Seychelles Tourism Academy lecturers upgrade their skills

Seychelles Tourism Academy lecturers upgrade their skills

ATP- arab tourism portal- Ten Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) lecturers were awarded certificates after having successfully completed six weeks of intensive practical and theoretical training in food, beverage and restaurant with French expert Louis Leborgne.

Present for the short ceremony held on March 20 were the Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St.Ange, principal secretary for tourism Anne Lafortune, the academy’s principal Flavien Joubert, French Embassy advisor Patrick Buzaud along with some fellow colleagues.

Mr Leborgne who is a retired professional chef and also a pedagogical advisor was approached by the academy’s principal Flavien Joubert upon his return to the Seychelles.

His aim was to update the professors’ techniques stating that it is important for them to be experts in different fields relating to their profession such as pastry, butchery, hygiene and mixology.

Now that he is done training the lecturers, Mr Leborgne will continue working with the tourism academy as a part-time consultant.

Mr Joubert traced steps back in history to 1988, when he was the young director of Seychelles hotel school and France supported the school financially and with human resource.

This is how he first met Mr Leborgne, who was sent in as a technical advisor.

The Seychelles Tourism Academy’s principal had the following advice for the attending teachers and lecturers ̶ we cannot place a price tag on professionalism and friendship.

Relationships are built on mutual respect, respect for each other’s knowledge and experience along with acceptance.

“If you want to reach the top, you need to be patient and accept the fact that you will always need to keep on learning.

and this can be done through honesty and hard work, I am urging you to take today’s ceremony as a positive example,” he said.

In his speech, Minister St.Ange highlighted the importance for professionals to continuously make an effort to build up on what they have already learnt at school, since in his own words “we are never too old to learn. Not upgrading on our knowledge and experience means that we are locking ourselves in a small box and this in return will prevent us from being innovative.” He also wished his audience ‘bonne fête de la francophonie’ and encouraged them to use and promote the French language.

After having thanked Louis Leborgne, on behalf of his group, professor Richard Mathiot said this training has changed their work perspective and techniques, which is important considering that cuisine is an art that keeps evolving.

“It is therefore important that we keep working together and seize all opportunities made available to us to develop our passion for the culinary arts,” he said.