More than 2,000 persons have submitted their applications for employment at the Donbass Palace, the first five star hotel in Donetsk, Ukraine, among which only 390 will be chosen.  The Application procedure is a thorough process. Candidates fill in a specially designed application form, in which they give personal information, educational background, their job expectations, and identify the department they would like to

Donbass Palace 80, Artyoma str. Donetsk, Ukraine

The applicant is graded in various aspects such as presentation, grooming, communication, attitude, and than directed to the department he or she fits the most. The Department Head also evaluates the candidate on the same criteria and after the position is confirmed, the successful applicant has the final interview with the General Manager of the hotel. 

As Donbass Palace will be the benchmark of the hotel industry in Ukraine a great deal of investment has been put into training and development of associates. Negotiations are underway with an internationally recognized educational institution for eventual certification of all the associates. Upon the acquisition of the Hospitality Education Program Master's License, Donbass Palace is planning to create Training and Consultation Services Centre and become the sole distributor of all Training Materials and Programs in the whole of Ukraine. It is the hotel�s target for the first year after the opening to certify 50% of the Front Office and 20% of Food and Beverage associates. 

A Casino Dealers� School has been established for Donbass Palace Casino staff, with an on going three month training and two level exams after which only the best and the brightest will continue their way into gambling industry. 

For the Butlers on the Executive Floor a special Trainer from The Guild of English Butlers has been invited. Robin Watson will spend three weeks in Ukraine introducing this unique service concept to Ukrainians they could only read about in the books or see in movies. 

As the Cost Controller�s job is absolutely unknown to Ukrainian food and beverage operations, Donbass Palace�s Cost Controller was sent overseas to a leading international hotel company to undergo three weeks intensive training. 

With the Elemis chosen as the primary spa product and because it was not represented in Ukraine before as well as in the other former socialist countries, the hotel�s Health and Beauty Center Manageress has been sent to Spa Recourses International in Dubai for a cross exposure at a leading spa to obtain Elemis product familiarization. 

Locally all associates are undergoing an intensive two day orientation program conducted by HR and Training department. During this period the associates are introduced to the different aspects of hotel operation, the mission, vision and the service culture. The program is concluded by their first test.

�The Mission of the hotel is that Donbass Palace will be a market leader and a preferred hotel choice in Ukraine providing quests with an unforgettable stay, by consistently offering international standards, attention to detail and exceeding guest expectations� � says Bernard Micallef, The General Director of Donbass Palace - �This we will achieve by developing our associates to give them the necessary skills to influence decisions that effect our guests stay. Helping us attract and retain the best and the brightest associates and create customer loyalty. That�s why training should be seen as an investment not cost. We have and will continue to invest in our local associates who I believe will be the foundation for the countries hospitality industry.