Sands Procurement Academy Opens Enrolment for 11th Intake

330 local SME suppliers graduated to date

(Macao, Mar. 23, 2022) – Local SME suppliers can now apply to enrol in the 11th cohort of the Sands Procurement Academy, which kicks off in April at The Venetian^® Macao's Adelson Advanced Education Centre. Enrolment in the free training programme is open until March 31.

The Sands Procurement Academy launched in 2017 and is co-organised with the Macao Chamber of Commerce and the Macau Productivity and Technology Centre (CPTTM). It promotes the development of local SME suppliers by sharing business knowledge and skills in order to help them gain experience and capacity for working with large-scale international corporations like Sands China. While open to all local suppliers, the programme specifically targets four types of local businesses: small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), micro-enterprises, Macao young entrepreneurs, and "Made-in-Macao" enterprises.

"Promoting the success of local SME suppliers remains a key area of focus for Sands China," said Charlie Cai, vice president of procurement and supply chain for Venetian Macau Limited. "Continuing to invest in their growth and development is particularly important at this time, to help ensure they thrive and are able to navigate the challenging economic conditions brought about by the pandemic. We are grateful for the ongoing support of the Macao Chamber of Commerce and CPTTM, and for the wholehearted enthusiasm shown by Macao's SME suppliers in taking advantage of the invaluable training opportunity offered by the academy."

The Sands Procurement Academy is a first-of-its-kind industry training and focuses on delivering practical knowledge to participating SMEs. Graduates of the programme consistently give positive feedback from their participation in the academy and on the beneficial impact it has had on their businesses.

More than 330 local SME suppliers have graduated from the programme to date, after which they receive a completion certificate and are given preferential procurement opportunities with Sands China under otherwise equal circumstances.

The tailor-made practical training modules of the academy are presented by lecturers with diverse areas of expertise, and cover six topics: logistics management, quality assurance, procurement contracts, procurement process and system overview, supplier code of conduct, and Macao labour law fundamentals.

The academy's upcoming 11th intake of suppliers will train April 27-May 25, 2022, 2:30 – 5:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Adelson Advanced Education Centre.

Enrolment caps at 40 participants. If the number of applicants exceeds capacity, lots will be drawn for selection, and applicants that are not selected will receive priority enrolment in the academy's 12th intake.

Interested SMEs should visit https://bit.ly/3Jr7eYw to fill out the enrolment form and return it to SME_Info@sands.com.mo on or before March 31, 2022. For enquiries, please contact Eva Wong at +853 8118 7866.

The Sands Procurement Academy supports the third pillar of Sands China's F.I.T. programme, which offers Financial Support, Invitational Matching, and Training and Development. F.I.T. targets both existing and new local Sands China suppliers as part of Sands China's Local Small, Medium and Micro Suppliers Support Programme. It seeks to continually increase and strengthen procurement between Sands China and local SME suppliers by enhancing their capabilities.

Sands China's Local Small, Medium and Micro Suppliers Support Programme is in line with the Macao government's initiative to "buy local" and demonstrates Sands China's commitment to support local enterprises as part of the company's corporate social responsibility efforts. It is part of Sands China's supplier relationship management strategy, which guides the company's long-standing effort to support local suppliers, whom it views as its strategic partners.

Photo caption: Enrolment in the Sands Procurement Academy is now open to local SME suppliers until March 31, and is free of charge. Successful enrolees in the 11th cohort of local SMEs will participate in the programme April 27 – May 25 at The Venetian Macao's Adelson Advanced Education Centre.