Students from The Howard School who have begun the hospitality and tourism institute are pictured with faculty and representatives, from left, Dean McAfee, Chef Gregory Carder, Gregory Fisk, SRC President & COO Susan Harris, Dr. Charles Mitch, The Howard School Executive Principal Dr. Le Andrea Ware, and Susie Everly
photo by Paul Payne
At Rock City on Tuesday, officials announced the installation of the See Rock City Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management at The Howard School, marking the partnership on the attraction’s 87th anniversary. The commitment by SRC Inc. to continue through 2022 includes a financial contribution, as well as field trips, job shadowing, faculty touring, advisory roles and preferential part-time job availability for the students.
"As a multi-brand hospitality company, See Rock City Inc. is excited to partner with The Howard School and the Institute for Hospitality & Tourism Management,” said SRC President and COO Susan Harris. “Tourism is a major economic driver in our region and provides both first jobs and career jobs for thousands of citizens in our community. With chefs, artists, accountants, marketers, maintenance technicians, horticulture specialists and professionals in guest service, event production and leadership, our team is eager to connect with the students and teachers at Howard. This partnership is one more way our organization can continue to live into our decades-long legacy of community investment, honoring the commitments made by our founders that have been sustained by our leadership through the years.”
While other institutes are already in place, this is the first hospitality and tourism management program in the district. Through Future Ready Institutes, teachers of all content areas including core classes work closely with the career theme teacher to provide classroom instruction through the lens of a career. The goal is for students to clearly understand why a lesson is important and how to use the information in the future.
“It is vital that graduates of Hamilton County Schools are post-secondary ready and prepared to succeed in college or a career after graduation,” said Dr. Bryan Johnson, superintendent of Hamilton County Schools. “The Future Ready Institutes, through partnerships with community leaders like Rock City, are opening doors to opportunities for our graduates and their families.”
According to the U.S. Travel Association, travel industry jobs lead to higher wages in comparison to those whose first jobs were in manufacturing, health care and most other industries. More than four in 10 workers get their start in travel and tourism.
Future Ready Institutes have been a part of the Howard experience since the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year with the Erlanger Institute of Healthcare and Innovation and the See Rock City Inc. Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management. The school will add the Institute of Robotics and Welding and the Institute of Architecture and Construction for the 2019-2020 school year.
Kyle Kunkle, with See Rock City, takes students in the new See Rock City Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management on a tour
photo by