Sandals Resorts International is launching Sandals Corporate University (SCU), the company’s adult education program for Caribbean nationals employed by Sandals Resorts, Beaches Resorts and Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts.  A celebration honouring the SCU was held atSandals Grande Riviera Beach & Villa Golf Resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

In an effort to continuously elevate the skill level of its more than 10,000 employees across the Caribbean, the Chairman and Founder of Sandals Resorts, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, along with CEO, Adam Stewart, announced the introduction of the SCU, which is the first of its kind in the Caribbean. The SCU will certify staff members without formal academic qualifications, and provide eligible team members with an avenue to advance their education.

Through partnerships with internationally-recognised universities, such as Canada-based Ryerson University, the SCU’s programs place staff members on a path that can ultimately lead to a masters and/or doctoral degrees.  Similar partnerships with the Western Hospitality Institute in Jamaica offer SCU participants the chance to obtain associate and bachelor’s degrees.  The Jamaica Foundation for Life Long Learning will also provide classes in Mathematics and English for those in pursuit of high school equivalency.

Covering an array of disciplines, courses and programs range from basic hospitality-specific training to professional certifications, and are designed to meet internationally accredited standards. Courses are administered by certified hospitality educators trained by the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute, as well as Sandals-trained certified departmental instructors.

SCU’s core courses are free to team members, and programs offered in conjunction with external institutions may have additional costs. To assist with these expenses, scholarship funds and opportunities are in place to help qualified team members. 

Students partaking in the SCU courses will attend classes at Sandals Resorts, Beaches Resorts and Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts. Upon successful completion of each course or program, team members will be issued a certificate and their progress will be noted on their individual SCU ‘passport’ - a summary transcript of their learning journey, which will track their development and certifications.