COURTESY OF HYATT PLACE PUNE
COURTESY OF HYATT REGENCY HUA HIN
A RiseHY participant works in the kitchen at Hyatt Regency Hua Hin .
A RiseHY participant works the front desk at Hyatt Place Pune . change lives , stating , “ At Hyatt , we ’ re in a unique position to be part of the solution because hospitality is an industry where people can truly rise from entry-level roles to create meaningful , life-long careers .”
As an example , the video shared the story of Maketh , who began his RiseHY journey as a dishwasher in the early 2000s and now works as an executive steward , leading a team of 20 + employees . “ You don ’ t need experience to do it , you just get in there and start working as normally ,” Maketh said .
Also chiming in on RiseHY ’ s impact was Gilbert , a general manager in New Brunswick . “ Sometimes you don ’ t know what you want to do in life , and all of a sudden , you get to a place where you feel that you ’ re cared for and then you start understanding a little bit more about what you can do and your potential ,” he said .
It ’ s clear the program has done a lot of good , but Hyatt isn ’ t finished yet . Instead , the hotelier set RiseHY ’ s loftiest goal to date : to hire 10,000 Opportunity Youth by 2025 . Here ’ s how Myers said the brand is making good on its promise . “ First , we ’ re bringing more attention to the types of jobs Hyatt and its hotels offer ,” she said . “ With the help of virtual reality , young people will experience , sometimes for the very first time , what life is like inside a hotel . They ’ ll be able to spend a day in the life of our colleagues including culinary roles , housekeeping and more .”
Additionally , the company is working with community-based organizations to match candidates with entry-level jobs that best fit their unique skills and qualifications . Myers shared that the help of these community-based organizations , especially Youth Career Initiatives and Grads of Life , allows the brand and its hotels to provide on-the-job training programs and full-time employment to participants .
“ With each hire we add to our collective impact on the societal challenge ,” said Myers . “ And by enabling more Opportunity Youth to rise , we will ensure Hyatt and its hotels have a diverse , inclusive pipeline of colleagues for years to come .”
SPRING 2024 / THE COMPASS / 27