Fifteen Refugees Graduate From Hospitality & Tourism Training Institute
A third cohort of participants from Catholic Charities of Buffalo’s Immigration and Refugee Assistance Program graduated from the Hospitality and Tourism Training Institute during a ceremony held Dec. 11 at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo.
The hospitality/tourism industry-focused training was developed collaboratively by Catholic Charities and Niagara University’s College of Hospitality and Tourism Management. It includes included classroom training, visits to local hotels and internship experiences. Originally constructed to span 10 weeks, the program has been condensed to an eight-week timeframe, allowing graduates to enter the workforce sooner.
Thirty-seven individuals how now completed the program, including men and women from Burma, Iraq, Somalia, Nepal, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti and Myanmar. They range in age from 19 to 55 years old. A Somalian father and son were among the 15 graduates of the HTTI’s third class who were presented certificates by the Rev. James J. Maher, president of Niagara University.