Similar dealer-training programs have been in place in Maryland with Horseshoe Baltimore, and in western Massachusetts for MGM Springfield. GRCC officials believe this is the first time a Michigan tribal casino has partnered with a community college in the state.<\/p>\n
We look at it as an opportunity to be responsive to the needs of our community,\u201d Dave Murray, GRCC\u2019s director of communications, told Casino.org<\/em>. \u201cCommunity colleges are often working with local employers to fill needs for people with in-demand skills for rewarding jobs. This is another example of that.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\nTo participate in the training, which the casino\u2019s trainer will provide, students must be at least 21 years of age and have either a high school diploma or equivalent. Gun Lake is covering most of the cost for the courses, with students paying just a $25 fee.<\/p>\n
Comparatively, the programs in Massachusetts and Maryland charge per class, with classes costing between $197 and $737 each. However, those programs include instruction on other casino table games, such as roulette and Pai Gao poker.<\/p>\n
Partnership a ‘Natural Fit’<\/h2>\n Gun Lake is located in Wayland, less than a half-hour south of Grand Rapids and roughly halfway between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. The casino offers 47 table games.<\/p>\n
Students who complete the coursework will receive a certificate from the academy. If they pass an audition with the casino and secure a gaming license, Gun Lake officials will guarantee jobs for the students.<\/p>\n
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Casino officials said in a release that the blackjack dealer jobs will pay, on average, between $18 and $22 per hour. That figure includes both base pay and tips. Other benefits include free healthcare and free meals during shifts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
A full-time dealer job at 40 hours per week paying $20 an hour would provide an annual income of $41,600. That nearly matches the median household income of $44,369 for Grand Rapids, based on US Census Bureau data.<\/p>\n
Jose Flores, Gun Lake\u2019s vice president and general manager, told Casino.org<\/em> the dealer position is considered an entry-level job and there’s always a demand.<\/p>\n“At Gun Lake Casino, we believe strongly in promoting from within, and have established internal training programs, along with offering a strong tuition reimbursement program to prepare all team members to step into other positions within our organization,” he said.<\/p>\n
Spots Still Available<\/h2>\n Murray said two sessions of blackjack dealer classes will be held initially. The first will take place over a six-week period on Tuesday and Thursday nights, while the other will run five weeks and run Friday and Saturday mornings and afternoons. A Gun Lake instructor will teach the classes.<\/p>\n
The community college has held a meeting with the local workforce development board and plans two information sessions for the public. The first of those will take place on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
According to the program\u2019s Website<\/a>, 12 spots remain open between the two sessions.<\/p>\nWhile Gun Lake partners with GRCC, it will continue to hold its own free training classes as well, Flores said.<\/p>\n
“We have partnered with GRCC to provide another training avenue to support our local communities with employment opportunities,” he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Gun Lake Casino and Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) have announced a partnership to develop a job training program to help the Michigan-based tribal casino find more blackjack dealers. Starting next month, the Blackjack Dealer Academy at GRCC will consist of a series of classes that will provide aspiring casino employees with 48 hours of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":115021,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,18456],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Michigan Tribal Casino, Community College Form Blackjack Academy<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n