To address the critical need for vocational skills among high school graduates from less fortunate families, the ASI Foundation launched the Tourism and Home Assistant Program (THAP). Young people in Bali, like many parts of the world, struggle to secure decent jobs without additional skills. Through our close work with local communities, we identified that many high school graduates lack the skills required to compete in the job market, leaving them eligible only for low-standard jobs with poor salaries. THAP was created in response to this, aiming to equip graduates with competitive and practical skills for the tourism and hospitality sectors.
The one-year program, taught primarily in English, focuses on the tourism and hospitality industries. It includes nine months of classroom instruction at our Function Center, followed by 3-6 months of job training, often at hotels, restaurants, or other tourism-related establishments. Alongside intensive English language training, students are taught essential aspects of the hotel and restaurant industry, including front office operations, food and beverage services, housekeeping, spa/massage therapy, as well as basic courses in guiding, computer skills, and car maintenance.
Near the end of the program, students participate in a hands-on experience through the THAP Restaurant simulation, where they run a mock hotel and restaurant, serving real guests in English. Over several weeks, students rotate through roles while sponsors, guests, and teachers enjoy services such as check-ins, spa treatments, and full-course meals prepared and served by the students. If you're visiting Bali, you might even join the simulation as a guest!
Sustainability and Funding Model
To ensure the sustainability of the program, THAP has developed a tuition subsidy system that involves collaboration between sponsors, the foundation, and students. The foundation and sponsors cover upfront costs and expenses during the program, while students contribute by paying a small amount which they can pay periodically. This student portion giving students a sense of responsibility and contribution towards their education.
After several years of running THAP, we have built strong partnerships within the tourism industry, allowing our students to receive valuable job training at top hotels and restaurants in Nusa Dua, Denpasar, Lovina, and Ubud. We also provide free accommodation for students during their job training in Denpasar, Kuta, or Nusa Dua, ensuring they can take full advantage of training opportunities without the financial burden of living expenses.
Student Success
Our students are highly motivated, focused on improving their lives and supporting their families. By helping one student, we are helping their entire family. The program emphasizes discipline, character education, and life skills in addition to industry-specific training, preparing graduates to succeed not just in their careers but in life.
Many of our graduates have found employment in top restaurants and 5-star hotels across Bali, while others work at villas, tourist services, or even abroad on cruise ships. Our graduates maintain strong connections with the foundation and with current students, supporting each other in finding job placements and sharing opportunities.
Since the program began in 2010, The first batch was 12 students, and every year we accommodate around 20-30 students per batch to make sure they have enough intensive learning. The students now is well underway, and the program has a strong reputation for producing well-trained, disciplined, and motivated graduates who are ready to contribute to Bali's thriving tourism industry.
A key challenge for our students is the high cost of living in Denpasar during job training. Although the foundation cannot cover living expenses, the Sukadana family has graciously offered their 35-year-old home in Denpasar as a free drop-in house for students. This accommodation increases the students’ chances of successful job training, exposure, and better employment prospects. The drop-in house is also available to foundation families needing shelter while receiving medical treatment in Denpasar, easing the burden of accommodation costs during difficult times.