- Melco’s Foundation Acceleration Program (Culinary) aims to discover and nurture local culinary talent, reinforcing Macau’s position as a UNESCO-designated “Creative City of Gastronomy”.
- The program has seen the successful graduation of 52 local talents.
Melco Resorts & Entertainment recently hosted a graduation ceremony for its “Foundation Acceleration Program (Culinary)”, celebrating the achievements of its graduates and welcoming a new batch of participants.
The program aims to discover and nurture local culinary talent, reinforcing Macau’s position as a UNESCO-designated “Creative City of Gastronomy” and further supporting the Macau government’s efforts towards economic diversification.
Melco said it remains committed to fostering local talent and promoting “Whole Person Development” by providing colleagues diverse learning opportunities for vocational skills enhancement and career progression. In 2021, with support from the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) and the Macao University of Tourism (UTM), Melco launched Culinary FAP, Macau’s first program of its kind for the culinary sector.
The program, through structured on-the-job training, cross-functional exposure and formal and informal education, is conducted in collaboration with the government and local universities. It offers participants exceptional opportunities for skill development through job rotations, hands-on experience, management training, mentorship and career planning.
Since its launch, Culinary FAP has seen the successful graduation of 52 local talents, representing 90% of all participants, with over 60% of graduates receiving promotions in their new roles. At the event, the company celebrated the graduation of a further 10 colleagues from the program and welcomed the latest batch of 16 enrollees.
Lawrence Ho, Chairman and CEO of Melco, said, “We are excited to continue developing our one-of-a-kind Culinary FAP in collaboration with DSAL and UTM. This program reflects our commitment to supporting the Macau government’s economic diversification goals by integrating it as part of Melco’s ‘Whole Person Development’ initiatives, with the aim of nurturing local culinary talent and providing enhanced and diverse career opportunities.
With support from the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) and the Macao University of Tourism (UTM), Melco launched Culinary FAP, Macau’s first program of its kind for the culinary sector.
“Compliments to this year’s Culinary FAP graduates on your exceptional achievements and a warm welcome to our new batch of enrollees. We gladly celebrate the wonderful talent and contributions of our colleagues for your dedication to culinary excellence and carrying out the best sustainable culinary practices.”
Several participants shared their thoughts on the program. Fai, who works at Pearl Dragon, joined the culinary field through training by the DSAL. Though he had a solid foundation, he felt uncertain entering the workplace. With support from his head chef and the company, the team won a Gold Medal and the Best Designated Dim Sum Award at the 7th Macau Integrated Tourism and Leisure Enterprises Vocational Skills Competition. He sincerely thanked the DSAL and Melco for their guidance.
Oscar, a graduate of UTM, stated that he joined the program through a university-enterprise collaboration. By interning in various kitchens, he gained hands-on experience in operations and food safety. Combined with the management knowledge taught by university lecturers, the program significantly enhanced his professional expertise and interpersonal skills, laying a strong foundation for his journey to becoming a better chef. He expressed gratitude to colleagues from various departments for their ongoing support and guidance.
Melco continues to work closely with DSAL on various efforts to support local talent development in non-gaming areas, offering residents diverse training opportunities within Melco’s integrated resort properties with a view to support enhanced career prospects.
