Left photo: Because of the Dual Education program and his work at Reserva Conchal, Joseph has been able to bring his mom and youngest brother to Guanacaste and take care of them. Right photo: At the beginning of the program, no one knows each other, but by graduation they are like a tight-knit work family.
Ana Francis is an outspoken, observant student who wants to open up her own restaurant. She travels over 70 kilometers each way to Reserva Conchal for her training. Depending on the day, she wakes at 4 a.m., walks to the main street in her town and takes a cab to Filadelfia. There, the Dual Education bus picks her up for delivery to the Westin Hotel. This is not a program for the weary. When asked about their hardest learning challenge — from recipe memorization and knife techniques to laws and regulations … sometimes even basic manners and etiquette — the classmates resoundingly said, “ENGLISH!” The training incorporates four weeks of intensive English and this is where most students drop out. Even then, more than 30 of the original 40 enrolled students will complete the program, with a graduation ceremony like no other. On that special occasion, you can feel the excitement, pride and unity of the group. Family members fill the room with flowers and signs, dressed in their best, so obviously proud that their
sons, daughters, wives, cousins, mothers or fathers are finishing such a rigorous program. But that is not where this story ends.
Graduation just the beginning
Approximately 90 percent of these graduates are then hired by the Westin or W resorts, securing consistent employment with the ability to continue growing and developing their skill set. Jairo regards this as a cornerstone of the Dual Education program that needs to be shared with other companies. “Reserva Conchal provides a safe social and educational base for the program; the students [and their families and communities] thrive because of this.” The Dual Education program offers so much more than workable skills in a technical environment. It’s all about the life skills that will enable students to have a better future, learn something new every day, provide support for their friends and family and give back to their community.
Inspiring a better way of living www.reservaconchal.com
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