Published: September 05, 2008 10:47 am         

Training in hospitality

Meridian Technology Center begins preparing students for lodging management

Joe Martin sees the addition of several new hotels as similar to an added industry in Stillwater.

“All of us who are in this industry right now are in dire need of qualified employees,” said the owner and operator of Hampton Inn. “You add this new inventory of five new hotels, I can’t even imagine where the people are going to come from. (Meridian Technology Center) recognize(s) the need as well.”

With that in mind, MTC is adding a hospitality and tourism career cluster.

“We are going to be preparing students for the basics of lodging management,” said Carolyn LeGrand, culinary arts instructor. “The seams are just bursting here in Stillwater with hotel lodging opportunities.”

LeGrand, Martin and Donna Cantrell, culinary arts coordinator, are three of the minds behind the program.

“We get calls all the time, ‘We need people to work in these hotels,’” Cantrell said. “The training we are starting is so valuable right now. … We’re very excited about it. We think it will be a popular program.”

Martin is advising MTC as it begins the program slated to start full bore next fall. He is also providing material help.

“We will at the very least equip a guest room for them out there with all that would go in the guest room and help them any way that we can and get the program going and encouraging possibly even some of our current employees to go through their program in order to reach certain certifications they are going to offer,” Martin said. “I applaud Meridian for being so proactive and it’s certainly a need currently and it’s going to be a greater need as we go forward. I’m sure others in the hotel industry will jump in and help out as well. I look forward to assisting them in any way we can to help them get the program off the ground and have it operate in a professional manner in the future.”

LeGrand said her parents had a small motel, so she grew up around the business.

“(This is) just a great opportunity,” she said. “We want the public to be aware, the lodging people here in town really want to find workers and that’s what we’re doing is we will be training the students as they come through and helping prepare them for this industry. It’s a fun industry if they like people, like working with people, meeting the public. It just might be the right match for them.”

The program, at a pace selected by students, will include courses in hospitality and tourism, lodging, lodging management, leadership and management, and food and beverage service.

     

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