The Study Options Available For Prospective Casino Employees In Singapore
By Donn Richard
November 07
Singapore
Judging
by the surge in email inquiries, it is obviously no secret to Singaporedice
readers that a major, if not the major requirement of gaining employment at the
now under construction casinos at IR Resorts World at Sentosa and IR the Marina
Bay Sands, is the successful completion of curriculum in a professionally
qualified Casino College; such completion leading to the awarding of a
certificate, a diploma or a degree in one or more of the Casino sciences. Indeed, due to
the sheer volume and persistence of Singaporedice readers?requests, it was
resolved to investigate the various colleges offering certificate and diploma
level casino and hospitality educational programmes, visiting the premises,
interviewing the key players and endeavouring to give our readers the most
comprehensive and up to date portrayal of what is on offer.
Several appointments were made. ICGTC (International Club Games Training Center) is Singapore’s first Casino Dealer College and has been open since June of 2006. AGMI International (Asia Pacific Gaming Management Institute) is Singapore’s second Casino Dealer College, and has been officially open since September 2007. Also, the two larger vocational colleges, both with established histories, namely Nanyang Institute and ACPE (Asian Centre for Professional Excellence), have recently begun offering casino training courses at the Diploma level in collaboration with ICGTC.
The four other vocational colleges, namely Shines College, Bradford Rex Educational Consultants, EASB Institute of Management and the Tourism Management Institute of Singapore; I was unable to visit due to time constraints, offer exciting Diploma and Degree programmes in Casino Management through their collaborations with universities in Europe.
My first stop was at AGMI where I was warmly welcomed, by the extremely knowledgeable founder and president, Dr. Alan Soh. And it must be said, Dr. Soh’s knowledge was aptly reflected in the premises of AGMI. What is absolutely striking is that AGMI contains a large and very beautiful Casino Lab which acts as a mock casino floor. It is exactly what you would find in a real casino; with professional gaming tables in Baccarat, Blackjack and Roulette.
What I personally found most intriguing was that included in AGMI’s study cost is a ?07-like?silver briefcase containing all of the necessary “casino tools? (cards, dice, chips, etc.) which give trainees the opportunity to take home the skills learnt and practice them.
AGMI organizes a “preview?every two weeks on either a Monday or a Tuesday. This preview allows interested members of the public to get a first hand view of the premises, ask questions and get acquainted with the college’s managers and trainers.
AGMI began grooming future casino croupiers in mid October. Full-time training sessions take place in the afternoons while part-time sessions occur in the evenings. According to Dr. Soh, two experienced former Casino Managers assist him with the training.
AGMI
International offers the Certificate in Casino Pit Games Management. As part of
the world’s largest
casino
college chain, Casino College USA, AGMI promises value for money to its
students, with course materials developed by Dr. Soh himself.
AGMI is conveniently located on the 5th floor of Mova Building on Jalan Bukit Merah and is a seven minute walk from Redhill MRT station. Alternatively, there are many buses traveling through the area as well. Remember, the elevator to the 5th floor is at the rear of the building!
An interview I conducted earlier with Dr. Alan Soh can be found here.
Stop number two was at ICGTC. This college has become part of Singapore’s casino and gaming history by becoming the first Casino Dealer School to open shop here in the Lion City. The illustrious date was June 2006.
ICG was literally buzzing with activity on the day of my visit. Within some of the most beautiful casino labs I have ever encountered, trainee croupiers worked the gaming tables, busily practicing the mechanics of the “Great Games of Chance.?
I soon sat down for a one-hour marathon discussion with ICG’s CEO and Head of Curriculum,
Mr. Ramachandar Siva. No one could help but be taken aback by Mr. Siva’s expertise in the field of training, curriculum development and his overall knowledge of vast aspects of the casino industry.
Mr. Siva confirmed that he employed several experienced trainers full-time, holding between them a combined many years of solid casino management and training experience.
