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In a well-attended ceremony at Malaga's seminary, and after the bishop of Malaga, Jesús Catalá, had blessed the kitchens in which they aspire to train the future leaders of gastronomy, the new International School of Hospitality and Tourism (EIHT) was officially opened. From next September the centre will train an annual intake of 120 students for higher-level, dual vocational training, to which it will add a specialised training offer for professionals aimed at real enthusiasts of gastronomy. This is a project supported by the Victoria foundation of religious schools with the private San Pablo CEU University Foundation as a strategic partner.
At the inauguration Catalá said, "Comprehensive, quality training will be offered to help students to develop as individuals and to be able to provide a service to society in the field of catering." He is confident that this initiative aims to contribute to alleviating the shortage of qualified professionals in a key sector of the Spanish and local economy and to complement other alternative learning experiences, both public and private.
"The EIHT brand in English sounds like the number eight and the baptistries of our cathedrals have an octagonal floor plan. We have just blessed the kitchens with a text from Matthew that presents Christianity as salt because we want this school to be an octagonal baptistry in which the students learn to be salt and to know how to give flavour to food and to life," said the Bishop of Malaga. This was also an event in which the figure of Cardinal Herrera Oria and his concern for education and for working in, and for, Malaga was very much present.
At the launch of this initiative, which was attended by governing bodies, dignitaries and numerous professionals from the sector, Ignacio de la Vega as trustee of the Victoria Foundation highlighted the international nature of the project and announced the first agreement reached with the San Ignacio de Loyola School in Peru. From that school its president, Raúl Díaz Canseco, expressed his pleasure at being able to share the knowledge of 50 years of experience that has allowed for the dissemination of Peruvian gastronomy around the world, which he considered to be "a benchmark in the world. EIHT will be a benchmark for Spanish gastronomy." De la Vega expressed the hope that this new institution "will have a key impact on the development of tourism and employment".
Likewise, Javier Tello (director-general of the San Pablo CEU Foundation) highlighted the alliance with the Victoria foundation because they share numerous affinities, including "the need to transform society, guided by the evangelical values of moving towards a much better world and the commitment to the education of tomorrow's leaders with comprehensive training to form exemplary people." After highlighting vocational training as a priority, he added that "we are keen to work for the employability of the student, which is the key that opens all doors and for us, as committed educators, we have to be in with the best training and the best tools to access an increasingly competitive job market."
At the event Eduardo Cholvis from the Brida agency and Álvaro Muñoz from Lumen unveiled the brand image for this new centre, designed with excellence in mind, be that for the higher level training or other complementary or specialised training, including some courses open to the public. "Here all the professionals will be trainers and students. It is a unique and dynamic space, which has a consultative body, collaborating entities, sponsoring entities and which aims to offer the best of what is ours and what makes us different," said Muñoz, after describing the two years of work that went into creating this initiative that is now truly under way.
The regional minister for tourism, Arturo Bernal, stressed that this project "was born to boost tourism growth and with an external vocation. It is a commitment to this industry and to this province." He stated that tourists come to the region for its attractions, but repeat their visits because of the professional attention and service they receive. "It is important to recognise the sacrifice and effort of the workers. This school is a timely, convenient and necessary initiative in the current situation and in the future because of the challenge of solving the deficit of professionals in this area," said Bernal, expressing his confidence that 2024 will be a record year once final data are released. "Not only because we will have millions of tourists, but also because of employment, with more than 480,000 workers and income that will exceed 29,000 million euros," he said.
The provincial delegate for educational development in Malaga, Miguel Briones, highlighted the value of vocational training and the commitment of this initiative: "This project is extremely important. We have only words of thanks." Briones added that there is also a need for other roles such as floor managers, waiting staff and other trades demanded by the sector, and he put the number of vocational training places at 23,000, along with the collaboration of 5,000 companies and the 40 units dedicated to training in the hotel and catering and tourism industry that are underway.
In turn the president of Malaga's provincial council (Diputación), Francisco Salado, has extended a helping hand to this school, offering his commitment that the chefs will have local Sabor a Málaga products in these kitchens "so that the running costs are as low as possible and that there will be collaborators so that those who cannot access this training can count on scholarships. Training is fundamental to the success of a province in which 70% of tourism-related jobs are generated by the hotel and restaurant industry." Salado is convinced that "a new group of great professionals will emerge from here, as happened at La Cónsula and La Fonda, the origins of Michelin stars."
Malaga's mayor Francisco de la Torre drew attention to the city council's contribution to this project: "These facilities have been refurbished and adapted thanks to a grant awarded to the diocese, through the city's municipal housing institute, amounting to 600,000 euros." De la Torre added, "This event deserves congratulations with a capital C. It is going to be a great success for the city and the province."
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