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| ORLANDO, Fla., May 2002 -
MeriStar Hotels & Resorts has launched the second year of its partnership
with the Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association
by giving its associates and trainers even more development opportunities
through the CourseLine(tm) Online Training Program. More than 2,000 MeriStar
associates have registered in the online training system, which gives them
access to more than 400 courses, ranging from hospitality management subjects
to courses for career advancement and enhancement as well as for personal
growth and development. Many of these courses include supplemental hospitality
training videos that can be viewed over the Internet through EI's CyberCinema(tm)
video delivery system.
EI has customized its CourseLine system for MeriStar, including features such as a training events calendar, custom online seminars, and an administrative module for monitoring training progress. MeriStar executives work closely with EI's production staff to refresh and update additional course and seminar materials that will be available online. "Through our partnership with the Educational Institute and the online training program we have developed with them, we are able to reach and train a much greater number of associates than we would normally be capable of," said Bob Frost, vice president of human resources, MeriStar Hotels & Resorts. "Creating this partnership with the Educational Institute is one of the best things we have done for the development of our associates. The EI team has been a true partner in developing a training program that works for us." Multifaceted Programs Offers Benefits for Associates, Trainers "MeriStar recognizes that our long-term growth depends heavily upon our ability to attract and retain the best and brightest managers in the industry," said Woody Montgomery, executive vice president of human resources, MeriStar Hotels & Resorts. "Potential associates are looking at the commitment companies are making to their professional development as one of the major criteria for choosing an employer. They want to know they will be able to grow professionally, not only through job advancement, but also through professional training and development. The program developed by MeriStar and EI provides that benefit to MeriStar associates." Through CourseLine, MeriStar associates are able to access online hospitality management courses from home or work, 24 hours a day, seven day a week. This system is ideal for associates, who may not be able to attend traditional classes or regularly-scheduled courses due to work schedules and other demands. Some courses have been designated as required or recommended based on MeriStar-developed curricula specifically designated for each job position. The partnership between EI and MeriStar enables MeriStar associates to earn recognition for their academic achievements. Upon completion of any of the 31 CourseLine hospitality courses, MeriStar associates receive a certificate recognizing their successful completion of the course. By completing a specific program of study, involving a series of courses, associates can earn an Area of Specialization Certificate, a Hospitality Operations Certificate, or a Hospitality Management Diploma. In addition to these online courses, the MeriStar system has been customized to include downloadable materials for 13 custom seminars, including a MeriStar Leadership Course and seminars on Effective Communication and Time Management. Regional Trainers, the backbone of the MeriStar training effort, can access this information whenever and wherever they are conducting seminars. The Educational Institute created a training calendar system to help MeriStar trainers to facilitate the management of their seminars. The system enables a Regional Trainer to create an event and designate the properties or regions that will be able to see and register for that event. An associate can log in and see the variety of training seminar opportunities available to them. Each event listing includes prerequisites, comments, and notes that help the registrant to understand the scope of each seminar. Potential participants are even able to e-mail the seminar facilitator with questions prior to registration. MeriStar vice presidents, general managers, and regional trainers are able to monitor and document the training that takes place through the CourseLine system by way of an Administration Module. For instance, a general manager can log into the system and view a list of the associates at his or her location. A mouse click provides access to CourseLine information for that associate. Managers can see specific training information and run custom summary reports to track the progress of their associates. Regional trainers can also use the system to plan local or regional seminars based on information about the number of associates in a geographic area who have not completed a required seminar. Previous training efforts (that may have taken place prior to the system's implementation) can also be documented in this system. Joe Ruggeri, a MeriStar Regional Trainer and general manager of the Radisson Hotel & Suites, St. Louis Downtown (Mo.), has had the opportunity to experience CourseLine's benefits from the point of view of both manager and trainer. "Once our associates get into the site, they realize how much information is available right at their fingertips, both for their personal enrichment as well as their professional development," he said. "It's state of the art and easy to access and has been a positive eye-opener for our associates. Our people are able to gain knowledge in their own position and also learn what's available if they're interested in advancement." "The opportunity of online training and refreshers is a terrific benefit to all of our associates, and particularly to those aspiring to greater responsibility and job proficiency," said Bill Croke, executive vice president of operations, MeriStar Hotels & Resorts. "I encourage all of our associates to register and start on the way to career development. The program is ideal-easy to access plus easy to use equals easy to learn!" |
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Elizabeth Johnson Public Relations Manager 800-349-0299, ext. 507 [email protected] www.ei-ahla.org |
| Also See | Hostmark Empowering Associates With On-line Hospitality Classes / Feb 2001 |