A great concern amongst Singaporeans wishing to pursue a career in the casino industry is not only the study options available to them but also how much assistance is given by a particular casino dealer school with regards to internships and perhaps even job placements at either the Marina Bay Sands or Resorts world at Sentosa. Naturally, I steered the conversation into that direction. It was interesting to learn from Mr. Siva that in Asia, and especially on cruise liners, casino croupiers are paid according to nationality, as there is no need for a work permit and croupiers become seamen. Casinos are businesses; if a casino operator can find someone capable of performing just as good of a job for less money then they will hire him.
Having said that, Mr. Siva believes that casino croupiers holding Singapore nationality, with one year’s work experience on their CV’s, should be able to command SG $ 1500+ at one of the IRs. This of course excludes tips which can be as much as SG $ 500 per month.
However, what is most intriguing at ICG is the special arrangement the college has with Star Cruises. According to Mr. Siva, members of the Star Cruises Casino Recruitment Department hold interview sessions at ICG every three months, and select trainees they feel will make quality croupiers on their ships. This is a particularly positive aspect for those seeking relatively immediate employment.
Star
Cruises pay their new Singaporean recruits without experience SG $ 1050 a month.
This is considerably higher than what other nationalities receive as
remuneration, according to
Mr.
Ramachandar Siva.
The current success rate of ICG graduates landing a position as croupier with Star Cruises is between 60%-70%. For graduates holding a degree in any discipline, there is also the possibility to apply for a position as Trainee Surveillance Officer. Because graduates will have had no prior exposure in this interesting field, candidates, are however, thoroughly screened for the right work attitude and character. It is also important to note that according to Mr. Siva, Singapore graduates may find it extremely difficult to obtain employment in one of the casinos in Genting, Macau or other countries due to work permit requirements. Please keep in mind also that ICG can neither promise nor guarantee job placement with Star Cruises, IR Resorts World at Sentosa or the Marina Bay Sands.
For ICG graduates holding full-time jobs or who have other commitments and thus can not apply with Star Cruises immediately after graduation, Mr. Siva assured me that they needn’t despair. ICG understands that after a while former graduates can get a little “rusty?and will need to refresh themselves in practicing the mechanics of dealing. ICG offers every alumnus a unique opportunity to revisit the school any time and retrain for FREE.
Sick with the flu the day of my visit and barely able to stand on his feet, Mr. Ramachandar Siva nevertheless insisted in showing me around the college. There are two lecture halls equipped with state of the art technology. This is where theory is taught. There are four elegantly designed casino labs. Each lab is especially designed for its own gaming purpose. There is also an exam room, and a lovely and very modern canteen, where trainees can, during the break, enjoy refreshments provided by the school while exchanging views on the latest mechanics of the games learnt.
Walking from lab to lab I felt like walking through a real casino gaming floor. It became obvious that no detail was left unchecked during the construction and design of the training centre. Hats off to you Mr. Siva!
Remarkably, in addition to the gaming floors, ICG also offers trainees an exact copy of a Casino Pit Management System of a real casino. This special room is the nerve centre of every casino. It includes chip banks and a cashier’s cage; and according to ICG’s CEO and Head of Curriculum, Mr. Siva, it is the first and only such facility of its kind anywhere in the world; adding that it is much needed to give trainees a broader understanding of a real casino as well as to give students an “authentic feel?needed to enhance learning.
ICG offers three certificate programmes, the Certificate in Dealing Casino Games, the Certificate in Table Games Supervision and the Certificate in Casino Management. ICGTC collaborates with Nanyang in delivering the Diploma in Tourism & Hospitality Management (Casino Management), and with ACPE in delivering the Diploma in Leisure Management (Casino Operations). It is important to note that the Diplomas are awarded by Nanyang Institute of Management and the Asian Centre for Professional Excellence and not ICGTC.
ICG is located a little bit out of town, in Turf City. There is a FREE shuttle bus from MRT Ang Mo Kio station. Turn right out of exit B and the free big blue shuttle bus to Turf City will stop between the traffic lights and the taxi stand, I believe, every 30 minutes. The trip is a long one, from MRT station Ang Mo Kio to Turf city- about 30 minutes. There are also public buses that travel to Turf City. Check the bus company schedules for details. ICG is next to the Food Court in Turf City!
