OCHO RIOS, St Ann — By day two of a four-day job fair, more than 2,000 potential employees had applied for jobs at the soon-to-be-opened Sandals Dunn’s River.

Held in Runaway Bay, the fair was staged as a way to level the playing field for those interested in joining the team of the property dubbed Sandals 2.0.

“No matter what your education level is you can come in and meet with our team. This gives everybody a chance to be able to express how they feel about joining the hospitality industry and also where they want to see themselves and what they hope to achieve from Sandals,” director, human resources at Sandals Resorts International (SRI), Ryan Matthew told the Jamaica Observer last Friday.

Successful applicants, he said, will be contacted to ink an employment contract and undergo training.

“We have not finalised on a number [of staff needed] because with Sandals Dunn’s River operations a lot of new services will be offered. This [property] is going to be very different, and at the end of the day we want to ensure we have a comfortable, well-trained team to deliver the best to our guests,” Matthew explained.

Slated to open on May 24, the property will have 260 rooms and suites, 12 global gourmet restaurants — some of them located on the roof — and a number of firsts worthy of the property’s return to the Sandals fold.

The resort was first added to the Sandals portfolio in 1990 and opened to guests a year later. Until 2020, when it was once again acquired by SRI, it operated as the Jewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort & Spa.

The property has special meaning to SRI executive chairman Adam Stewart as it was the last one on which he worked with his father and SRI founder, the late Gordon “Butch” Stewart.

“What we are concentrating on is the experience to be offered at Sandals Dunn’s River. Our executive chairman has done an amazing job with building the product.

We have the most amazing beach club experience and our deck restaurants and pools will further add to the amazing experience. We gonna be strolling musicians all throughout the property at daytime, and it is gonna be simply amazing,” said General Manager Deryk Meany.

The reopening of the property is being eagerly anticipated within hospitality circles. It is among the more than 6,000 rooms now being added in Jamaica as the country’s tourism sector vigorously rebounds from being battered by COVID-19. As with other tourism-focused destinations globally, Jamaica is struggling to find skilled workers. The Sandals Dunn’s River event was just the latest in a string of job fairs to attract workers.

As she filled out an application form on Friday, 35-year-old Melissa Lawrence-Sadler told the Observer she was optimistic about landing a job as a massage therapist.

“I have been giving my husband massages and he said I should try doing it professionally,” she said, adding that she gets immense joy from seeing a look of satisfaction on her clients’ faces.

“I have a passion for providing beauty services because it makes me satisfied when people feel warm and nice after getting pampered. To see them walking out with a smile means a lot,” she said, her own smile lighting up her face.

Tevin Myers was also among those hoping he will be selected to represent Sandals 2.0. He applied for a bartending job.

“I really came to try my luck at getting the job because all my life I have been self-employed, just trying to make things work, but it never really turn out well. So for the new year I said I would try to work for someone else to see if that can work out better for me. So I’m hoping something will change,” he said.

General Manager Meany and other executive members of the Sandals Dunn’s River team who were at the job fair expressed pleasure at the turnout.

“I’m seeing the younger generation, older generation, and I must say it is encouraging, and I feel proud. These people are very passionate, they have a positive attitude, and with those smiles I know they will be able to win over the hearts of all our visitors to Sandals Dunn’s River,” said the general manager.

Hotel Manager Melissa Clarke was also impressed. “The people of St Ann have shown that they have the right attitude and that is exactly what we are looking for.

We have seen that our recruits are very helpful and flexible so I don’t see us having a challenge when it comes to the people presenting what we want for Sandals 2.0,” she said.

— Akera Davis