Staff member from Beaches Ocho Rios and Sandals Resorts International (SRI) sign up with Florida International University (FIU) trainees ahead of their week-long intership which concluded on Saturday.
APPROXIMATELY 18 trainees and 2 professor from Florida International University (FIU) finished a week-long internship at Beaches Ocho Rios where they were immersed in a hands-on experience of the hotel and tourist market.
The trainees, who got here in Jamaica last Monday afternoon, were dealt with to a seaside welcome reception at Beaches Ocho Rios by the resort’s East Beach, nestled on the bay head beach area of the home.
The internship belongs to the just recently formed collaboration in between Sandals Resorts International (SRI), The University of the West Indies, Sandals Corporate University, and FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, called the Gordon “Butch” Stewart International School of Hospitality and Tourism. The trainees are the very first set to take a trip to Jamaica as part of the program that will be continuous.
Versus the background of a torch-lined beach, with croton plants as table centrepieces, the trainees were offered a hearty, Jamaican-style welcome and informed on what to get out of the week-long experience.
Shoes local public relations supervisor for the Ocho Rios Region Lyndsay Isaacs (2nd right) signs up with FIU trainees (from left) Fiona Butler, Lillian Garconnette and Maeva Bonny for a light minute on the beach following the welcome reception for FIU trainees who did a week-long internship at Beaches Ocho Rios, which belongs to the collaboration in between FIU, Sandals Resorts International, and The University of the West Indies and the Gordon “Butch” Stewart International School of Hospitality and Tourism.
Charles Blacher, basic supervisor of Beaches Ocho Rios, motivated the trainees to totally immerse in the Jamaican culture and get the most from the experience.
Shawn DaCosta, primary running officer at SRI, stressed that for SRI, education is crucial which there was no much better location to be informed than with “the business that truly comprehends the all-encompassing market”.
“There are a lot of positions in hospitality, and I make sure each of you are taking a look at various locations of hospitality that you are studying at FIU that you wish to gravitate or return into, and even returning to your nation or area that you’re from. A part of what we are attempting to do is expose you to that. The business has about 17,000 workers throughout our 19 hotels– and it seems like a lot for simply 6 thousand spaces– however we are an extremely labour-intensive business and there is a chance for everyone in the Caribbean to grow within the Caribbean and to grow within hospitality so this collaboration for us is one that’s really crucial. And as we start to create you will comprehend more what the real-life hospitality is, and we’ll have the ability to send out a great deal of our trainees, a great deal of our staff member, to be able to inform themselves in FIU in addition to grow them in hospitality,” DaCosta stated.
From left: Florida International University (FIU) trainees Yasmin Sol, Mei Lin Lam and Debonaire Lindsay stop briefly for a fast image at the welcome recption held to mark the collaboration in between Sandals Resorts International, Sandals Corporate University, The University of the West Indies, and FLU’s Gordon “Butch” Stewart International School of Hospitality and Tourism
He included: “While you are getting the education at FIU think of how you will return to your particular nations or cities– that’s what’s crucial. You need to discover a method to return, so even if you do not do it now, how do you do it in the future? That’s what we are everything about; we are everything about returning through the Sandals Foundation. It is everything about what we provide for the environment, what we provide for the neighborhoods, what we provide for our employee and education. Each of our hotels sponsor a school in the area we remain in– and it is not lip service; it’s something that originates from the heart. Whatever we do is how we return to those neighborhoods and bring the very best out of the neighborhoods into our hotels. Get as much as you desire from this experience. You will have the ability to compare notes with what you see in school versus what you see in truth– there is constantly a distinction in both– however if you do not have that great, sound education you are getting today it is going to be tough to comprehend a great deal of what we’re doing.”
Throughout the week the trainees explored a number of Sandals hotels in the Ocho Rios area prior to they were coupled with coaches in various locations of the hotel to consist of concierge, front desk, engineering, personnels, ecological security and health, sales, wedding events, and working together with the chefs.
At the end of the experience FIU trainee Fiona Butler stated she had little to no expectations for the week however yet was left pleased with the Sandals brand name.
Shawn DaCosta, primary running officer at Sandals Resorts International
“We registered not understanding what we were entering. I actually had no concept so I can be found in with little to no expectations and was blown away, and I found out method more than I believed I could. It was extremely mind-blowing to see whatever that enters into a resort like this and I’m simply really grateful; and I understand everybody had numerous experiences we’re going to eliminate and bring with us, not just in our professions however in our individual lives. I simply wish to keep extending appreciation to the group and the brand name for whatever you people have actually provided for us today,” Butler stated.
Even More, Alariya Jones McMillan, another FIU trainee, admired the customer support she experienced at all levels while on the resort.
“The customer support you people teach your personnel, or simply the natural client service that they have, is great. You’re walking the entire resort [and] all I see is smiles and individuals stating, ‘Hi’. Even if they didn’t understand I was an FIU trainee, undoubtedly they treat me like they deal with everybody else so it was truly fantastic. I made a great deal of good friends with the personnel and I am going to miss out on everybody here,” she stated.
From left: FIU trainees Crystal Charles, Quintoya Ellis and Jhadijah Caley time out from their dessert plates for a media event.
And Todd Houston Smith who hung out throughout 4 departments– engineering, personnels, ecological security and health, and sales– revealed appreciation to the Sandals group for its hospitality and kept in mind that he was even able to finish impressive coursework throughout his remain at Beaches.
He stated: “I wish to thank Mr Blacher and his whole group since this is an extremely hectic time for them … I have a big gratitude for just how much work it requires to keep this location running.”
Academic facilitators from Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management Nathan Dodge and Dawn Fagnan have a good time with Beaches Ocho Rios Sesame Street puppets Cookie Monster and Elmo.
