(BIVN) – West Hawaiʻi students participated in the annual Leadership, Exploration, Inspiration (LEI) program held at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa last week.
The event was hosted by the Hawaiʻi workforce development nonprofit ClimbHI, which partnered with the Waikoloa resort, as well as the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and the Hawai‘i Department of Education, as well as dozens of Hawai‘i Island businesses and organizations.
From a ClimbHI news release:
LEI is a workforce development initiative that inspires youth to select careers in the Hawaiʻi hospitality industry by providing them with the necessary means to achieve success. Nearly 150 high school students and teachers engaged with industry leaders and participated in activities to showcase opportunities for career development and growth in the hospitality industry and beyond. This year’s event also included an Exposure Fair, which offers hand-selected businesses and organizations the ability to present to students in short “speed-dating” style segments, as well as a lunch with guest speakers and Hawaiian culture/sense of place training sessions. In addition, students visited Kohala Coast businesses.
The West Hawai‘i LEI program follows the O‘ahu LEI program on Oct. 27 at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. LEI East Hawai‘i will be held at the Castle Hilo Hawaiian Hotel on Nov. 13, and LEI Maui will be held at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa on Nov. 17. In total, more than 1,000 students and 100 businesses will participate in the program’s 14th year.
“LEI has helped thousands of students learn more about the hospitality industry in Hawai‘i and discover careers that help them thrive right here at home,” said Caroline Anderson, Interim President & CEO of the HTA. “The HTA is pleased to continue its support of this important industry event.”
LEI helps students continue to build relationships with local businesses and organizations throughout middle and high school in ClimbHI Exposure Fairs, Exposureships, the HTA Work Wise program, Hiring Blitz events, as well as connections through the ClimbHI Bridge network.
“This multi-island program is the largest local event of its kind, bringing together students who are making critical decisions about their education, training and career path,” said ClimbHI President and Executive Director Julie Morikawa. Mahalo to the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, our participating businesses,organizations, local colleges, and volunteers for their continued support of this program.”
Hawai‘i businesses and organizations are encouraged to participate and learn more about LEI events by e-mailing info@climbhi.org or by watching this overview video.
ClimbHI is inviting teachers, businesses, associations and nonprofit organizations to sign up for the free ClimbHI Bridge online portal for workforce development and classroom engagement opportunities, volunteer hour tracking and communication tools, and more. This portal is used by hundreds of schools and businesses statewide, reaching nearly 300,000 students since it was launched in 2021.
About ClimbHI: Founded in 2009, the Hawai‘i-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit ClimbHI seeks to inspire students to finish high school and proceed to post-secondary education or employment by exposing them to future career paths and the steps necessary to achieve those goals. For more, visit climbhi.org.
About LEI: Leadership Exploration Inspiration (LEI) is a workforce development project created by ClimbHI to inspire Hawai‘i’s youth to pursue careers in the state’s hospitality industry and beyond by providing them with the means to achieve success. The program exposes high school students to potential careers and provides college students with hands-on experience through internships. For more, visit climbhi.org/programs/lei.
