Upskilling at its best. The Concourse Hotel at LAX, which will soon be the Hyatt Regency at LAX, received the “Upskilling Initiative” grant of $100,000 to implement a training program for its employees while the property is undergoing renovations.
As the first hospitality-focused project of its kind in the city, it will serve as a model for other properties undergoing large-scale renovations when there is less work for the staff.
Funded by the City of Los Angeles along with the Working with Hospitality Training Academy (HTA), the property created programs to help hotel employees improve their guest services, including English as a Second Language (ESL), customer service and retail sales abilities as well as skills unique to specific jobs at the hotel like culinary, bartending and room cleaning.
“This program hits on many important initiatives for the City of Los Angeles,” says Gregory Irish, executive director of the City of Los Angeles’ Workforce Development Board. “A skilled, empowered workforce is crucial to the growth and success of our city, as our airports and surrounding hotels make critical first impressions on the millions of travelers that visit us each year.”
The ESL graduation ceremony took place March 31 at the hotel and included a speech by Mike Bonin, Los Angeles District 11 councilman.
“I’ve always worked very hard to give my best to the guests,” says Erika Romero, a housekeeper for 12 years at the hotel. “But improving my English through the HTA’s classes means now I feel like a professional. This training has helped me do my job with more pride and confidence.”
The new Hyatt Regency at LAX will have 587 guest rooms and over 10,000 square feet of meeting space.