STEP secured a license from the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) , to use their material for training and certification in the Caribbean and has worked with AHLA to modify the material for the small hotels of the Caribbean.  To date modified material available for use in member countries include line rooms and line food and beverage.  Areas covered include, bartending, front desk, representative, room attendant, restaurant server among others.  STEP has been successful in negotiating AHLA certification is offered at a reduced cost in participating countries with goals of becoming AHLA/EI certified. One of the benefits to the Caribbean workers of AHLA/EI certification is that it is internationally recognized.  With the use of these materials STEP will commence a most significant collaboration with CPEC (Caribbean Project for Economic Competitiveness ).  While STEP has purchased the license and training materials from AHLA, CPEC has agreed to fund the training of trainers who will be available to conduct the training in the various countries.  At the end of January 2002, CPEC conducted training for 17 persons from across the region using the STEP training materials.  These persons are Certified Hospitality Department Trainers (CHDT) and are able to conduct the training, which STEP requires for it's target group.

The AH& LA Educational Institute certifies all levels from line-level, department to the top executive level.  Promote certification throughout your organization at all levels and strengthen the entire team.. The ultimate champions of guest satisfaction and professionalism in hospitality are the Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) and Certified Lodging Manager standards.  This ultimate certification for the general manager provides recognized knowledge and leadership for the entire organization.

Click here to get the procedures for STEP Training and Certification Programs (26k .pdf)  Click here to get free Adobe Acrobat.  Forms are listed below:

Restaurant Server- application form (11.7k .pdf), skills form (288k .pdf)

Bartender- application form (12k .pdf), skills form (288k .pdf)

Kitchen Steward- application form (12k .pdf), skills form (288k .pdf)

Room attendant- application form (12k .pdf), skills form (288k .pdf)

Public Space Cleaner- application form (12k .pdf), skills form (288k .pdf)

Reservationist- application form (12k .pdf), skills form (288k .pdf)

Front Office Representative- application form (12k .pdf), skills form (288k .pdf)

Banquet Server- application form (12k .pdf), skills form (288k .pdf)


Hotel Management and Operations - Volunteer Programs

STEP initiated discussions with the Canadian Executive Services Overseas (CESO ) in 2000 to enlist their support in providing hotel management expertise for the small hotel sector in the Caribbean. CESO agreed to fund a pilot project to test delivery of volunteer services to the small hotel sector. In late 2000, CESO volunteers were deployed to Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, and St Lucia respectively. and each volunteer operated on the following channel approach:

  • Three-week stays at individual properties to train in food and beverage and hotel management/operations
  • Group sessions with other hoteliers to offer food and beverage training
  • Up to a three-month term.
Consultations with hoteliers after the volunteer visits revealed that the program was a major success and should be continued. CESO had a positive experience and confirmed to the OAS that the OAS/STEP coordinator approach for local logistics worked well. STEP is now contracting CESO to deploy 9 volunteers in hotel management and operations in 2001. The volunteers will work on the basis of two weeks per property for up to three-month terms. Participating countries include Jamaica, Belize, St. Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada, Barbados, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda.

Volunteers are selected (click here for Volunteer Application form) based on their area of expertise in response to their needs submitted by the hoteliers through the STEP coordinator in each country.  (Click here for the Volunteer Needs Technical/Non-technical form).  The volunteers work on a  basis of 2 weeks per property for up to a 2 month period.  Hoteliers are expected to cover the cost of accommodations and needs for the volunteers their stay.  (Click here for letter of Commitment for Receipt of Volunteer and the Duties and Responsibilities form).

As each country receives only one volunteer per deployment, it is very important that the needs per country fall under a specific category for example,  Food and Beverage or Hotel Management and Operations.  In most cases volunteers are only able to work one need at a time.  

STEP is seeking to expand it's source of volunteers to other organizations who offer the same service, particularly in the U.S.

***Click here for the STEP Coordinators meeting in Dominica, December 2-6, 2002 (7k .pdf)

***Click here to view the countries STEP Volunteer Activity Report for phase II (17k .pdf).

The Toolkit Program 

STEP has commenced the development of a toolkit program to assist small hoteliers with information on how to successfully undertake and complete key management tasks. The topics were identified based on the comprehensive needs assessment for Caribbean small hotels, conducted in 1998-99. The first set of toolkits are now available at the STEP resource centers for the following topics:

  • Doing a business plan
    • Part 1: Corporate and project matters
    • Part 2: Financial and planning matters
  • Quick fixes
  • Market positioning
    • Selling a product in the market place
  • Upgrading your rooms
    • Part 1: Preparation and project planning
    • Part 2: Project management
  • The owner as "Mine Host"
    • Personal attention to customer care
  • Housekeeping
  • Maintenance
    • Routine and preventative
The toolkits will be distributed through the resource centers. They will continually be refined and updated to meet the needs of hoteliers. They are currently under review by selected Caribbean small hoteliers and updated versions will be issued as they become available.

They will also be supplemented by testimonials and examples from Caribbean small hoteliers. For example, read about Market Positioning by Mike Heusner, owner of Belize River Lodge, Business Planning by Horatio Brizan, owner of Tropicana Inn, Grenada, George and Bell Whitney’s experience with financing expansion of the Village Apartments in Bequia, the Bay Gardens Hotel’s John Parle view of Quick Fixes, and George and Corol Bevier’s approach to "Mine Host" at the Rum Point Inn in Belize.

New Line Room and Food and Beverage Training Materials for the Sector

STEP is working with the Caribbean Hospitality Training Institute (CHTI), the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA), and the CAST-CAREC QTC project to develop a market-driven, comprehensive occupational training and certification programs for the small hotels sector in STEP project.  AHLA certification is offered at a reduced cost in participating countries with goals of becoming AHLA/EI certified. One of the benefits to the Caribbean workers of AHLA/EI certification is that it is internationally recognized.  

The AHLA occupational training materials now being adapted include:
  • Line rooms
  • Line food and beverage
Other areas covered include:
  • Bartending
  • Front desk representative
  • Room attendant
  • Restaurant server

The training is targeted to owner/managers and staff of small hotels. Those successfully completing the training will be certified. The final training and certification programs will be used by many of the national training projects funded by CIDA and CPEC in the next several months. Training materials/Toolkits will also be made available in the STEP resource centers in participating countries.
  © 1999, 2002 The Caribbean Innkeeper
Developed by OAS Inter-Sectoral Unit for Tourism