Thailand’s Centara Hotels & Resorts won an award during the PATA Grand Awards 2013 in the category of Education and Training for its training program, 4Cs: Centara Career Creation for Children, which provides training and career opportunities for underprivileged and disabled young people.
Centara was selected out of 165 entries from 60 organizations globally, with the award presentation being held in Chengdu, China on 15 September 2013.
“Our 4Cs program is all about giving underprivileged children the opportunity to train for careers in the tourism and hospitality industry, which is full of exciting opportunities for youngsters,” says Thirayuth Chirathivat, chief executive officer of Centara Hotels & Resorts.
Martin Craigs (far left), CEO of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) presents the Education and Training Award in the PATA Grand Awards 2013 for the training program “4Cs: Centara Career Creation for Children” to Centara Hotels & Resorts. The award was received in a ceremony at Chengdu, in China, by Pattara Jongcharoenkulchai (center), vice president for human resources, and Ratchadet Suksin (2nd right), director of training at Centara Hotels & Resorts. Also seen in the photo are João Manuel Costa Antunes (far right), chairman of PATA and Ben Montgomery (2nd left), director of business relations management of Centara Hotels & Resorts.
“We are very honored to receive this award, and I’m sure that all the young people who have undergone or who are undergoing this program will also be thrilled by the recognition.”
The 4Cs program is designed to give learning and full-time job opportunities at Centara to economically deprived students, especially those from welfare schools throughout the regions under the Royal Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and those from the schools for students with visual impairment and hearing impairment.
This training program is supported by the Office of the Basic Education Committee at the Ministry of Education, and the Department of Skill Development at the Ministry of Labor.
Since its foundation in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), a not-for profit membership association, has achieved international acclaim by acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region.
The Association provides aligned advocacy, leadership and events to its members, comprising 90 government, state and city tourism bodies, nearly 30 international airlines, airports and cruise lines, 57 educational institutions, and hundreds of travel industry companies in Asia Pacific and beyond.
