WHEN most Jamaicans think of roles within the hospitality sector, chefs, bartenders, housekeepers and guest activities agents immediately come to mind.

Rarely do people think of the information technology (IT) technicians. The IT professional is not the superstar of this industry and yet they are the ones busily paddling below the surface to ensure a smooth flow within today’s technology-driven resorts.

The reality is everything within the operation depends on IT systems that need to be updated and maintained and it requires a highly skilled and efficient individual to do so. At Sandals South Coast that person is IT Manager Amonikki White.

Earlier this year, White, 27, was awarded Manager of the Year/MVP, and being one of the youngest managers at the resort – a true testament to his dedication to the role.

White, who hails from Hayes, Clarendon joined the Sandals South Coast team in February 2019 as an IT technician. For eight months he worked under the tutelage of two senior Sandals IT managers until he was promoted to IT manager in November of the same year.

“Growing up, buying a gaming console wasn’t at the top of my parents’ agenda, therefore, I had to improvise,” said White.

“While in first form at Glenmuir High I decided, with the help of a family friend and YouTube tutorials, to buy computer parts online and build my gaming computer from scratch.”

White successfully built his computer and not only did it work, it served him throughout his high school years.

The experience of building his own computer sparked a realisation in White that he had a natural affinity for working with computers.

With that clear, and a passion for tech hard-wired into his mind, White sought every opportunity to hone his passions by joining the IT Club at his high school.

When his high school journey ended at sixth form he left with an associate degree in IT and business administration after which he pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology with a minor in information systems at the University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica.

“After I left college the dream job in tech that I desired didn’t just land in my lap, I waited a while, but I passed the time volunteering. At one point I even volunteered as a lab tech at Denbigh High School,” said White. But soon enough a unique opportunity presented itself in the form of a job posting in the UTech, Jamaica IT Student’s chat of which he was still a part, though he had already graduated from the institution.

“They were looking for an IT technician at Sandals, I thought ‘Uhm, a hotel’. I never imagined myself working in a hotel, so at first I was apprehensive, but I wanted a job to fund my interests, so I applied,” White reflected with a wide grin.

Today, White could not be happier with that decision. As for his job at Sandals South Coast, it has been everything he imagined and nothing he imagined.

In his current role, White is responsible for the maintenance of all resort systems including point of sales in revenue areas, Wi-Fi networks, phones, and smart TV software in 392 rooms. He also oversees all hotel management and ordering software and liaises with the Sandals Corporate Office in monitoring all IT infrastructures, inclusive of IT closets and server rooms.

And then, of course, he’s responsible for installing physical servers and setting up the necessary configuration that powers 190 computers serving approximately 400 users on the resort.

All of those responsibilities are par for the course, however, in the world of IT. But perhaps the thing that’s most unique about White’s experience in this industry is that he’s not the guy in the back office surrounded by machines, he’s in the operation dealing with staff members and guests.

“It’s a delicate balance between updating software on an office computer one minute and then showing a guest where to locate the nearest restroom the next, or going further to troubleshoot a IT challenge they may be experiencing,” said White with his signature laugh.

He noted that the hospitality industry and specifically Sandals South Coast has taught him so much.

“I came into this industry quiet and introverted but it has forced me out of my bubble. Now I’m much more confident and outgoing and my customer service skills have certainly improved.”

As for how he feels about his role at Sandals South Coast, White said he loves it because every day presents new opportunities to expand his knowledge as he works through a revolving door of software upgrades and new technology. “Every time I open a box with some new gadget, or accessory, or machine, it takes me back to that moment as a kid when I received the first computer part to build my computer,” said White, “the nostalgia of it all never fades”.

And it doesn’t have to. With Sandals Resorts International plotting a trajectory for exponential growth over the next few years and with that all the latest technology to give their guests more than they expect, there’s no telling what lies ahead for a bright, young professional like White.

Already he is convinced that he has found the perfect motherboard from which to launch his career as an IT professional and he’ll tell anyone with an interest in IT to go for it.