Chosen from 3,500 applicants, 150 graduates of Baha Mar’s Leadership Development Institute (LDI) now have jobs at the multi-billion dollar Cable Beach Development after completing four months of training.
After participating in the training programme, graduates got a surprise Tuesday after walking into the crowded Melia ballroom this morning, they found letters of employment in their seats, and according to Chairman and CEO of Bahamar Sarkis Izmirlian, they could not be more deserving.
“I have seen your drills, I have heard your stories, I have followed your progress,” he said. “We promised you that if you persevered, if you kept your word, if you lived by our values, we would invite you to be part of our opening team, part of the soul of Baha Mar.
“So, I say with great pride to this the first graduating class of The Leadership Development Institute, welcome to Baha Mar. Congratulations, you have earned your place on our Dream Team.”
The 150 students, chosen from 3,500 applicants were selected to enter the challenging programme to receive training in day and evening classes as part of Baha Mar’s multi-million dollar investment in training and recruiting Bahamians for more than 4,000 jobs.
The 16-week day classes, for men and women ages 16 to 24, provided communication skills and soft skills such as time management that can enable them to better function as employees in the workplace.
Additionally, the course taught job readiness, leadership, numeracy and parenting skills. The evening classes provided enhanced workplace skills for persons ages 25 and older.
Dominique Moss, student body president, echoed Mr. Izmirlian thoughts, speaking about the benefits graduating from the LDI provided to the graduates.
“This programme came to the inner city and reached out to us, and provided some of us with a second chance at life,” Moss said. “This programme helped us to understand who we are and why we are. It also taught us discipline and teamwork, because without either, we cannot become effective members of the Bahamar workforce.
“Waking up Monday to Saturday, dedicating eight hours of our lives to training and developing ourselves to the standard that is required to be employed at Bahamar. We invested 90 days—704 free hours, but we made it.”
In light of the graduation, Sarkis then challenged the graduates, saying that with their graduation, part of Bahamar’s foundation is solidified as it gets nearer to opening day.
“You will be the hosts of our guests from all over the world that come to us excited in anticipation,” he said. “We have promised them that the Baha Mar experience will be different in its genuine reflection of Bahamian culture, its individuality and humanity. We have promised them the Bahamian essence that only the people of The Bahamas can deliver. And now, you, our LDI students, will deliver on those promises.”
The graduates, in demonstrating their commitment to Baha Mar’s standards during the course have been offered employment in areas such as food and beverage, housekeeping, cleaning services, grounds maintenance and security spanning across the four hotels, namely the Grand Hyatt, The Rosewood, The Bahamas Hotel and Casino, and the Mondrian.
