Kairah Woolaston has been awarded the annual Skal scholarship worth $5,000.

Ms Woolaston has just completed her second year at Cape Breton University, Sydney, Nova Scotia, where she is earning a Bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism management.

Skal president Barbara O’Shaughnessy said in a statement: “It is gratifying to recognise and award Kairah as she is a 2014 graduate of Bermuda College’s Hospitality Management Associate Degree.

“She used her Bermuda College courses to obtain transfer credit at Cape Breton University and is now completing her final year.”

Ms Woolaston stated: “The reason I chose hospitality management would have to be that I have literally grown up around hotels.

“My mother has worked at hotels all my life, so I was always in that environment. My final decision came when a guest speaker came to CedarBridge Academy and said that they have noticed a lack of Bermudians filling the job positions because they look at all the negatives of the industry rather than the positives.

“This set off a lightbulb in my head, and caused me to think, let’s be the change that Bermuda needs to see.”

Skal is a professional organisation of tourism leaders around the world, promoting global tourism and friendship.

According to the press release, the Skal scholarship committee believes Ms Woolaston has demonstrated a “strong drive and commitment to her career goals”.

It stated: “Skal members look forward to welcoming her back into the hospitality industry in Bermuda. Kairah plans on gaining more work experience in Canada’s hospitality industry before returning to Bermuda.”