Whole Person Development | MELCO: Foundation Acceleration Program develops local talent

With employees being Melco Resorts & Entertainment’s most valued and important asset, the Company supports colleagues with various training and talent nurturing opportunities for professional and personal growth – which also contributes to the sustainable and diversified development of Macau.
Whole Person Development is a key pillar of the Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, which enables opportunities to augment skills, experience, and knowledge to build career paths. This is supported by Melco’s robust internal career opportunity framework boasting over 27,800 global internal promotions and transfers since the Company’s inception.
Its unique Foundation Acceleration Program (FAP) was created with the belief that training and development for colleagues should extend beyond classroom training and that service excellence requires a broad spectrum of exposure.

FAP offers short and long-term cross-functional placements and assignments to fine-tune Melco colleagues’ business acumen and provide opportunities to see the world from multiple perspectives. A variety of assignments offer exposure beyond one’s specialty, both in terms of knowledge and experience, and plays a key role in enhancing employee confidence— broadening their skill set and enabling them to engage with people from all walks of life.
Longer FAP placements include Dealers working for six months in Hotel Operations, or Hotel Front Office Managers spending one year on rotation through various departmental and cross-functional roles from the Contact Center, Reservations, Revenue Management, F&B, to Marketing and Public Relations. Shorter placements may include Human Resources professionals each spending one day in the business units they support, or specific assignments to enhance proficiency in skills such as public speaking.

FAP graduate, Mr. Frankie Yuen Pak Long, Assistant HR Manager, explained that after 10 years of working in Human Resources, being transferred to Melco’s Call Centre was both eye-opening and beneficial, allowing him to diversify and learn new skills. “My three months spent working at the Call Centre really helped to broaden my knowledge of the scope of work taken care of by other departments. In a corporation as large as Melco, we wouldn’t normally be exposed to the responsibilities and ins and outs of tasks of our inter-departmental peers. Through FAP, I came to realize that the efforts of many colleagues enable us to deliver memorable experiences to each guest. Aside from developing new technical skills, the experience also helped to enhance my strategic and analytical abilities, as well as the development of interpersonal skills. I would recommend the program to any colleague interested in pursuing personal growth and career development.”
Objectives of the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL)’s Special Internship scheme for local students with special needs are also closely aligned with Melco’s commitment to local talent development, and the Company continues to support the scheme this year for the eighth consecutive year. Between 2013 to 2019, more than 50% of student interns recruited through work experience initiatives and referred by DSAL went on to become full-time employees after graduation, with almost half of these colleagues staying on at Melco for three years or longer. This year, Melco is supporting the scheme with the highest intern intake among participating companies.

The scheme is designed to enable students with special needs to gain career experience for increased vocation competitiveness and employment opportunities. Internship participant-turned-Melco employee Mr. Ken Kuok, said, “This is my first job after graduation, and I am really grateful for the work opportunity recommended by DSAL and offered to myself by Melco.” Ken’s supervisor, Ms. Candy Ip, Manager of Wardrobe & Valet Laundry of Studio City said, “Ken has been with us since 2014 as an athlete with good physical strength and an excellent fit for taking up the role of Linen Room Attendant. I would encourage more employers and businesses to give people with disabilities a chance to contribute to society as this equates not only to a work placement, but a life-changing opportunity for the employee candidates.”