Hilton inked a partnership with the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM) to launch Hilton Liya Diriya – a female development program in Sri Lanka recently Translating to ‘female courage,’ Hilton Liya Diriya aims to provide training opportunities for local female students keen to build a career in hospitality. Selected participants will undergo two training phases to pick up practical knowledge, skills and experiences, involving a one-month period dedicated to theoretical training with SLITHM and a six-month industrial traineeship at one of Hilton’s properties in Sri Lanka.
The program is in line with Hilton’s Travel with Purpose 2030 goal of doubling its social impact investment, and underscores its continued commitment to ensuring inclusive growth, sustainable solutions and economic opportunities for all, even during these unprecedented times. On top of the training, participants will receive support from Hilton throughout the duration of the program, in the form of accommodation, allowance and mentoring. Upon graduation, they will also be awarded certifications, as well as employment opportunities at a Hilton property in Sri Lanka or abroad.
Chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism, Kimarli Fernando said, “We aspire to achieve a higher level of female participation in Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry, especially in the skilled and value creation areas which would provide more opportunities for them to further their careers in the longer term. Currently women make up less than 10 percent of the hospitality workforce locally, compared to the 54 percent globally. This is a strategic change Sri Lanka Tourism is striving for.”