College." 

Hearing that the province's main community college is phasing retired the edifice and edifice absorption programme — arsenic good arsenic others that provender skilled workers into P.E.I.'s tourism manufacture — was "devastating," Salvini said. 

Holland College announced connected April 11 that 8 of its programs volition beryllium phased retired due to the fact that of a plunge successful planetary pupil tuition revenue, and 3 much volition beryllium downsized for the upcoming schoolhouse year. The news has caused interest for the tourism manufacture — 1 of the Island's biggest economical drivers. 

Cuts to programs similar edifice and edifice management, selling and advertising, and question tourism and events volition mean astatine slightest 100 skilled workers per twelvemonth won't beryllium disposable for the manufacture successful the abbreviated term, Salvini said. 

With 4 properties connected P.E.I., Salvini said his institution hires betwixt 8 and 12 students from Holland College each year. Now, it's bracing for the interaction of not having those educated and trained employees disposable to hire. 

"Without that skilled worker, it volition request much from the edifice concern and training," helium said. "When you person a pupil with a bully base, similar the ones that travel from Holland, you tin absorption much connected absorption skills to bid them successful different things that volition velocity up their career." 

'Great feeders for our industry'

The Tourism Association of P.E.I. shares Salvini's concerns astir the ripple effects of the programme cuts. 

"We trust truthful heavy connected those programs, and tourism is truthful important present connected Prince Edward Island," said Corryn Clemence, the CEO of TIAPEI. 

She said the programs astatine Holland College "are large feeders for our manufacture erstwhile it comes to skilled and knowledgeable workers," adding that the program is geared astir what the manufacture is looking for. 

Clemence said she understands the programme cuts are tied to the national government's changes to student work licence eligibility, but that doesn't marque dealing with the consequences of the determination immoderate little challenging. 

We've had immoderate unthinkable planetary students that person travel done those programs who are present large contributors successful our manufacture and our communities, and valuable, invaluable professionals for us," she said.  

Clemence said the effects of the national migration changes are tougher successful P.E.I. due to the fact that tourism is truthful captious to the province's economy. 

"We volition beryllium reaching retired to the national curate and lawman curate connected those pieces and the eligibility criteria for that post-graduate enactment permit," she said. 

For the clip being, Clemence said TIAPEI is talking to provincial and Holland College officials about training programs that tin beryllium implemented successful the abbreviated term. 

It's besides trying to wrapper its arms astir the students graduating from the programs portion they inactive exist, she said. 

Investment successful the aboriginal of tourism 

Earlier this week, Frances Gertsch sent a missive to Holland College's president and committee of governors expressing interest astir the programme cuts. 

"The tourism manufacture is conscionable specified an important, wholly linked ecosystem," said Gertsch, a trusted elder question advisor and manager of concern improvement and endowment astatine Stewart Travel Group.

Gertsch said she's been successful the tourism manufacture for her full career, but that's not the lone crushed she cares astir the programme cuts. She said she cares astir the Island system due to the fact that she lives here. 

"Supporting 1 of the astir important parts of the Island system is crucial, and I deliberation we request to find a mode to enactment unneurotic — manufacture and academia, manus successful manus — to marque that work," she said. 

Holland College has said it's arrogant of the programs it offered, arsenic good arsenic its graduates, and is committed to moving with manufacture representatives on their labour marketplace needs. 

As a erstwhile Holland College pupil himself, Salvini has a connection of proposal to those who are passionate astir the tourism manufacture and inactive privation to get involved. 

"Don't springiness up," helium said. "Stick with the plan, due to the fact that hopefully things volition alteration soon."