Local & Community
Leadership Program Aims to Grow Local Hospitality Talent
Hospitality drives more than $9 billion into the Coachella Valley economy and supports over 50,000 local jobs, and a new program is working to keep that workforce strong. The Essential Leaders program, presented by College of the Desert and Visit Greater Palm Springs, is training local professionals to become stronger leaders in the industry.
Participants meet at the Palm Springs Surf Club to build the kind of skills that don't always come naturally on the job. Lauren Bruggemans with Visit Greater Palm Springs says the goal is simple: give people in the community the tools and knowledge to lead in hospitality. She says the program also helps participants move their careers forward.
Thomas Soule with the City of Palm Desert went through the program and says it strengthened his leadership skills. "A lot of us get into a groove. We're used to leading the same way, we're used to doing our work the same way," Soule said. "But this program helps you sort of get out of that track and into a different kind of mindset, maybe a little higher level thinking. It helped me approach my work with a whole different point of view."
College of the Desert's Jim Dunn sees the program as an investment in the valley's future workforce. "We absolutely want to expand our workforce and make them stronger, and give them the skills that they need to stay here in the valley and work and be successful," Dunn said.
Organizers hope to grow the Essential Leaders program so more local professionals and industries can benefit.
By: Kai Beech
August 5, 2026
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