Dr. Alison Plummer, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, said that Carnival Cruise Lines is not only in need of well-trained staff, but is also desirous of graduates of the Saint Lucia-based Springboard Training and Development Centre. However, after being made aware of the financing difficulties that Saint Lucians face in order to gain employment with Carnival Cruise Lines, the Saint Lucia Government was able to structure a program to facilitate their employment.
 

“The Springboard Training and Development Centre previously entered into an agreement to train and recruit employees from Saint Lucia to fill non-utility positions on Carnival Cruise Lines," Dr. Plummer explained. "However, Springboard, having recognized the inability of potential employees to meet the costs associated with taking up these jobs, approached the Government for assistance. As a result, collaboration between the National Initiative to create Employment (NICE), Springboard Training and Development and the Saint Lucia Development Bank developed.
 

“What happened is the Government of Saint Lucia gave the nod to a partnership that already existed between two private sector bodies," she continued. "We have left all arrangements up to the private sector, but we have supported it and facilitated that arrangement by refunding training costs to all successful candidates."
 

Last year, 220 persons benefited from training, assistance and employment as a result. Dr. Plummer said that the success of the pilot phase was the driving force behind the program’s expansion. This year, up to 260 Saint Lucians gained employment.

Dr. Plummer said that Carnival Cruises recognizes the accreditation of Springboard and has expressed tremendous satisfaction with the employees recruited in the pilot phase last year.
 

Ann Maria Quail, Springboard Managing Director said the relationship between Carnival Cruise Lines and Springboard has existed for over a year.
 

“Because of our arrangement with the cruise line, the Bar and Restaurant Service Training program has taken off,” she said. “The way the program works is that students pay for their training and once completed we put them forward for an interview with Carnival. The Carnival representatives come to Springboard themselves to conduct the interviews.”
 

After training and certification, graduates are required to undergo medical screening and random drug tests. Upon an offer of employment, graduates access the financial assistance necessary to acquire visas and to meet the cost of travel to Miami.
 

Dr. Plummer indicated that government has had discussions with several other training institutes who want to come on board in a similar manner. Those discussions are ongoing.
 

For more information, contact the Springboard Training and Development Centre at 758.450.0198 or the Saint Lucia Development Bank at 758.456.7352.

Recruitment for training began on June 9, 2014.