South West College had the pleasure of hosting six students from Celje High School for Hospitality and Tourism in Slovenia. These students visited South West College's Enniskillen Erne campus to gain practical experience in Fermanagh's hospitality and tourism sector for a duration of four weeks.
The students arrived on Saturday, June 17, and were welcomed by Simon Wiggins, South West College's Tourism and Hospitality Development Officer, who gave the students a tour of the college's new Erne Campus facilities and pre-arranged their work placements with several local businesses. This new collaboration between South West College and Celje High School for Hospitality and Tourism provided students with the opportunity to gain practical work experience in their chosen fields of study.
Simon said: "It’s fantastic to establish this new relationship with Slovenia and to welcome these students to Enniskillen for the first time. They were amazed at the catering and hospitality facilities we have available for student training in the new Erne Campus and have spent some time getting to know their way around Enniskillen. Fermanagh has a strong hospitality and tourism industry with lots of jobs on offer, and each visiting student had a great experience with their host employers."
The six Slovenian students included two trainee chefs and four waiting staff studying hospitality and tourism. During the four weeks they joined The Horseshoe & Saddlers Restaurant, The Killyhevlin Hotel, The Firehouse Restaurant, The Westville Hotel, The Enniskillen Hotel, and Francos Restaurant. They remained in Enniskillen until mid-July and gained valuable first-hand experience in their chosen fields as well as enjoying some down time and exploring the local area.
Norman Coalter from The Horseshoe and Saddlers Restaurant in Enniskillen said:
"It was a pleasure to welcome a Tilen Sorn from Slovenia to the Horseshoe where he worked as a chef gaining valuable experience as part of our team. We really enjoy having international students with us, they have a passion for what they do and are always keen to learn or try new things. We value this partnership with South West College that is beneficial for our business as well as the local hospitality industry. We commend the students' dedication to their studies and look forward to welcoming international students in the future.”
Simon added: “South West College takes pride in providing students with opportunities for global exposure, and the partnership with Celje High School for Hospitality and Tourism is a testament to this. The college maintains a strong working relationship with our hospitality industry and so it is with great confidence I place international students with local employers. Employers who are eager to welcome them during what are busy summer months in hospitality. The college hopes to welcome future groups of students from Celje High School for Hospitality and Tourism.”