Sandals Opens Hospitality University

One of the biggest names in Caribbean hospitality is the Sandals hotel group, known for its luxury resorts catering to couples and their desire for a romantic holiday getaway. Last week the company took the next step to ensure their staff are fully equipped to provide excellent service by opening Sandals Corporate University (SCU) in Ocho Rios. Present at the opening ceremonies were Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, St. Lucia Prime Minister Kenny Anthony, and a host of other Jamaican government officials.

According to Sandals officials, SCU's opening was a result of the realisation that a good number of Sandals' staff throughout the Caribbean does not have any formal education whatsoever. Many have not even completed the equivalent of a standard Jamaican high school education. The same can be said about the workers of most Jamaica luxury resorts. By offering educational opportunities Sandals hopes to not only equip its staff to provide better service but also to pursue career advancement opportunities in the future.

SCU programming will be a collaboration of courses offered by Sandals, Canada's Ryerson University, the Jamaica Foundation for Lifelong Learning, and Jamaica's Western Hospitality Institute. All of the courses offered directly by Sandals will be available to staff members free of charge. Courses from the other institutions may or may not be subject to a fee, depending on individual decisions from those institutions.

Sandals staff members who have not yet completed their primary education can take courses in mathematics and English in order to earn their high school equivalence before going on to the school's hospitality program. The school will focus on eight specific hospitality disciplines plus more far-reaching courses for students who want to eventually earn a master or doctoral degree.

In the short-term travellers to Jamaica probably won't notice a significant difference among resort workers. But over time, as Sandals' education program adds more graduates back into the industry, guests should begin noticing changes. Better communication skills, more sensitivity to guest needs, more efficiency, and more overall productivity should become apparent.

The Sandals the decision to open SCU is just the latest in a long list of initiatives being undertaken in Jamaica by both the private and public sectors. There has been a renaissance of sorts in the past couple of years to improve Jamaica's reputation as more than just a stopover for cruise ships. Tourism officials want guests from America and Europe to think of Jamaica as a place to spend a week or two. To that end they are working hard to improve infrastructure, shore up failing tourism related businesses, and encouraging local entrepreneurship.

If you had plans to visit Jamaica this year you've made a wise choice. As the nation celebrates its 50th year of independence from the UK they are conducting a year-long party and inviting guests from all over the world to join them.

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