SJM Resorts welcomed 64 students from the inaugural cohort* for its “Forge My Own Journey” Development Programme during an activation ceremony held at Grand Lisboa Palace (GLP) in Cotai on Monday.
The talent development programme, recently launched in conjunction with the Macao University of Tourism (UTM), received applications from over 150 students from local secondary schools, with 64 candidates chosen after a detailed evaluation process, according to a statement from the integrated resort operator yesterday.
The statement said that students, after graduating, will be “awarded a bachelor’s degree in Hotel or Tourism Management from UTM, with the four-year tuition fee sponsored by SJM”, as well as having the option to pursue careers with the integrated resort operator. The programme is geared towards “nurturing a new generation of professionals to support Macau’s growth as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure”, the statement added.
In her speech delivered via video link at the ceremony, which was attended by over 100 people, SJM Managing Director Daisy Ho Chiu-fung was quoted by the statement as saying: “Through our paid internships in various departments, including Hotel Operations, Food and Beverage, and Marketing, students can effectively translate their academic knowledge into a practical context, thereby shaping their career aspirations and cultivating their growth into industry experts with a global perspective and a high level of professionalism”.
UTM Rector Fanny Vong Chuk Kwan was quoted by the statement as saying that the joint programme “features an innovative integrated approach that blends four years of academic study with practical work experience. Its goal is to cultivate specialised talent in tourism, leisure, and hotel management within Macau”.
*A cohort of students is a group of individuals who progress through an educational programme together, sharing the same start and (expected) end dates, and typically following the same sequence of courses or learning experiences. The key idea is togetherness and shared experience. Unlike students who take classes individually at their own pace, a cohort moves through the curriculum as a single, integrated unit. – DeepSeek
This handout photo released yesterday by SJM Resorts shows guests and representatives of SJM and UTM, as well as students, posing during Monday’s activation ceremony at Grand Lisboa Palace (GLP) in Cotai.
