Sandals Resorts International's latest initiative does not involve butlers, beaches or barefoot elegance.
Instead, think academics, adult education and associate (and higher) degrees.
Founder and Chairman Butch Stewart recently launched Sandals Corporate University, the company's regional adult education program for its 10,000-strong workforce at its Sandals, Beaches and Grand Pineapple resorts.
Each of its properties will serve as a learning institute, providing on-the-job training for employees in all facets of the hotel and hospitality industry as well as offering opportunities to pursue higher degrees and certifications.
"We have a duty and a gift to our employees to offer them the gift of education, training and development right there on the job and to help them become more well-rounded individuals," Stewart said.
"A lot of our team members have different journeys," he said. "Sometimes they have strong education levels and sometimes they don't.
"As an organization, it is our duty to be able to give them a good education," Stewart said.
He pointed out that one of the challenges the company faces is to constantly satisfy and motivate employees to deliver premium customer service.
"What SCU will achieve is to elevate that employee working in the same day-to-day job to aspire to greater positions and to make it easy for his self-development," Stewart said.
Someone, for example, who has been a gardener all his life now has a chance to acquire skills and knowledge to move higher in his field and to elevate his level of proficiency and competency, according to Stewart.
"With the world the way it is, tourism has to deliver like never before, and what you invest in people development brings rich returns for all," Stewart said.
The chairman pointed out that the launch of SCU "represents the realization of a long-cherished dream, our own education and training institution."
SCU, which according to Sandals is the first program of its kind in the Caribbean, will certify staff members who have no formal academic qualification and also will place employees on a learning path to help advance their education and ultimately lead to advanced degrees.
"We've partnered with internationally recognized universities, plus we have similar partnerships with the Western Hospitality Institute in Jamaica for students to obtain associate and bachelor's degrees," said CEO Adam Stewart.
The Jamaica Foundation for Life Long Learning is providing classes in math and English for those in pursuit of a high school equivalency diploma.
"Classes are being offered at each of our resorts. Everyone who enrolls will end up with a certificate or a degree. Credits earned will be recognized by other universities," he said.
Courses are taught by certified hospitality teachers trained by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute as well as Sandals-trained certified instructors.
Sandals is investing more than $5 million over the next five years in this initiative. SCU will have 20 campuses at its resorts across the region.
"Every one of our resorts has or will have a learning institute so we are able to offer education to all of our employees," Stewart said.
In the first year alone, more than 4,000 employees are expected to go through the training program.
Courses and programs range from basic hospitality-specific training classes to professional certifications across an array of subjects.
The SCU cross-training program allows team members to get experience in other departments at the resorts.
Stewart said that the core classes are free. Courses offered in conjunction with outside institutions (Ryerson University in Toronto and Florida International University, for now) may carry a fee, but $200,000 in annual scholarship funds is in place to help those who need it.
Students attend classes at each of the resorts. When they have completed each course or program, they receive a certificate, an SCU "passport" and a transcript of their journey.
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