Macau to host sixth edition of vocational skills competition among gaming ops

The 6th edition of the Macao Integrated Tourism and Leisure Enterprises Vocational Skills Competition 2024 is set to take place on June 27 at the Grand Lisboa Palace Resort, highlighting the city’s commitment to developing a skilled workforce in its key economic sectors.

Organized by the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) and the Macau Federation of Workers’ Associations (FAOM), the competition aims to inspire employee innovation, increase skills, and promote a culture of respect for work and appreciation of qualified staff.

“Qualified staff are a major driving force behind industrial development,” said an organizer from FAOM in the press conference yesterday.

“As Macau implements its ‘1 + 4’ strategy for economic diversification, the training of high-quality, professional employees is particularly important to support the growth of the tourism and leisure industries.”

The competition will feature three main events: the “Gaming Professional Skills Competition,” the “Hotel Services Professional Skills Competition,” and the “World Cuisine City Professional Skills Competition.” These events will allow participants to showcase their expertise in areas such as casino operations, hotel housekeeping and culinary arts.

New additions to this year’s competition include an assessment of “occupational health and safety” in the hotel services event, as well as the introduction of novel maintenance techniques. The world cuisine competition will also feature a focus on “the spirit of craftsmanship” in the creation of Chinese-Cantonese and dim sum dishes.

The competition has garnered the support of major industry players, including Galaxy Entertainment Group, MGM, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Sands China, Wynn Macau, and SJM Resorts, who will send teams to participate and contribute to the preparatory work.

This professional skills competition “aims to fully demonstrate the level of professional aptitude of workers, raise the quality of services, and promote exchange and development within the sector,” according to the FAOM representative.

As the representative from the Hong Kong-Taiwan Association of Tourism Organization stated, “Human resources are the driving force of our industrial development.

For many years, the Hong Kong-Taiwan Association of Tourism Organization has been paying close attention to the performance of the competition and has taken the initiative to capitalise on its economic advantages to start various types and levels of business activities, supporting employees to improve their professional qualities and expertise.”

The jury for the competition is composed of experienced industry professionals and trainers from Macau, Hong Kong and the mainland, as well as representatives from local universities and the Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Center. Staff Reporter