Driving Diversity & Talent Pipeline: Sands' Hospitality Initiatives in the US
Over the past year, Sands has played a crucial role in enhancing skills and fostering career growth across various sectors tied to travel and tourism. This effort involves supporting developmental opportunities aimed at empowering individuals within local hospitality communities to forge enduring career paths and secure better-paying positions.
A central focus for the company lies in ensuring a steady flow of talent within the hospitality industry through skill-building initiatives and avenues for career progression. This commitment to workforce development is underscored by Sands' ambitious goal to invest $200 million in such programs by 2025, forming one of its key corporate responsibility objectives.
The initiatives aimed at advancing the careers of hospitality workers are diverse and tailored to the unique needs of each region. For instance, in Singapore, Sands and Marina Bay Sands recently allocated funds to kickstart the Sands Hospitality Scholarship Program. This program, backed by a $1 million investment, seeks to nurture promising talent and leverage the anticipated growth in Singapore's tourism sector. It aims to inspire top-notch individuals to explore careers in hospitality by providing support for over 100 students pursuing hospitality or tourism-related courses at six esteemed institutions.
Since 2018, Marina Bay Sands has collaborated closely with the Singapore Institute of Technology to groom aspiring talents in the hospitality industry. Through contributions totaling more than $447,000 to the Marina Bay Sands Bursary, the integrated resort has facilitated financial aid for 120 undergraduates pursuing degrees in hospitality business. This support enables students to refine their skills and interests, paving the way for successful careers in hospitality.
Additionally, Marina Bay Sands continues to run various programs designed to engage hospitality students directly, offering on-site training and mentorship opportunities. Notable among these initiatives is the In Conversation With series, where industry leaders share insights with students and aspiring professionals. Guest speakers have included renowned figures like director Steven Caple Jr. and producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, as well as celebrated chef Daniel Boulud, and experts in environmental sustainability from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. These programs collectively contribute to the enrichment and advancement of hospitality professionals, ensuring a thriving industry ecosystem in Singapore and beyond.
Last year, Sands China introduced the Sands Hospitality Academy, aimed at enhancing skills within the local hospitality sector. Officially launched in November 2023, the academy is dedicated to bolstering hospitality expertise among Team Members, nurturing aspiring talent, and upholding global standards by sharing Sands China's extensive hospitality knowledge with the Greater Bay Area. It offers a range of activities including property tours, career-sharing sessions, masterclasses, and lectures led by senior executives and industry professionals.
In March 2023, Sands China also inaugurated the Sands MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) Academy to cultivate talent for large-scale events in Macao. The academy provides internships, educational exchanges, and training courses, with senior management serving as guest lecturers. Moreover, it organizes property tours for high school and university students and faculty members, with a focus on those studying in the MICE field.
Furthermore, Sands China collaborates with local educational institutions to nurture hospitality talent. This includes joint efforts with The Macao Institute for Tourism on the 8th Tourism Education Summit, offering students insights into tourism and hospitality trends in the Greater Bay Area.
For individuals interested in entertainment careers, Sands China has partnered with the Sino-Portuguese Vocational and Technical School to offer a three-year Stage Technology and Event Production Course. This program equips secondary school students with specialized skills and pathways into entertainment-related jobs.
Other educational collaborations concentrate on cultivating talent in professional services related to hospitality. These initiatives involve partnerships with institutions such as Macao Polytechnic University and Wuyi University, providing students with hands-on experience through visits to resorts and meetings with industry executives.
Moreover, Sands China sponsors programs like the Art Talent Showcase with Macao Polytechnic University, allowing participants to work on internal projects, and collaborates with the Macau Institute of Management and Wuyi University to offer facilities management students practical experience.
Lastly, student-focused initiatives like the City of Gourmet – Youth Development and Integration Program and the Ready, Get Set, Go! internship program, along with Go! Explore the Infinity of Sands China, provide secondary and tertiary students in Macao with invaluable opportunities to explore career paths in the hospitality and tourism industry under expert guidance.
In the United States, Sands is dedicated to fostering diversity within its workforce and nurturing a pool of skilled talent in the hospitality industry. One initiative, the Sands Hospitality Immersion Program, conducted in collaboration with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, targets students from historically Black colleges and universities.
This program offers an immersive Las Vegas experience designed to spark interest in travel, tourism, and leisure by providing participants with insights into the inner workings of the Las Vegas hospitality sector. In the summer of 2023, the program hosted 12 students for a week-long series of seminars, tours, events, and curated experiences organized by the Sands Center for Professional Development at the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
In the Greater New York area, where Sands aims to develop its next integrated resort, the company has initiated efforts to cultivate a talent pipeline in the hospitality field by forging partnerships with local educational institutions. Sands, along with Long Island University (LIU) and Nassau Community College (NCC), is laying the groundwork for a comprehensive hospitality program tailored for college students on Long Island, anticipating the potential of securing a Downstate New York gaming license.
Under this partnership, LIU and NCC will collaborate to enable NCC graduates to seamlessly transition from their two-year associate’s degrees to four-year bachelor’s degrees at LIU's nearby campus. Additionally, NCC will team up with Sands to establish a workforce development training center, offering programs in hotel and casino management, security and surveillance, meetings and banquets, entertainment, and food and beverage services. The training models will incorporate internships and other hands-on experiences to enrich the learning journey for NCC students.
“Building skillsets and exposing a greater number of students and young professionals to the vast array of career opportunities the hospitality industry offers is one of our top priorities,” said Ron Reese, senior vice president of global communications and corporate affairs at Sands.
