The Cape Town-based Gaming and Hospitality Management Academyis running a programme that will give free training to waitrons and bartenders. Students will learn all the necessary skills required to perform a professional service for the hospitality industry in the Western Cape. What is unique about this initiative is that there is no cost to the trainees.

The group being targeted are unemployed at present and this presents an ideal opportunity for them to get into the job market and simultaneously provide much needed professional skills to the burgeoning hospitality industry.

The concept is the brainchild of CE Rahman Murtuza, a doyen of the hospitality industry. The programme has two objectives. Firstly to provide education and a guaranteed job for all those candidates who complete the course. Secondly to assist hotels, restaurants and other businesses in the hospitality industry, by supplying professionally trained waitrons and bartenders with the necessary skills.

“We are working with the Umsobomvu Youth Fund and the Department of Development & Tourism to locate the young people who are currently unemployed and offer them free training. It is vital to provide the right the candidates with the correct skills and attitude to be placed in a job.

We have the expertise and facilities to do this. We have found that the trainees in the classes held so far are not only enthusiastic, but have learnt and assimilated the necessary skills very quickly. This is good news for the establishments for whom we are providing personnel, as the Cape’s traditional holiday season, as well as 2010, are fast approaching. We are currently working with Fedics (GrandWest), Spier, V & A Waterfront, Newmark Hotels, Winchester Mansions, amongst others to supply successful candidates. ”

Murtuza added that the training programme for the waitrons/bartenders will be delivered over 4 -6 weeks, following which the successful candidates will be placed. The format of the contact sessions will be a mixture of lectures, presentations, discussions, individual and group work, role-plays and simulations. Case studies and presentations by selected experts will be utilised.

All delegates will be assessed to ensure that a high standard is maintained. Only candidates who have successfully passed all modules will be considered for employment. All training materials are provided by the Academy and learning materials are customised with due consideration of the outcomes required to be achieved. The Academy will provide all successful candidates with a certificate of attendance/competence.

The Academy is accredited as an FET provider.

For more information please phone 021 595 1180 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it