Brightpoint Community College Launches Hospitality Management Program to Help Meet Regional Workforce Needs

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Holly Walker
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Heather Busch
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CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – Starting this fall, Brightpoint Community College kicks off a new program designed to prepare students for in-demand management jobs in the region’s rapidly expanding tourism and hospitality industry. To build the new program, Brightpoint closely collaborated with area hospitality leaders to gain an understanding of critical workforce needs and to develop industry-relevant curriculum. The result is a 24-credit hospitality management career studies certificate (CSC) that teaches students the skills and knowledge needed to work as supervisors and managers in a wide range of settings, including large and boutique hotels, resorts, conference centers, event venues, and tourism-driven businesses. 

The hospitality management CSC, which can be competed in less than one year, includes structured internships that provide students extensive, hands-on industry experience. Students also will engage in coursework focused on customer experience management, marketing and sales, financial literacy, hospitality law, and event planning. The program is designed for those interested in entering the field, as well as those already employed in the hospitality industry who want to upskill and progress in their careers. 

“The strength of this program lies in its partnership with industry,” said Dr. Nancy Sévère-Barnett, dean of Brightpoint’s Business, Engineering, & Technology Division. “A novel feature of the program is that students participate in internships during both the first and second semesters, allowing them to gain real world experience from day one. This unique approach helps students apply classroom learning immediately while employers play an active role in developing the next generation of hospitality professionals.”

In addition to providing important insights into the industry’s needs, Richmond Region Tourism, through its Tourism Improvement District (TID), is providing a significant three-year annual investment to support Brightpoint’s new hospitality management CSC.

"Brightpoint's new hospitality management program will give students a direct pipeline into great jobs at a time when our tourism economy continues to grow and thrive," said Neil Amin, chair of the TID Governance Committee and CEO of Shamin Hotels. "The Tourism Improvement District was created to strengthen our region’s position as a premier destination for meetings, conventions and leisure travel, and that includes investing in the people who power it. We're proud to help make this tourism investment and are grateful for Brightpoint’s commitment to helping grow the region’s hospitality workforce.”

“Our institution continually strives to understand the workforce needs of area employers,” said Dr. Bill Fiege, president of Brightpoint Community College. “It is vital that we offer educational opportunities that address those needs and that provide members of our community with pathways to high-demand jobs. Partners such as Richmond Region Tourism make it possible for us to move this work forward, and I am grateful for the support it is giving to our new hospitality management program.”

“The Brightpoint Community College Foundation appreciates the generosity of the Richmond Region TID,” said Dr. Jean Hale, executive director of the foundation. “Our foundation’s role is to secure and manage private gifts that positively impact the college and its students. The TID’s support and collaboration are already making an impact by helping Brightpoint develop and launch this new program, designed to help grow and strengthen the hospitality and tourism workforce.”

Registration for fall classes is currently underway. Information about Brightpoint’s new hospitality management CSC may be found on the college’s website. Prospective students may also contact the Division of Business, Engineering and Technology to learn more about the program. Staff in Brightpoint’s Help Hub are available to answer questions about how to get started at the college.

Brightpoint Community College, one of the largest institutions in the Virginia Community College System, envisions a success story for every student. Brightpoint offers students a high-quality, high-value education, with more than 80 majors that provide pathways to careers in in-demand fields; transfer opportunities to four-year colleges and universities; and industry credentials and licensures. The college, with campuses in Chester and Midlothian, online classes, and off-campus classrooms, served 12,686 students during the 2024-25 academic year. It also assisted 4,200 learners through Community College Workforce Alliance, the shared workforce division of Brightpoint and Reynolds community colleges.

The Brightpoint Community College Foundation secures resources that provide scholarships for students; fund academic programs, student support services, capital projects, and renovations to modernize classrooms and labs; and stimulate innovation within the college faculty and staff. This work ensures the college continues its pledge of providing academic excellence to students while expanding the services it offers to meet the community’s workforce requirements. Since most of the college’s graduates live and work in the area, gifts to the Foundation are an investment in both students and the community.