January 2013, Orlando, Florida—The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) has signed a Global Academic Partner (GAP) agreement with Sandals Corporate University (SCU) in Montego Bay, Jamaica, to deliver courses, hospitality training, and professional certification to 20 properties in the Caribbean.            

Launched in March 2012, SCU is Sandals Resorts International’s adult education program for Caribbean nationals employed by Sandals Resorts, Beaches Resorts and Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts, in an effort to continuously elevate the skill level of its more than 10,000 employees across the Caribbean.

“This is a phenomenal opportunity for both of our organizations to help our team members to grow and develop through educational development and through certification,” said Philip Brown, Ph.D., Sandals’ Group Director, Human Resources, Training & Service Standards. “The partnership represents something that will be together for five years and probably beyond that.  More importantly, it brings the lives of other people in this region to a place of understanding about the importance of why it is we do the things we do.”

In December, Brenda Moons, EI’s senior vice president of sales, and Ed Kastli, EI’s managing director, Asia, Africa, & the Middle East, visited Sandals Corporate University to sign the agreement. While there, they also presented six of the university’s educators and trainers with their Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE) certificates and pins (pictured). EI had presented a CHE workshop to faculty members earlier in the year. 

Sandals Corporate University will be using several of EI’s training and professional certification programs, as well as hospitality management courses to provide extensive opportunities for Sandals employees.  The programs include:

• Guest Service Gold® Training

• Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP)

• Hospitality and Tourism Management Program (HTMP)

• TRAC: Guestroom Attendant

• TRAC: Restaurant Servers

• CourseLine®: Online Learning courses

• Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) – for executives

• Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE) – for educators

• Certified Hospitality Trainer (CHT)

• Certified Hospitality Supervisor (CHS)

• CHA and CHE workshops

“This is the first time EI has signed a GAP agreement with a hotel chain in the Caribbean.  We are very proud of this innovative partnership,” said Moons. “Sandals will be providing more than training and certification to their employees—they will be a center of excellence in the Caribbean for all hospitality students and hotel professionals.  They aspire to be THE place in the local communities where Sandals hotels have a presence where people can go to start or improve their hospitality careers. EI is excited to play a part in helping them achieve this goal.” 

For more information about EI’s international hospitality education and training opportunities, please visit www.ahlei.org or call +1.407.999.8100.

About the Educational Institute
Established in 1953 as a nonprofit educational foundation of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Educational Institute’s mission is to continue being the preferred provider to the lodging industry, hospitality schools, and related hospitality industries by developing and providing quality resources to train, educate, and certify hospitality professionals worldwide. Please visit http://www.ahlei.org