Six Azorean students from the Ponta Delgada Tourism and Hotel School were chosen to do traineeship at the Walt Disney Resort, precisely at the Disney World theme park, located in Florida, United States.
This traineeship is integrated in one of the Cooperation programmes, funded under the Lajes Air Base Agreement, which is now in its fourth edition. This programme was established in 2008 and has provided professional traineeships to five Azorean youngsters in the three previous editions.

Francisco Tavares, the Azores representative for the Cooperation and Defence Agreement between Portugal and the USA considers that, under the development of this programme, we are achieving a “gradual and sustained growth.” He also stressed that this is the path we should continue to follow in order “to increase the number of beneficiaries in the future so that we may also increase their impact on the Region.”

The Azores representative for the Lajes Air Base Agreement explains that the programme, which enables this type of traineeships for Azorean Youngsters “is the result of an important partnership established with Disney in Orlando” as well as of the acknowledgment made by Disney regarding the quality of Azoreans trainees and the training provided in the Region.” “This is the evidence that we have motivated people who are able to learn and work here, with one of the most prestigious international tourism resorts,” concluded Francisco Tavares. 

Francisco Tavares emphasised the “new approach that has been carried out in the cooperation projects between the Azores and the United States of America,” stressing not only this programme, but also the “partnership between this school and the Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island or the Columbus Project – intended to integrate young graduates from our community in the USA in our business sector.” According the government official, this is the “best way to strengthen partnerships between institutions that may allow exchanges and the sharing of learning experiences which will enhance the Region later in strategic areas such as Tourism, Science or Research.”

Francisco Tavares wished, on behalf of the Government, the best of luck to the six trainees who are about to embark on the new adventure and urged them to enjoy “all personal and professional experiences,” hoping “that they might bring new ideas or concepts to implement later in the Azores.”

For the government official, “the Region needs the innovative contribution of youth and the tourism sector, due to its constant changes, will certainly gain a new impetus” which the youngsters, who will do a traineeship at Disney, “may provide as entrepreneurs.”