I had done a Q & A interview session with Mr. Siva earlier and it was an honour to have the now legendary Mr. Ramachandar Sivagananam, CEO and Head of Curriculum at ICGTC take his place in our “sizzling?Singaporedice Hot Seat. My Q & A session with him certainly makes for a very interesting read.
My third stop was at Nanyang Institute of Management established in 2001. The Nanyang Institute is a vocational college offering a variety of Certificate, Diploma and degree programmes in English, Business, Information Technology, Accounting, Commerce, Tourism & Hospitality, Education and Casino Management. Many of the courses are taught in collaboration with various colleges and universities in Singapore and Australia.
Upon arrival, I was graciously met by Ms. Grace Phua, Head of Operations and Mr. John Chen, Nanying’s Regional Manager. They explained to me some of the interesting aspects of the Institute’s curriculum. This programme of study utilizes collaboration with ICG, thus ensuring a high quality educational experience.
The four modules covering the theory and practicalities of the Diploma in Tourism and Hospitality (Casino Management) are studied at ICGTC, while the four remaining modules predominantly covering Tourism and Hospitality are read at Nanyang.
After successful completion of 6 months of on-campus training, Nanyang students are eligible for an 8-month paid industry attachment, mostly in hotels in Singapore, Australia, New Zealand or the USA. For industry attachments in Singapore, interns will receive from SG $500 up. The fact that a school can arrange for an industry attachment is an enormous advantage as trainees with experience under their belts will have a head start in applying for Tourism & Hospitality positions with IR RWS and IR Sands.
Nanyang is conveniently located on 8 Shenton Way, a 2-minute walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT station.
My fourth and final stop was at ACPE. ACPE is a vocational college offering a variety of Certificate, Diploma and Degree programmes in Digital Media & Information Technology, Tourism & Hospitality Management, Finance & Investment and Entrepreneurship & Management. There, I was introduced to Mr. Yeh Choy Yan, ACPE’s Director of International Cooperation and Exchange.
As most Singaporedice readers will be aware, Mr. Yan is none other than the famous former “heavy weight?from the Tourism Board of Singapore. He is immensely knowledgeable on the subject, and I absorbed a wealth of information during my discussion with him.
Mr. Yan explained that Tourism is an excellent career to follow as thousands of new recruits are needed each year to fill the numerous vacancies that have become available as the Singapore Tourism Industry experiences a phenomenal growth, not seen in decades.
He confirmed to me that ACPE’s Diploma in Leisure Management (Casino Operations) is taught in collaboration with ICG. There are nine modules. Typically, students start off at ICG covering the first three modules and learning the mechanics of the games. Afterwards, students read the remaining six modules at ACPE.
ACPE is on 341 river Valley Road and can be reached by bus 5,16,32,54,139 and 195.
I was very impressed by all the schools I visited, particularly in regards to their commitments to their students. At ICG, where I was encouraged to look through the teaching materials, I was immeasurably impressed with their curriculum. Likewise, the college seemed very professionally run on the day of my visit. Mr. Siva recommends the certificate in Dealing Casino Games (CDCG) to school leavers and the Certificate in Table Games Supervision (CTGS) as a follow up certificate to CDCG for those of you who are more ambitious. However, you must be 21 and have GCE N-level with credit in English to do the CTGS.
For people with work experience in a supervisory position, Mr. Siva recommends the Certificate in Casino Management (floor Operations) (CCMF). This certificate is a combination of the CDCG & the CTGS. It is essentially a two in one designed for the more enterprising types amongst you. The CCMF works out to approximately SG $ 878 cheaper than if you were to take the CTGS as a follow up to the CDCG and pay the course fees separately.
At AGMI, where I was also encouraged to examine some of their teaching materials, I was once again suitably impressed. As mentioned earlier, the curriculum and materials are developed by the college’s founder, Dr. Alan Soh himself. Dr. Soh recommends the Certificate in Casino Pit Games Management to anyone aged 18 and above.
AGMI’s admission requirements are slightly more flexible than ICG’s as the college itself will assess the suitability of the trainees to register for the course.
AGMI and ICG appear to offer a pricing structure that is similar to one another and is practically identical.
