OCHO RIOS, St Ann — Vancia Gordon and her co-worker ShandaLee Isaacs are thrilled to be front desk agents at Sandals Resorts International’s newest property, Sandals Dunn’s River, starting May 24.

The two were successfully chosen from a batch of 2,000 eager applicants who turned out to a job fair held in January.

“I’m just grateful at this chance to take on something new. I know that Sandals is a hotel with great standards, and I’m ready to live up to the name of the Sandals brand and push forward,” said Gordon.

“I’m so happy for this opportunity, because I have grown so much already and I’m just anxious for what is to come,” Isaacs added.

General manger at Sandals Dunn’s River Deryk Meany said his team is elated to positively impact the lives of so many.

More than 400 people were hired from the job fair held last year.

“Some of our team members have actually never worked. It is a very young team and we are so happy to give this opportunity to the youngsters. Whatever they are being taught here at Sandals can be used wherever they chose to venture,” Meany told the Jamaica Observer.

Since January the new employees have been engaged in extensive training that includes hands-on lessons as well as the theoretical side of the hospitality sector. Lessons provided through Sandals Corporate University also ensure computer literacy.

“The training is different for Sandals Dunn’s River in the sense that this property is a 2.0. We are taking a new approach as it relates to service delivery. We are creating an experience, and the easiest way to achieve this goal is through our SDR team,” said Meany.

“It is evident that we will achieve all that, based on the vibrant energy that we have been seeing so far,” he added.

Gordon and Isaacs, both first-timers in the hotel industry, lauded the approach taken by the Sandals team in preparing them for their role. They both said they have already noticed differences in themselves.

“My journey so far has been wonderful. There has been growth for me definitely. Coming in I was a little bit reserved, and now I can say that I’m a people person, and all that happened through the training,” Gordon told the Observer.

“Coming into Sandals I was bit nervous, because I didn’t know what to expect, but so far I believe my expectations were exceeded. The whole Sandals community is warm and welcoming. The managers are also very accommodating and they motivate us to be our best selves,” Isaacs stated.

Some of the newly employed were also assigned to other Sandals location across the island for on-the-job training, according to learning and development manager at Sandals Dunn’s River, Janice Johnson-Campbell.

“We have exposed our trainees to soft skills and systems training to familiarise them with the software that we use, and we have submerged them into hands-on training. They are now on our sister properties getting the experience,” she told the Observer.

Meanwhile, the management team at Sandals Dunn’s River has also been engaged in refresher training courses.

Watching it all unfold, Johnson-Campbell said she is ecstatic about the new venture and she is impressed by the enthusiasm shown by the employees who will contribute to brand Sandals 2.0.

“It has really been a fulfilling experience and I’m excited about the journey. I get the chance to guide and coach so many young and people who are just as excited to be a part of something great,” she said.