Sands China Team Members Encourage Culinary Students at IFTM

Alumni share their career experiences working for Sands China

(Macao, May 27, 2021) – Three Sands China team members helped inspire the next generation of culinary talent with a sharing session at the Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) May 7, entitled the Sands China Talent Development Programs Series: Culinary Career Sharing Session.

The team members are all IFTM alumni working as chefs in Sands China's food and beverage department. Two of them had participated in the company's Career Experience Opportunity (CEO) programme while they were still students, and have been working at Sands China since graduation.

Additionally, all three were winners in the recent Macao Integrated Tourism and Leisure Enterprises Vocational Skills Competition (MVSC), receiving the Gold Award in Western Culinary Arts, and one also winning the Best Appetizer Award. Twenty-two Sands China team members competed this year, and with their outstanding performance, team members won three grand awards and various awards at other levels.

The aim of the May 7 sharing session was to show the 40 attending culinary students the professional culinary opportunities available at Sands China before and after graduation, and to express the company's continued commitment to nurturing local talent.

The three team members shared their experiences working as culinary professionals at Sands China, as well as their recent participation in the MVSC. That was followed by a cooking demonstration and tasting.

"It was a great opportunity for us to pass along our thoughts on our careers, and the students seemed very happy about the opportunity to learn from us," said alumni and cook Rondo Iao Kai Leung. "We talked to them about the opportunities we've had to work for the different Sands China restaurants and bakeries, and how we've been able to get professional culinary certifications and attend elite culinary experience sharing sessions and culinary competitions. We also shared our experiences of preparing for the MVSC, and the level of practice and team work we needed in order to perform well in the competition."

Wen Hongyan, senior vice president of human resources for Sands China Ltd., said: "We are pleased our team members have been able to successfully upgrade their professional skills to an industry-recognized level by participating in our CEO programme – utilising our integrated resort model as an experience-gaining and development platform. Additionally, they were able to give back to their alma mater by sharing the successes of their career experience, hoping to give them a vision for their futures and broadening their career horizons. Through initiatives like this sharing session, Sands China aims to continue playing a leading role in helping build Macao into an international talent incubator for the Greater Bay Area."

Launched in 2015, the Career Experience Opportunity (CEO) programme was designed to provide local university students with on-the-job training in various areas of operation. Upon graduation, students are offered employment by Sands China as supervisory trainees, contingent on completion of all relevant training programmes as well as accumulated work hours and performance.

As the leading company in Macao's integrated resort industry, Sands China considers the nurturing of local talent as an important part of the company's corporate social responsibility. Since 2016, it has launched various innovative local talent development programmes, which utilise high-quality training modules to always remain at the cusp of an ever-evolving industry.

These initiatives fully support local talent development through various means, including on-the-job training, qualification certificates, competitions, exchanges, and workshops. As such, team members are able to develop their skills and build their professional confidence.

Photo caption: Three Sands China team members help inspire the next generation of culinary talent with a sharing session at IFTM May 7, entitled the Sands China Talent Development Programs Series: Culinary Career Sharing Session.

Photo caption: The three Sands China team members share their experiences working as culinary professionals at Sands China, as well as their recent participation in the MVSC, at a May 7 at sharing session for students at IFTM.

Photo caption: Sands China team members demonstrate their culinary skills after sharing their experiences with students at IFTM May 7.