Northstar

www.travelweekly-asia.com | 17 ORGANISED BY: MEMBER OF: OFFICIAL CARRIER: C O U N T R I E S / R E G I O N S E X H I B I T I N G C O M P A N I E S P A R T I C I P A N T S www.fituronline.com Madrid January 23-27 Register at HOSPITALITY By Ian Jarrett Hilton helps to take unemployed off the streets Hilton is expanding its corporate responsibility by recruiting and retaining millennial employees to meet what that company says is a "challenging labour pool". At present, half of Hilton's 380,000 workers around the globe are millennials. "These younger generations, they want their employers to do the right thing," said Max Verstraete, Hilton's vice- president of corporate responsibility. "They are more likely to stay with a company that is doing the right thing. They are more likely to stay and to be engaged. This is a very important business reason for doing these things." The 2016 Cone Communications Millennial Employee Engagement Study found that 76% of millennials consider a company's social and environmental commitments when deciding where to work. Nearly two- thirds, or 64%, said they would not take a job with a company that lacks strong corporate social responsibility programmes. Hilton is aware that in Asia Pacific there will be enormous demand for hospitality staff and has embarked on its own training and nurturing initiatives to provide for future needs. Hilton is heeding figures that show there will be 71 million unemployed globally, and nearly 290 million are 15- to 20-year olds. In Asia Pacific alone, half the unemployed population is made up of young people. With that in mind, Hilton has partnered with the International Youth Foundation since 2012, to provide local skills training and insight across the globe. As part of its commitment to 'Open Doors' for at least one million youth by 2019, Hilton has connected with more than half a million youths across its range of programmes to date. In Asia Pacific, Hilton currently has 50,000 people working across its hotels and corporate offices. In the years ahead, the global hospitality company anticipates creating more than 100,000 new jobs across Asia Pacific as the tourism boom continues across Asia Pacific. "We have an enormous variety of opportunities within our business that can support taking youths off the unemployment lines," said Brendan Toomey, vice president, human resources, Asia Pacific, Hilton The company has seen the millennial generation rise to become its fastest growing employee segment. In Asia Pacific, 56% of its team members are millennials, and in markets like India, this figure rises as high as 81%. To drive interest, Hilton has ventured into schools and universities to offer a wide range of opportunities to students and graduates. Through partnerships with charity organisations like The Smith Family, and non- government organisations such as the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA), young people are empowered with a rewarding career in travel and hospitality through a first-hand experience. In Myanmar, four of the 28 graduates from the first batch of Hilton Vocational Training Centre's programme will pursue their hospitality careers in Dubai after having worked full-time at Hilton Nay Pyi Taw. The quartet joined the Hilton Vocational Training Centre with no prior professional experience. Through intensive vocational training and on-the-job teaching, they found their career paths in the housekeeping department. Hilton and Eden Group Company Limited, together with Myanmar's Ministry of Hospitality and Tourism, opened the Hilton Vocational Training Centre in Nay Pyi Taw in September 2015. The centre offers two-year diplomas in front office operations, housekeeping, food and beverage service as well as culinary and pastry. Helen Jacobe, cluster general manager of Hilton Myanmar said, "It is truly amazing to see where their hard work and passion has already taken them." Lwin Moe Oo and Shein Htet Aung have joined Hilton Jumeirah, Dubai The Walk while Moe Moe Swe and Pyei Phyo Swe have joined Hilton Jumeirah Beach Resort. "Half of Hilton's 380,000 workers around the globe are millennials, [and] these younger generations want their employers to do the right thing." — Max Verstraete, vice-president of corporate responsibility, Hilton

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