Right hospitality skills 'll make girls, women achieve aspirations – Wavecrest College

The Wavecrest College of Hospitality says it is important for girls and women to have hospitality and vocational skills that will enable them be economically independent.

Ms Veronica Esode, Registrar, Wavecrest College of Hospitality, Lagos, said in Lagos, that young girls and women could achieve their aspirations if equipped with the right hospitality skills.

She spoke on the sidelines of the Wavecrest College of Hospitality 20th Matriculation Ceremony for the 2021/2022 academic session.

"Recognising the importance and contribution of women in the home and society, girls should acquire innovative skills to distinguish themselves at home and in the choice of their career.

"Equipping one's self with the right skills enables one to own his or her business to be financially independent.

"It makes one to be employable too.

"It will also help to prevent emotional and physical exhaustion, even as one's confidence is boosted.''

Supreme reports that Wavecrest College of Hospitality is the premier private Monotechnic in the country; it offers higher education and training in the field of Hospitality and Tourism.

The college empowers beneficiaries to obtain Hospitality Education with emphasis on broad based knowledge, skills specialization and high ethical standards – offering immediate employment with economic independence.

The College is accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) as a Monotechnic in 1998.

The college trains young women to be competent professionals, able to meet the challenges of the fast developing world and to raise awareness on the impact of Hospitality services.

Esode said: "At Wavecrest College of Hospitality, we believe that young girls and women can achieve their aspirations if equipped with the right hospitality skills.

"This would further enable them to improve their socioeconomic situation, family circumstances, and impact on society.

"We have tried it, it has worked and we want to continue impacting the lives of women and the hospitality industry.''

Also, Ms Rosana Forsuelo, Provost, Wavecrest College of Hospitality, advised that crucial skills for girls and women to acquire should include vocational and hospitality.

She said that globally, in many work places, attention was much shifting from degrees to skill acquisition.

Forsuelo advised the matriculating students to be enterprising and innovative.

"I want to emphasise that the future of work globally is skills and not degrees.

"You must value the time spent in the classroom, laboratory and workshop. Use it to learn skills.

"Be competent, innovative and enterprising. Use your time wisely to grow your career and achieve a balanced education, an education that becomes your intellectual, moral, ethical and professional foundation.

"The future of work will not be about college degrees, it will be about job skills. Now is the opportunity to steer those without college degrees toward successful careers and increase diversity among our workforce.

"Getting to know yourself and building your professional foundation is germane, you must have a sense of purpose that will spur you to learn, acquire new skills and knowledge.

"I urge you to uphold ethical standards, be law-abiding, disciplined, focused, hardworking and innovative," she said.

Forsuelo emphasised the college's commitment to grooming the students on digital skills to enhance their innovative skills.

The provost commended the scholarship support from donors including Elis Foundation, Italy; Wonder Foundation, U.K; Venn Foundation as well as other support from friends.

She thanked the Swiss Government for giving international internship 10 students of the college who went to Kenya for a fully subsidized 6-month programme.

Ms Catherine Azu, Programme Officer, Women's Board, said that the college had made enormous impact on the students especially as the students do not look for work after graduation

Azu represented Edna Dafe, Director, Women's Board.

"Women's Board is the NGO that established Wavecrest College of Hospitality and what we have been offering the society is girl empowerment through hospitality skills and vocational training.

"This is so that the Nigerian woman can become a responsible citizen, willing, ready, prepared and equipped to make meaningful contribution to the country.

" Hospitality skills are not limited and what we impact takes effect from the home and trickles down to the society.

"In so doing, the society is shaped. The society is empowered. The society is developed.

" From hospitality skill, vocational education and others, the women get empowered and they develop themselves; first, they develop their immediate family, and they develop the society.

"From it, people get educated, get economically empowered and become entrepreneurs.''

Azu said that many students who had passed through the institution became employable, especially because of the all-round formation which had been given to them.

Mrs Busola Oluwasegun, a former student of the college, commended the institution for the curriculum and passion to groom girls to be self-sufficient especially in the hospitality sector.