A hospitality and tourism college in Japan signed an agreement yesterday with the Hyatt Regency Saipan to allow its students to undergo a year-long internship program at the hotel and take English lessons at Northern Marianas College.
Susumu Seino, vice president of administration of the Osaka-based Trajal Hospitality and Tourism College, signed the agreement with acting NMC President Barbara G. Moir and Hyatt General Manager Michael von Siebenthal.
Hyatt is the first hotel on island to link with a Japanese college internship program, according to Josephine Mesta, the hotel’s human resources manager.
At the Hyatt, the interns are expected to improve their skills in English while allowing other hotel workers to communicate with native Japanese speakers.
Two students from Trajal—Mie Tani and Yuka Kawahara—are already on island for the internship program.
They said they entered the internship program because they want to experience working overseas. Tani had been to Australia for another work-related experience prior to her arrival on Saipan.
The two earned their degree in hotel and restaurant management last March.
Masako Araki, the Hyatt’s executive assistant manager, said Hyatt will provide free accommodation and meals to the interns. Each student will also receive a $150 stipend on a bi-weekly basis.
They are also entitled to free transportation to and from the hotel, medical insurance coverage and worker’s compensation coverage.
The hotel would pay for the interns’ tuition and fees for English courses that they would take up at NMC.
The students are required to pay for their round-trip travel expenses between Saipan and Japan. They must also provide for their personal expenses, including visa documents, among other things.
Araki said the Japanese interns will be required to work at all areas of the hotel.
He said the project is extremely important not only for Hyatt but for the local tourism industry as well.
