Insider / ΚΥΠΕ
The generosity that nature generously gives to Platres as well as the vision of the Troodos Network and the Community Council of Platres combine with the high academic standards of the Mediterranean Educational Group and create the 1st of its kind in Cyprus Professional Tourism Academy which operates its next March in the mountain resort of Limassol, covering the immediate needs of staff of hotel units in the greater Troodos area.
As the President of the Troodos Network and Commonwealth of Platres, Panagiotis Papadopoulos, stated to KYPE, the Troodos Tourist Academy “will start operating next March based in Platres and specifically the Forest Park Hotel, will be based on Swiss standards and its goal is solving the problem of finding specialized front line personnel for the region “.
He added that “an important advantage of the Academy for students and their families is that you study without paying and at the same time gain experience, finish your studies and have a guaranteed job, immediately, upon completion of your studies”.
Mr. Papadopoulos said that the Troodos Tourism Academy is “a comprehensive private educational institution dedicated to the creation and dissemination of knowledge, empowering students from different backgrounds by providing comprehensive educational experiences, from professional and undergraduate to doctoral level, inside and outside of the class”.
He said that “as an inclusive educational community, we promote the cultivation of relationships between students, faculty and administrators, alumni and other partners and create a culture of service, support and commitment.”
Also, “in the context of corporate social responsibility, we give the right to children who do not have the financial capacity for vocational and / or academic education, to attend our academy while the hotel and food companies also benefit by attracting trained staff from students and future graduates “.
The first step
Mr. Papadopoulos noted that the “Troodos Tourism Academy is the first step towards the implementation of the wider educational development project in the Troodos region which aims to meet the human resources needs of hotel and food companies in the Troodos region with young trained professionals ».
He added that the Academy also aims to “offer the right to education and training to existing professionals in the industry, to provide consulting services to hotel and food companies in the area on operations, upgrades and development, quality services, productivity and performance and to enter into contracts. management of hotel and food businesses “.
It is noted that the Troodos Tourist Academy has secured all permits for its operation from the Human Resources Development Authority (HRDA).
Fields of study
Asked about the fields of study of the Academy, the Commonwealth of Platres said that Professional Diplomas and Scholarships of the type “I study and work” will be provided in a number of professions.
Such are Waiter, Bartender, Maid, Receptionist, Assistant Cook and Assistant Confectioner.
As Mr. Papadopoulos explained, “one-year programs are also provided, which started this month and continue until January 2023 in cooperation with contracting hotel and food companies in Troodos, approaching students from Cyprus, Greece and other European countries with priority should be given to residents of the Troodos region “.
Regarding the Professional Diplomas and Scholarships “I study and work” Mr. Papadopoulos said that they are a combination of education and institutional training, the courses will be held three days a week while the student will practice for five days to the employer who offers the scholarship
The “Study and Work” scholarships are offered by employers and include tuition fees of € 3,600 (monthly installments of € 300 X 12 months), monthly allowance (net salary minus the monthly installment of tuition fees), accommodation in apartments / residences of employers, alimony duration of internships in employers' companies and medical care through the General Health Plan.
According to the President of the Troodos Network, the goal is for the “I study and work” program to be implemented in other areas such as Solia, Pitsilia and Marathasa.
For the Mediterranean College, Mr. Papadopoulos said that “it is connected with the leading universities of hotel studies of the SOMMET Educational Organization of Switzerland, Les Roches and Glion, all hotel programs (of all levels) are implemented based on the Swiss model of studies and offer routes studies leading to a degree from a Swiss University “.
In his statements, the President of the Troodos Network also highlighted the great benefits that the region derives from the operation of the Academy.
He noted that “there will be a dynamic of attracting new investors for various forms of development in the region, the demand for supplies for construction, renovation and maintenance of new and existing buildings will increase and most importantly new jobs will be created (administrative positions and teachers), which will be granted , where this is possible, to people living in the Troodos region “.
Concluding, he said that the Strategic Plan of the Troodos Educational Group is based and fully harmonized with the National Strategy for the Development of Mountain Communities (ESAOK).
