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August 23, 2004VCC RECEIVES MAJOR DESIGNATION AS CENTRE FOR HOSPITALITY TRAINING
Aug. 23, 2004
VCC receives major designation as centre for hospitality training
VANCOUVER, B.C. - Vancouver Community College has been designated as the B.C. Centre for Leadership and Innovation in Hospitality, the B.C. government announced today, a move that further puts the college at the forefront in addressing a skills shortage in the province's hospitality sector.
"This is great news for both VCC and B.C.'s hospitality sector," says VCC president Dale Dorn, who joined Advanced Education Minister Shirley Bond, several MLAs and a host of industry representatives for the announcement.
"Today's designation builds on VCC's long track record in this field," says Dorn. "This centre will be a focal point for hospitality education, innovation and training, locally, regionally and provincially - a major benefit to this dynamic sector."
It couldn't come at a better time, say industry officials, who cite projections of an estimated 84,000 new jobs in B.C.'s hospitality sector through 2010 to meet the combined demands of industry growth and the Winter Olympics.
"This action will address B.C.'s critical skills shortage and in doing so, open up opportunities for graduates to apply their enhanced job-ready skills in the workforce," says Geoffrey Howes, chair of the B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association. "Education and training are critical elements of the hospitality industry's growth strategy."
Bringing together educators, industry and government will be a new strategic advisory body - the British Columbia Tourism and Hospitality Education and Training Consortium, announced today - charged with guiding education and training efforts to meet sector needs.
Consortium member Stephanie Forsyth calls VCC the ideal place for the new B.C. Centre for Leadership and Innovation in Hospitality, given the college's leading role in culinary arts, baking and pastry arts and hospitality management.
"This is really an opportunity for the system to build on its long history of working together to enhance opportunities for students," says Forsyth, president of Northwest Community College and chair of the British Columbia College Presidents council.
That's echoed by Joan McArthur-Blair, VCC's vice-president of education, who with the dean of VCC's School of Hospitality and Business, Dave Donaldson, was a driving force behind the new centre designation for the college.
"British Columbia needs innovative programming and industry partnerships to address the growing skills shortage in this sector," says McArthur-Blair. "It is very exciting for us to be part of that strategy by having the B.C. Centre for Leadership and Innovation in Hospitality at VCC."
Media can contact:
Dave Donaldson
Dean, School of Hospitality and Business
Tel: 604.443.8396
Stephen Barrington
Communications Director
Tel: 604.871.7063