“We are investing not only in the future talent that will sustain our company, but in the major economic impact that a thriving hospitality industry brings to our local communities.”
A central focus for the company lies in ensuring a steady flow of talent within the hospitality industry through skill-building initiatives and avenues for career progression. This commitment to workforce development is underscored by Sands' ambitious goal to invest $200 million in such programs by 2025, forming one of its key corporate responsibility objectives.
The initiatives aimed at advancing the careers of hospitality workers are diverse and tailored to the unique needs of each region. For instance, in Singapore, Sands and Marina Bay Sands recently allocated funds to kickstart the Sands Hospitality Scholarship Program. This program, backed by a $1 million investment, seeks to nurture promising talent and leverage the anticipated growth in Singapore's tourism sector. It aims to inspire top-notch individuals to explore careers in hospitality by providing support for over 100 students pursuing hospitality or tourism-related courses at six esteemed institutions.
Since 2018, Marina Bay Sands has collaborated closely with the Singapore Institute of Technology to groom aspiring talents in the hospitality industry. Through contributions totaling more than $447,000 to the Marina Bay Sands Bursary, the integrated resort has facilitated financial aid for 120 undergraduates pursuing degrees in hospitality business. This support enables students to refine their skills and interests, paving the way for successful careers in hospitality.
Additionally, Marina Bay Sands continues to run various programs designed to engage hospitality students directly, offering on-site training and mentorship opportunities. Notable among these initiatives is the In Conversation With series, where industry leaders share insights with students and aspiring professionals. Guest speakers have included renowned figures like director Steven Caple Jr. and producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, as well as celebrated chef Daniel Boulud, and experts in environmental sustainability from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. These programs collectively contribute to the enrichment and advancement of hospitality professionals, ensuring a thriving industry ecosystem in Singapore and beyond.
Last year, Sands China introduced the Sands Hospitality Academy, aimed at enhancing skills within the local hospitality sector. Officially launched in November 2023, the academy is dedicated to bolstering hospitality expertise among Team Members, nurturing aspiring talent, and upholding global standards by sharing Sands China's extensive hospitality knowledge with the Greater Bay Area. It offers a range of activities including property tours, career-sharing sessions, masterclasses, and lectures led by senior executives and industry professionals.
In March 2023, Sands China also inaugurated the Sands MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) Academy to cultivate talent for large-scale events in Macao. The academy provides internships, educational exchanges, and training courses, with senior management serving as guest lecturers. Moreover, it organizes property tours for high school and university students and faculty members, with a focus on those studying in the MICE field.
Furthermore, Sands China collaborates with local educational institutions to nurture hospitality talent. This includes joint efforts with The Macao Institute for Tourism on the 8th Tourism Education Summit, offering students insights into tourism and hospitality trends in the Greater Bay Area.
For individuals interested in entertainment careers, Sands China has partnered with the Sino-Portuguese Vocational and Technical School to offer a three-year Stage Technology and Event Production Course. This program equips secondary school students with specialized skills and pathways into entertainment-related jobs.
Other educational collaborations concentrate on cultivating talent in professional services related to hospitality. These initiatives involve partnerships with institutions such as Macao Polytechnic University and Wuyi University, providing students with hands-on experience through visits to resorts and meetings with industry executives.
Moreover, Sands China sponsors programs like the Art Talent Showcase with Macao Polytechnic University, allowing participants to work on internal projects, and collaborates with the Macau Institute of Management and Wuyi University to offer facilities management students practical experience.
Lastly, student-focused initiatives like the City of Gourmet – Youth Development and Integration Program and the Ready, Get Set, Go! internship program, along with Go! Explore the Infinity of Sands China, provide secondary and tertiary students in Macao with invaluable opportunities to explore career paths in the hospitality and tourism industry under expert guidance.
In the United States, Sands is dedicated to fostering diversity within its workforce and nurturing a pool of skilled talent in the hospitality industry. One initiative, the Sands Hospitality Immersion Program, conducted in collaboration with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, targets students from historically Black colleges and universities.
This program offers an immersive Las Vegas experience designed to spark interest in travel, tourism, and leisure by providing participants with insights into the inner workings of the Las Vegas hospitality sector. In the summer of 2023, the program hosted 12 students for a week-long series of seminars, tours, events, and curated experiences organized by the Sands Center for Professional Development at the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
In the Greater New York area, where Sands aims to develop its next integrated resort, the company has initiated efforts to cultivate a talent pipeline in the hospitality field by forging partnerships with local educational institutions. Sands, along with Long Island University (LIU) and Nassau Community College (NCC), is laying the groundwork for a comprehensive hospitality program tailored for college students on Long Island, anticipating the potential of securing a Downstate New York gaming license.
Under this partnership, LIU and NCC will collaborate to enable NCC graduates to seamlessly transition from their two-year associate’s degrees to four-year bachelor’s degrees at LIU's nearby campus. Additionally, NCC will team up with Sands to establish a workforce development training center, offering programs in hotel and casino management, security and surveillance, meetings and banquets, entertainment, and food and beverage services. The training models will incorporate internships and other hands-on experiences to enrich the learning journey for NCC students.
“Building skillsets and exposing a greater number of students and young professionals to the vast array of career opportunities the hospitality industry offers is one of our top priorities,” said Ron Reese, senior vice president of global communications and corporate affairs at Sands.
“We are investing not only in the future talent that will sustain our company, but in the major economic impact that a thriving hospitality industry brings to our local communities.”
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