In recent years, Crown Resorts Australia’s Crown Melbourne resort has employed approximately 450 trainee dealers annually, who complete intensive training (called “Introductory Schools”) before being able to work as dealers in the casino. After successfully completing this training, they are deemed competent in one major game and some minor games, and receive a Certificate III in Tourism, a nationally accredited qualification in the Australian Qualifications Framework. After working for some time in the casino, they receive additional training in other major and minor games, giving them more technical skills, greater knowledge of the industry, and more flexibility for rostering.
In late 2015, Crown Resorts Australia calculated that, to accommodate an expansion of its gaming areas, it needed to recruit and train approximately 77 percent more dealers—increasing from the annual average of 450 to 800. The company also recognized it would not be able to train enough dealers in the required time to meet the business’ needs unless it changed the existing training model.
Consequently, the company developed and implemented a new training model, restructuring the Introduction School, to meet these increased needs.
Program Details
Under the old model, each school of trainees (comprising 16 new dealers) completed five weeks of full-time training at Crown College, and completed the relevant assessment, before beginning work on the main gaming floor under supervision. After another six weeks, successful trainees were deemed to be competent to work unsupervised. Therefore, it was taking 11 weeks before a trainee was deemed competent.
Under the new model, each school is now just three weeks, and after passing relevant assessments, trainees move to the main gaming floor, and are allocated a mentor for their first six days, and then a workplace supervisor for the next two days. The mentoring is one of the critical factors of the success of the new model, as the mentor-to-dealer ratio is 1:2 for the first four days, then 1:4 for the next two days, giving dealers exceptionally close coaching while on the job.
Competency now is assessed (in part) by observation in a live environment under standard supervision levels, leading to more accurate assessments, and additional 1:1 coaching that addresses an individual’s specific gaps in knowledge or skills.
Results
- More than 300 dealers have been trained under the new model.
- Reduced time before trainees are fully competent from 11 weeks to 4.5 weeks.
- Reduced cost of more than $15,000 per Introduction School. Since implementing the new model in January 2016, the company has delivered 23 Introduction Schools.
- Ultimately, Crown Resorts Australia was able to deliver the required number of new dealers to the business in the required time frame—and the business reports that there was an increase in competency, productivity, compliance, and customer service.
