News | June 19, 2018
Sands China Ltd. celebrated 78 university students who graduated from the company’s Integrated Resort Internship Program.
The Integrated Resort Internship Program was created to give local university students opportunities to work full-time at Sands China’s Integrated Resorts on a short-term basis while earning academic credit by interning full-time in one of 11 non-gaming departments. Over 300 students have interned in the program to date.
This year’s graduating class completed their internships between January and May. Some of the students are from local educational institutions including the Institute for Tourism Studies, the University of Macau, City University of Macau and Macau University of Science and Technology, as well as Australia’s Deakin University.
“Create our own graduation” was the theme of the ceremony, and the interns worked on preparations for the event including video production, venue setup, and sharing their personal experiences during the ceremony.
“Our interns have enjoyed working as a group, being empowered and making an impact. Having them organize their own graduation ceremony allowed them to create memorable experiences and demonstrate the skills learned through the internship. They now understand more about our operations and feel more empowered and confident to build their careers,” said Wen Hongyan, senior vice president of human resources for Sands China Ltd. “They’ve worked hard and are leaving the program with valuable skills, knowledge and experiences. We’re pleased at the success of these program that nurture local talent and promote professional and personal growth. Sands China is very proud of our interns’ accomplishments, and we wish them the best in their academic and professional pursuits.”
Graduates also have the opportunity to take part in other Sands China program, including the Career Experience Opportunities Program (CEOP), the Fast Track Supervisor Program, or other full-time job opportunities with Sands China.
The CEOP is designed especially for local university students, giving them comprehensive on-the-job training on a long-term yet flex-time basis. Over 110 students have participated to date. The Fast Track Supervisor Program is an intensive program for training local university graduates to work full-time in non-gaming departments and reach supervisory-level positions within four to 12 months. More than 20 participants have become supervisors in departments including housekeeping, front office, concierge and Paiza rooms. An additional 19 participants currently in the program are expected to become supervisors between 2018 and 2019.
Sands China has been collaborating with local universities to accelerate the cultivation of local talent through a variety of program for local university students and graduates. These and other initiatives by Sands China are an effort to support non-gaming diversification in Macao and the city’s development as a world center of tourism and leisure.