Graduates from its courses are virtually guaranteed jobs, asserts CERT confidently. Anna Carroll, head of education, placement and research at the State tourism training agency, points out that this sort of commitment to jobs is "something which few industries can offer."

CERT offers trainees scholarships which cover a weekly training grant, tuition, uniform, some textbooks, lunch in college, a transport grant and capitation and examination fees. Courses are certified by the National Tourism Certification Board and are EU-recognised.

The agency programmes take place in institutes of technology, in Killybegs Tourism College and in CERT hotel schools. Most CERT national certificate courses are full-time in college over one or two years while full-time elementary courses take up to l6 weeks.

Participants for CERT courses are selected by interview. Preference is given to those who have experience in some aspect of tourism. Interviews are held in May for most college courses. Interviews for courses in reception and bar services are, however, held in late summer. Interviews for elementary courses are ongoing.

CERT offers three options to those interested in a management career in tourism. In the first instance, the agency runs management courses for those with job experience. It also supplies information on courses available in colleges in Athlone, Cork, Galway, Waterford, DIT College of Catering, Dublin, and in Shannon College of Hotel Management. As a third option, CERT suggests attendance at its lectures, in tandem with on-the-job training in a hotel.