The smiles of four KETHA graduates who were employed by a hotel

By Elias Hakizimana.

Four graduates from Kigali Excellent Tourism and Hospitality Academy (KETHA) were officially employed by The Country In Hotel on November 10, 2023.

Jeannette Uwantege is one of them. She says being employed soon after graduation is something to appreciate.

“I was a student in KETHA, I graduated in 2013, I got an internship in The Country-In Hotel operated by Smart Haven, I finished my internship in September 2023 and I immediately got a job from the same hotel, I am now an official employee since a month ago.

Uwantege spent a period of twelve months at KETHA to acquire both theories and practices in culinary arts. She says she was very motivated to get a job with full interventions and support of her campus management, where she took skills from.

“I was very happy, I liked it so much, it is not usual that a school gives you the skills and accompanies you to look for a job until you succeed. As a culinary art graduate, I was trained in service delivery, my goal is to remain a good waiter with outstanding services, I dream of being a supervisor in Food and Beverage services or a manager,” Uwantege says.

Theophile Kubwimana, another KETHA graduate who was employed by this hotel after the industrial internship of three months from July-September 2023.

“I am thankful for KETHA school that equipped me with the necessary skills in culinary arts, it is now a milestone having a job in the same hotel that gave me the internship,” Kubwimana says.

Alphonse Habimana, Principal of KETHA says that the initiative of the school to accompany the student from class courses to internship and employment is to complement the country’s vision to bridge the unemployment gap through vocational education and training.

“Kigali Excellent Tourism and Hospitality Academy (KETHA) has taken a step forward in accompanying our students to the labor market by helping them get internships with partners and getting them to work wherever possible,” Habimana says.

Alphonse Habimana, Principal of KETHA receiving a gift from one graduate who got a job.

“We take this opportunity to once again thank the central government of our country for the pillars aimed at the development of Rwandans, which has specifically established the government’s program for the development of careers and education; This also involves the Rwanda TVET Board (RTB) and NESA for training and guidance on the quality of education. We also thank all our partners who help us in enhancing practical skills, especially SMART HAVEN,” Habimana adds.

He also expresses his recognition message to the administration of the City of Kigali for their motive to support education and training development.

Alice UMULISA, Director of Employment and Service in Kigali City who was was representing the Mayor at the ceremony said that they will continue to help job seekers, facilitating their access to all necessary labor market information and offering them training to upgrade their skills and knowledge in order to become more competitive on the labor market.

Gilbert Shingiro, Managing Director of SMART HAVEN that manages The Country In Hotel says that collaboration with Hospitality Schools and the Hotels increases opportunities for graduates to embrace the labour market without spending time.

“We get benefits at both sides, as the hotel, it is helpful to have skilled employees because we don’t spend much time training them, rather, it becomes easier for us to follow up on their performance and then we decide to hire them,” Shingiro said.

SUMMARY

The success stories of Jeannette Uwantege and Theophile Kubwimana reflect the effectiveness of KETHA’s approach in transitioning students from education to employment. The collaboration between KETHA, the government, and industry partners demonstrates a commitment to addressing unemployment through practical education.

The acknowledgment of support from various entities, including SMART HAVEN, underscores the importance of partnerships in enhancing practical skills. It’s encouraging to see efforts to support job seekers and upgrade their skills in Kigali, as mentioned by Alice UMULISA.

Gilbert Shingiro’s perspective highlights the mutual benefits of collaboration between hospitality schools and hotels, streamlining the integration of skilled graduates into the labor market.

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