The Tribune

The Sandals Corporate University (SCU) is moving into its second year by providing more support for team members at the Sandals, Beaches and Grand Pineapple Resorts across the Caribbean.

Some seven team members from both Sandals Emerald Bay and Sandals Royal Bahamian are set to continue their education through the SCU.

Donathan Johnson, an environmental health and safety manager at Sandals Royal Bahamian, who will be pursuing a Bachelors degree in business administration, said the SCU has helped him realise his dream of furthering his education.

“I am very excited to continue my education and make myself a more valuable asset to the company,” said Mr Johnson. “I hope to continue on to my masters degree once I’m done.”

Cedric Saunders, maintenance supervisor and team member of the year at Sandals Emerald Bay, suggested all employees take advantage of the SCU while they have the chance. He is set to enter the electrical installation programme at the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) in January.

“It feels good,” said Mr Saunders. “It feels like you can accomplish something and, instead of settling, excel yourself. I recommend everyone take the opportunity.”

Also receiving scholarships are Bahamian staffers Akarien Dames, Renaldo Rolle, Annejeane Terrelonge, Mekelle Clark and Donella Davis.

Sandals has injected $19 million Jamaican dollars into the SCU, an almost 5 per cent increase over last year’s inaugural scholarship disbursement, with 109 team members set to benefit for the 2013-2014 academic year.

The SCU Scholarship initiative allows team members to undertake high school diplomas, certification, degrees and doctoral programmes with SCU partners, as well as open scholarships in a wide range of disciplines.

Last year, 124 team members received scholarships through the SCU valued at over $14 million Jamaican dollars, with numerous individual academic successes being recorded.
 Launched in March 2012, the SCU was designed to provide team members with an opportunity to further their education through on-the-job training and partnerships with renowned universities and colleges.

With several changes already implemented and many to come, the SCU administration is confident that in its second year, the uiversity will double its impact.

Registrar Mark Frederick revealed that since the launch, over 1,200 team members across the region have registered with the university, with close to 1,000 certificates issued in internal courses such as customer service, leadership, the art of selling and professional communication.

Sandals team members also now have access to more than 230 courses and external partnerships with 13 top-ranking local and international universities and colleges, including Ryerson University, Florida International University and the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill), with several others currently being negotiated.

Among the new developments is an initiative to create more technical programmes targeting specific departments. Team members in the food and beverage department, for example, are now exposed to courses uniquely tailored for their jobs.

Looking ahead, the SCU aims to increase the number of registered students from 10 per cent of Sandals’ staff population to between 20 and 30 per cent over the next year.

Adam Stewart, Sandals Resorts International’s chief executive, said: “As the SCU continues to grow, Sandals remains committed to present opportunities for our team to develop themselves academically.

“It is impossible to deliver exceptional quality service if you are not equipped with the attitude, skill and knowledge to do so.

“Sandals’ team members at all levels are able to seize the prospects, which have implications for personal growth, for the growth of the company, the hospitality sector in the region and, of course, the wider Caribbean economy”.