guest houses were among the concerns of students who toured the Princess Hotel last week.

Eighteen students, many in their final year of secondary education, chose to visit the hotel because they have an interest in a hospitality career.

After a guided tour, there was a question and answer period that involved seven former Bermuda College graduates who are now working in various departments.

One student, Carlton Simmons, asked the panelists about employment prospects given the lay-offs which occur each season.

Another student said afterward that many of his family members who have jobs in the hotels were laid off each year and this made the career unattractive to him.

But he said he was still drawn to the industry because he wants to be a chef.

Personnel director Ms Wendy Salvia said there were many jobs at the hotel where people worked a full year and were never laid off.

"The hotel's Colony Club restaurant is open all year round,'' she said. "So are our reservations, sales and accounting departments.'' Security director Mr. Scott Simmons, told the students to "chose their careers well and they would not regret it''.

"Hotels are a business although they are not perceived as such,'' he said.

"It is getting more computerised and there are plenty of challenges but tourism needs the young spirit.

"Even if you go into one area you may see things that are more attractive to you in other areas as you evolve and you can follow those options.'' This struck a responsive chord in at least one student.

"I simply had no idea there was such variety,'' Warwick Academy fifth year student Trevor Simmons said. "It was pretty interesting.'' The 16-year-old said he was interested in pursuing a career in electronics but until yesterday he did not think there was a big demand for that speciality at a hotel.

However, during a walk through the hotel's basement, he was shown the electronics shop where televisions and other appliances were fixed and maintained.

Now, he said, he had more positive feelings about a career in tourism.

Bermuda College lecturer in hotel and business administration Ms Barbara O'Shaughnessy helped to organise the hotel tour.

She said the students were selected from a group of 125, because they wanted to learn more about jobs in tourism. The other students toured other hotels, local law firms and other businesses.

BERMUDA'S FUTURE -- Young secondary school students toured the Princess Hotel last week and learned about the many career paths available in the tourism industry.