Newsclips@SHRI
Date: 20 April 2005
Media: Channel News Asia

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/143431/1/.html

Sentosa Tourism Academy to train students for work in IRs

SINGAPORE : Around 35,000 jobs will be created when Singapore's two integrated
resorts are completed. But there may be a shortage of talent in the senior and
middle management levels, according to the Singapore Human Resource Institute.

Trained specialists such as croupiers and card dealers are scarce in Singapore, so
foreign talent will be roped in to fill the gaps.
"There will certainly be some transfer of knowledge and expertise from
foreigners to Singaporeans, so we'll see some foreign talent in key positions
initially. But as time passes, we'll build up our core group of people that will
be able to sustain and grow along with the IR and casino," said David Ang
from the Singapore Human Resources Institute.

There will be no shortage of middle management talent as well, as the Tourism
Academy at Sentosa begins training second year students of the Hospitality and
Tourism Diploma course from Temasek Polytechnic. They will learn skills of the
trade that go beyond just gaming, covering aspects of convention, exhibition,
lodging business, food and beverage, and health and spa activities.

And the classroom? Sentosa, home of the family-friendly integrated resort.

With a training kitchen and restaurant, students at the tourism academy will get to
work with the island's visitors, including those there for the integrated resort.
The Academy also hopes to attract more regional students now that an integrated
resort will be built on Sentosa.

Philip Lim, the Tourism Academy's Deputy Director said: "This is something new to
us, so we have to speak to the resort operators to find out exactly what their needs
are for the future."

With recruitment taking place in about a year, hospitality and tourism students are
naturally excited at the prospects and challenges available.

One student: "I think the casino gaming industry would be slightly more difficult
because our syllabus does not cover the gaming sector. So there will be more
uncertainty and more challenge as well.

"Currently, what we're studying or will be studying has got to do with every sector
that will be available in the integrated resort," said another.

The Tourism Academy at Sentosa opens next month.

this is a very old article.. i mean TAS has began abt a month already.. gosh.. means i've travelled to Sentosa for more than 20 times? or close to.. this article made da HTMs student (or rather me) feel kinda highly valued. muahaha.. but means there will be pressure on us.. to be able to perform up to expectations and know more than wat we should.. (for eg: the operations of Sentosa, what attraction belongs to Sentosa Leisure Group n stuff..) oh rite.. there's still da HTB (Hospitality and Tourism Business - 2 year dip for da international or a level holder student..) haf not work w any HTB student yet.. esp da those who came from china.. heard some stuff.. da good n da bad.. and they gave their research in chinese? -.-"


Sentosa doesn't seem to be so fun anymore..