Baha Mar made good on its commitment to training young Bahamians today by doubling the enrollment of its Leadership Development Institute (LDI) to welcome 395 students - six of which have Intellectual and Developmental Disorders (IDD).
In May, 150 students graduated from LDI’s first class. The session of LDI saw enrollment increase to 162 students. Since the program was first announced, LDI has received strong community support and has been highly lauded as a program that is improving our community because it is providing many young people an opportunity to change their course in life.
“Baha Mar is a transformative project that is making a real difference in The Bahamas,” said Baha Mar’s Chief Operating Officer, Paul V. Pusateri. “This unprecedented program is touching lives and making it possible to provide chances for a career in hospitality that may have otherwise been out of reach. There is nothing else like this in The Bahamas.”
“This will be the best day of the rest of your life,” added Pusateri, who welcomed the students during a special orientation session.
Through a partnership with Best Buddies International, LDI is also allowing individuals with IDD the same chances to succeed as other employees. Each IDD student has been paired with a ‘student buddy’ in LDI for the duration of the 16-week class session.
During the class sessions, LDI students will learn functional and technical skills, service skills, leadership training and life skills, part of LDI’s overall vision to create opportunities for all Bahamians, including those with unrealized potential.
At the orientation, the students were encouraged to not only exceed the expectations of others, but also to exceed their own expectations.
All students in the program will be held to the same standards, according to LDI Executive Director Jeffrey Lloyd. “Lateness and missed days will not be tolerated,” said Lloyd. “Bahamians can do it if given an opportunity. We believe that you can do it,” he added.
A proud parent described the opportunity as an amazing one to introduce young people to the hospitality industry.
“This evening is the beginning of their journey, one step at a time. You’re not going to become a hotelier overnight, but as Confucius says, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
LDI student Joanne Gibson expressed excitement about entering the program.
“I don’t just want to work with the company; I want to grow with them because I know it will be a success,” she said. “It’ll be a wonderful, once in a lifetime experience.”
About Baha Mar
Baha Mar, which is scheduled to open in December 2014, is set on 3,000 feet of white-sand beach just ten minutes from Nassau's newly expanded Lynden Pindling International Airport. This must-visit destination will feature an elite collection of hotel brands with gaming, entertainment, private residences, shopping and natural attractions that reflect an authentic Bahamian experience. The Baha Mar Casino & Hotel, with 1,000 rooms, is the centerpiece of the resort, and includes a 100,000-square-foot Las Vegas-style casino – the largest in the Caribbean region. Baha Mar will also include a 707-room Grand Hyatt at Baha Mar, a 300-room SLS LUX at Baha Mar, and a 200-room Rosewood at Baha Mar. Upon completion of extensive renovations, the 694-room Meliá will join Baha Mar and complete the extraordinary accommodations at the luxury resort.
Amenities will include the 18-hole, 72-par championship Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course at Baha Mar; 200,000 square feet of combined, flexible, state-of-the-art convention facilities including a 2,000-seat performing arts center and an art gallery with the largest curated collection of Bahamian art in The Bahamas; 40 restaurants and bars; two spas, including the 30,000-square-foot destination spa, ESPA at Baha Mar; designer retail boutiques and 20 acres of exquisitely landscaped beach and pool experiences, including a beachfront sanctuary with native Bahamian flora and fauna.
For more information, please visit www.bahamar.com
The largest class ever of the Leadership Development Institute is pictured at the special orientation session
