Acuatico Beach Resort is the Country Winner in the ASEAN Business Awards (ABA) 2019 for Skills Development under the Mid Tier Category. It was awarded to Ms. Simonette Gusi for her company’s skills development activities.
This prestigious award was given as a recognition to an outstanding business that has demonstrated a significant contribution to human capital development. The award winners were evaluated and selected by judges from each of the ASEAN countries.
ABA recognizes Acuatico’s advocacy in training employees to upgrade their knowledge and skills. Its Continuing Education Program provides opportunities for employees to undergo at least 40 hours of training per year in various subjects pertinent to their function in the company.
“I always believed that excellent customer service comes from excellent skills development and I never hesitated in investing our resources into the proper training of our employees,” Gusi enthused.
Going a step beyond, Gusi, a native of Batangas, also initiated the K-12 Plus Project in collaboration with seventeen resort members of the Association of Laiya Resort Owners (ALRO), Laiya National High School, Department of Education, GIZ, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Human Resource Development Foundation (PCCI-HRDF) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
K-12 Plus Project is an initiative that aims to promote dual education and training in senior high school to ensure that graduating students are suitably trained and immersed in the workforce to properly equip them for the future ahead. This program also provides them sustainable jobs that will help them grow as budding professionals with marketable skills in the hotel and service industry.
With partner resorts providing subsidized workplace-based training to students, each student gets at least 800 training hours and National & Chamber Certificates in Housekeeping, Food and Beverage, Front Office Operation and Tourism Promotion by the time they graduate.
To date, the project has 156 graduates, 60% of which were already hired by participating resorts.
Gusi’s relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation and her undying passion for human resource development has certainly paid off. Acuatico Beach Resort has been branded as one of the finest resorts locally and internationally and awarded with Trip Advisor’s Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame as well as the Traveler’s Choice Award for consistently receiving great reviews.