The staff and the owners of the two casino colleges seem to have the interests of the students at heart. Both schools offer certificate level programmes, with ICG offering three certificate choices; the Certificate in Dealing Casino Games, the Certificate in Table Games Supervision and the Certificate in Casino Management. AGMI offers one certificate choice, the Certificate in Casino Pit Games Management.
ICG offers study at the Diploma level through its collaborations with Nanyang and ACPE. AGMI are not yet offering these types of collaborations. This, however, may well change very soon as Dr. Alan Soh is a driven and great visionary.
Some of the emails I have received seemed to mostly focus on the quality and reliability of the six or so casino course providers in Singapore. Since the casinos do not yet exist in Singapore, there is no controlling body which inspects the schools and determines the quality of the courses delivered. The MOE does not, at the time of writing, inspect the quality of the curriculum or the qualifications of the teachers. As of yet, there is no standard set of rules that ensure the quality of the teaching materials at the two casino colleges. The responsibility to ensure the quality of the courses lay on the shoulders of the people who developed the materials and curriculum and who recruited the trainers at their schools. The quality of the course is at the mercy of the school owners.
Some schools may display the Case Trust logo on their websites or in their leaflets. However, in my personal opinion, this is no more than a certification confirming good practices and standards for student protection and welfare. It does not in any way guarantee to the student the quality of the study progammes at a particular school. Follow this link if you want to know more: http://www.case.org.sg
Some schools have partnerships with an overseas educational establishment. This may be a good thing. However, there is no guarantee that it is. Too often, these “partnerships?end up being more about marketing the school than in ensuring school quality. There is no guarantee that the partner institution oversees the standards of curriculum or teaching staff.
Because the quality of the programmes delivered at the casino/vocational colleges in Singapore depends very much on the school’s Head of Curriculum and trainers, it is imperative that you sign up for a no obligations introduction arranged by the school, e.g. a free seminar/preview. Get acquainted with the Head of Curriculum and especially the trainers in charge of delivering the course. Ask questions. You are making an investment and you are entitled, indeed obligated to do so.
Do your homework well BEFORE deciding at which school to enroll with. Investigate thoroughly. Determine the quality of the courses and the background of the college as well as the facilities available before making a decision to enroll. Ask if you can observe a training session taking place. Speak to current trainees. Ask to see the course material, the books and the curriculum. Talk with the trainers. Ask intelligent, well-prepared questions.
Read and reread the information on the schools?websites and leaflets. Do not hesitate to email them for further clarifications. I personally also strongly encourage you to fully understand the terms of the Standard Student Contract and seek additional clarifications whenever necessary before enrolling in the course of study.
Most people interested in gaining employment especially in one of IRs casinos will probably have to seek training from one of the course providers mentioned above. It will be difficult to approach the HR department of one of the IRs without at least a certificate and some experience under your belt. Personally, I suspect that they will be interested in folks that have both the training and the experience.
It is not uncommon for casinos to have their own unique betting system in place at their casinos, and that after having recruited the right candidates, they will often train them in what they call the ‘house style? the casino’s own unique way of dealing cards. I cannot currently confirm that this will be the case at Resorts World at Sentosa and the Marina Bay Sands Casinos. Construction of the two IRs has only begun nine months ago!
Personally I believe that the more experience you have in your field the higher the chances are in gaining employment at a supervisory level in one of the IRs. It will still be difficult as there will be competition for these types of positions. It is highly possible that supervisory level vacancies in the casinos at the IRs will only be given to job seekers already holding supervisory positions at casinos outside Singapore. These supervisors will be expected to spot the hard working Croupier and assist HR in filling additional supervisory positions when they arise. It is like any job. You start at the bottom of the ladder and climb it up step-by-step.
On a final note I would like to say that entering the casino industry isn’t for everyone. Not everyone is good with numbers, not everyone wants to work odd hours and not everyone has the right people skills needed to make a good croupier. Having said this, entering the casino industry can be a fulfilling career choice that promises excitement and fun times for the adventurous amongst you.
For additional reading on the requirements for employees intending to work in a casino in Singapore follow this link.
It is important to note that the article above should not be looked at as anything more than an opinion.
