Government hopes to reduce the number of work permits for waiters by 100 with a new waiter/server programme.Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Patrice Minors told the House of Assembly on Friday that her Ministry had launched the programme in partnership with the Bermuda Hotel Association, and the Restaurant Division of the Chamber of Commerce.She said that between 400 and 600 work permits for waiters and servers were approved annually.“The waiter/server programme, open to all persons seeking to reinvent themselves and pursue a career as a waiter or server, is one that will require four weeks of course work in technical and soft skills areas and prepares students for the Dining Room Associate designation from the Federation of Dining Room Professionals,” the Minister announced.The four-week programme is free, now open to the general public and no experience is required. But the BHA and the Chamber will vet applications to ensure that “the applicants accepted into the programme possess all the necessary qualities that will enable successful recruitment by their members upon successful completion of the programme.”The course will cover basic food, wine and beverage service and is based on the International Business & Gourmet Standards of Hospitality.The Minister also announced that the 2012 hospitality Job Fair featured more than 600 available jobs in 14 hotel properties in all categories.“Of the 600 jobs, 397 are currently held by work permit holders whose work permits will reach term prior to the start of the season and 268 posts are vacant wherein the hotels are seeking to fill these posts prior to the beginning of the 2012 season,” Mrs Minors said.“All jobs posted are considered available posts and maybe filled by a suitably qualified Bermudian applicant.”A total of 684 attendees registered at the November 1 job fair, the Minister informed the House. “Of that total 479, or 70 percent, of registrants indicated that they were currently unemployed. A further 205 indicated that they were working, however, some were either working part time or expected to maintain employment only until the end of 2011.”Mrs Minors said that the Ministry of Finance was waiving the $100 security vetting fee for all job fair related posts, and that an “expedited process” had been set up between the BHA and the Police Service to speed up recruitment.“Our immediate priority is securing employment for displaced Bermudians as quickly as possible.”