Icon Hotels and Resorts Nigeria, a subsidiary of Icon Hotel Group Africa, has commenced an intensive one-year human capital development programme at Ibom Icon Hotel & Golf Resort, Uyo.
The training, which is known as Icon Management Training Programme, was inaugurated on June 7, 2021 at the hotel by Udeme Ufot, chairman, board of directors of the hotel, with seven pioneer trainees.
It is aimed at converting semi-skilled individuals to skillful personnel that can take up opportunities in hospitality and operate at managerial levels anywhere in the world.
It is also in line with the vision of Icon Hotel Group, which is “to be a leading hospitality, leisure, recreation and tourism development and management services provider in Africa and among the best in the world”.
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Also present at the inauguration were other directors of Ibom Resort and Hotels Limited, including; Orman Esin, Imo-Abasi Jacob, Bassey Ekanem, representative of the attorney general and commissioner for Justice, Akwa Ibom State, as well as, Utomobong Inyang, acting company secretary, Ibom Resort and Hotels Limited.
Others are: Fred Maina, CEO, Icon Hotel Group Africa; Adetope Kayode, CEO, Icon Hotels & Resorts Nigeria; Charles Masilia, general manager, Ibom Icon Hotel & Golf Resort; Gilbert Thinji, head of operations of the hotel; Akan Bassey, head, human resources, and Awak George, training manager of the hotel.
Speaking at the inauguration on behalf of the board of directors, Orman Esin commended the management of the hotel and Icon Hotels and Resorts Nigeria for initiating the programme aimed at developing indigenous talents and preparing them to take up opportunities across the globe. He charged the trainees to take the opportunity seriously and put in their absolute best in learning and be diligent in their work in order to graduate to become leaders in the hospitality industry.
The management training programme, whose objective is to ensure continuous supply of talented future leaders for sustainable growth in the hospitality sector, has its trainees drawn from the hotel’s host communities, ICON employees and fresh graduates with leadership qualities, good communication skills, caring attitude and a track record of hard work.
Speaking during the orientation organised for the trainees on the same day, Akan Bassey, head of human resources, explained that the aim of the programme is to develop the trainees to become competent company management executives at an accelerated pace. He stated that those who emerge successful among the trainees at the end of the programme would receive a merit recommendation certificate award and enjoy remarkable career growth leading to taking up management positions in frontline operations in hospitality industries globally. He added that the most outstanding among the trainees would have an opportunity of participating in exchange programmes within Icon hotels across the globe.
Giving a detailed overview of the one-year programme, Awak George, training manager of the hotel, explained that trainees would be exposed to all aspects of work and functions across all operational and supporting departments of the hotel for the period of nine months and a three-month specialist training on a specific operational area of their choice, as well as, attend managerial skill development and strategy workshops that will help sharpen their leadership skills.
The trainees were grateful to the management for the opportunity to participate in such a life-transforming programme and pledged their commitment to ensuring that the aim of the programme is achieved.
The management noted that the training is a new dawn for young graduates who aspire for career in the hospitality industry as Icon Hotel Group will not relent in their efforts at identifying and developing indigenous talents and expand their capacity to operate on global platforms.
However, the inauguration did not only mark the beginning of the yearly programme at the hotel, but also the beginning of hope, development and expansion for youths in the host communities, Akwa Ibom and Nigeria at large.
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