Tourism Gets Career, Technical Education Pathway in Local High Schools

The education nonprofit ClimbHI is partnering with the state Department of Education, and tourism organizations to launch a new career readiness program for high school students next year.

The Hospitality for Me program attempts to bring a tourism pathway to the DOE’s efforts to expand career and technical education for students. It is part of the DOE’s efforts to expand its CTE pathways from six to 13.

Julie Morikawa, president of ClimbHI, tells HPR that the program aims to bring industry professionals to classrooms to inspire and help students become career-ready. She says it aims to capitalize on partnerships from the tourism sector in order to provide the necessary resources to schools.

“We’re going to be able to provide not just guest speaking, but site visits and job shadowing and mentorships and internships,” Morikawa said. “Together we can showcase the benefits of the industry, support school needs, and support the dreams of s many students to achieve economic self-sufficiency in Hawaiʻi.”

Morikawa says the Hospitality for Me program has been active in some capacity in the DOE’s current CTE pathways — under Human Services. But will get its own, dedicated program starting the 2023-24 school year.

More information can be found by emailing info@climbhi.org.

src: https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2022-09-29/tourism-gets-career-technical-education-pathway-in-local-high-schools