In another step to demonstrate its commitment to strengthening its Omani workforce, Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara has introduced an overseas training programme, providing key Omani members of the team with the opportunity to gain valuable experience at other Anantara properties around the world.

With 74 Omani employees working across every department, recruiting and training talent from the local community remains a priority for the five-star resort.
 
Overseen by Yousra Mizouali, training manager, the announcement of the programme follows a cross-training initiative for Omani employees that took place during the pre-opening phase of the resort, with firm plans now in place to ensure this becomes a regular occurrence. The latest batch of overseas training took place in November 2017 and saw four Omani employees embark on programmes at a selection of Anantara’s flagship resorts. The budding hoteliers worked across different departments, including security, reservations, human resources and front of house, and were handpicked by Yousra and the team according to their commitment, aptitude and willingness to learn, with the aim to ensure they develop and progress within the company.
 
Commenting on the programme, James Hewitson, general manager, said: “We have introduced the overseas training programme to give our Omani employees the opportunity to gain exposure to other cultures and different processes and ways of management. We hope it has helped to instill a strong sense of pride in their work so they can begin to progress up the career ladder. Overall, we are focused on continuing to drive Omanisation at the resort through a series of initiatives, including a recent partnership with the National Hospitality Institute (NHI), so that we can encourage local people from the surrounding community to pursue a successful career in hospitality.”
 
Mizouali added: “The programme involves hands-on training, whereby they shadow team members in their respective departments and are presented with new challenges and tasks that they’ll need to learn in order to progress. Our aim is for employees to return with a renewed energy and passion for hospitality so they are motivated to improve and add value to both our property and tourism within Oman.”
 
Fakhri Mohammed Rabia, bell captain, had the opportunity to visit Anantara Layan Phuket Resort & Spa where he assisted with guest relations. Commenting on the experience, he said: “It was exciting to work in a different country and gain experience at a more established and busier hotel. During my time, I learnt how they manage their teams and service guests efficiently, whilst also proving myself capable to take the next step in my career.”
 
Ali Said Al Mahri, training officer, spent several weeks at Anantara Riverside Bangkok where he focused on getting an insight into how they approach training whilst also gaining a deeper understanding of the brand. Talking about his first trip to Thailand, he said: “It was an excellent opportunity to work with a new team in a new culture as well as learn different ways of training and see how the brand standards are upheld across different properties.”
 
Suhail Said Mohammed Tabook, reservations agent, visited Anantara Sathorn Bangkok Hotel to assist the reservations team as he prepares to progress his career. When speaking about how he benefited from the experience, he said; “I learned to appreciate the melting pot of cultures that exist within the Ananara family and I feel I am now able to perform more of the functions required to move up the career ladder.”
 
Khalid Musabah Bin Said Al Saidi, security supervisor, shadowed the team at Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort, learning how they coordinate and execute security safety. He said: “I gained a huge amount of experience during my time in Dubai and can’t wait to implement what I learnt back in Salalah.” - TradeArabia News Service