Tourism Victoria will launch a mentorship program this fall designed to support students looking to make a career in the hospitality industry.
Created in partnership with local education partners, the mentorship program will include on-thejob training, time with senior staff at Tourism Victoria, scholarships and a case competition.
"Tourism Victoria knows that the students of today are the leaders of tomorrow and we are committed to nurturing and supporting students," says Trina Mousseau, Tourism Victoria's director of marketing. "The [program] is designed to provide new opportunities to students that are shaping the future of tourism in Victoria."
The program includes two intern positions each year that can be spent in various Tourism Victoria departments - marketing, finance and operations, sales, visitor services.
Senior staff at the destination marketing organization will make themselves available as classroom resources and for informational interviews as requested.
In partnership with the B.C. Hospitality Foundation, a scholarship of $2,500 will be presented to a student who demonstrates a true commitment to the local industry. The award will rotate between Royal Roads University, University of Victoria and Camosun College.
The case competition that will launch this year for students at Royal Roads University will allow student teams the chance to pitch a summer campaign that could run in Tourism Victoria's key markets next year.
"Tourism Victoria's Mentorship Challenge creates a comprehensive and special industry and education partnership framework; it will offer our learners the chance to participate in a real way with a destination marketing organization," says Rebecca Wilson-Mah, assistant professor at RRU's School of Tourism and Hospitality Management.
