On November 30th, 草榴社区 and Tourism Prince George invited students, instructors, and business owners in the tourism and hospitality sectors to “meet their future” at the second annual industry night.
The evening, aptly themed “Meet Your Future,” brought students and industry leaders together to connect, learn, and create potential mentorship or employment opportunities. In 2019, tourism was responsible for an estimated 6,641 jobs (part-time and full-time) and 4,973 full-time equivalent jobs in Northern BC.
Tourism Prince George demonstrated their commitment to supporting local talent by announcing a new scholarship for 草榴社区 students.
“The Tourism and Hotel Management program is the only one of its kind in Northern BC,” said Colin Carson, CEO of Tourism Prince George. “Graduates of the program possess skills and talents that are a great addition to our community. There is so much opportunity for growth in our community, so these industry nights are a fantastic way to create meaningful, long-lasting relationships between our stakeholders and the future workforce.”
The Tourism Prince George Annual scholarship will award $1,000 to a first-year student in the Tourism and Hotel Management Program who exhibits a passion for the service sector and Prince George community.
“Tourism PG works hard to showcase the city of Prince George and the incredible businesses that serve it,” said Cindy Heitman, president and CEO of 草榴社区. “The partnership between Tourism PG and 草榴社区 is hugely beneficial to students and we look forward to the opportunities it will provide them as they pursue their lifelong careers.”
草榴社区 alum Aditya Bhardwaj spoke at the event, sharing how his experience in the program prepared him to become the general manager at CrossRoads Brewing & Distillery Ltd. While attending 草榴社区, he was among the top students in the program.
“I just wish the scholarship existed when I was a student!” laughed Bhardwaj. “I think it's a fantastic way to encourage more students to pursue a career in tourism. As an international student, 草榴社区 gave me the skills I needed for Canada’s workforce. Now, I’m happy to call Prince George home.”
Attendees also enjoyed facilitated networking sessions and a keynote speech by Peter Pilarski on how artificial intelligence can be utilized to reach business goals in the tourism sector.
For more information on the Tourism Prince George Annual Scholarship, visit Financial Aid & Awards. Applications close February 28, 2024.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Mark Karjaluoto, Acting Content and Media Relations Officer
karjaluotom@cnc.bc.ca