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Westin returns with 300 jobs for Nov opening

SINGAPORE — As the Westin hotel chain puts together the finishing touches for its return to Singapore, the brand behind what was once the world’s tallest hotel acknowledges it has a challenge on its hands — filling 300 jobs.

SINGAPORE — As the Westin hotel chain puts together the finishing touches for its return to Singapore, the brand behind what was once the world’s tallest hotel acknowledges it has a challenge on its hands — filling 300 jobs.

Against the backdrop of a tight labour market and more stringent rules on the employment of foreign labour, such as higher levies and tighter qualifying requirement for work passes, Westin is adopting various tactics to ensure it has a full complement of staff in time for the opening of its new hotel at Marina Bay in November. One of these was to organise a mass recruitment drive to attract Singaporeans.

“This is the broadest reach we will have to the public … Our goal is to have more than 60 per cent of our staff Singaporean,” said Mr Lance Ourednik, General Manager of The Westin Singapore, at the two-day employment fair which started yesterday at Asia Square Tower 2.

“The challenge will be if we cannot meet the minimum 60 per cent of our staff being Singaporeans, (but) I’m quietly confident,” he added.

The company aims to recruit 70 to 80 per cent of its manpower needs through the recruitment drive, where jobs on offer include housekeepers and security officers as well as supervisory-level posts.

“As a company, we are developing and opening hotels globally at quite a significant pace, so it’s a tangible opportunity for career growth … We don’t really have a lot of borders and boundaries,” Mr Ourednik said, adding that everyone in the company has an equal chance to move up the company’s ranks.

Westin’s return to Singapore after a hiatus of more than a decade is part of its major expansion plan for Asia.

Westin used to run The Westin Stamford (now Swissotel The Stamford), once the tallest hotel in the world, and Westin Plaza (now Fairmont Hotel), until its management contract expired at the end of 2011.

The chain, which now has 41 hotels across the region, aims to add another 29 to its portfolio in the next five years.

“We see Asia as the fastest growing region in the world for us,” said Mr Chuck Abbott, Regional Vice-President for South-east Asia at Starwood Hotels and Resorts, which owns the Westin brand.

“There are a couple of reasons. You have China, India and Indonesia being some of the largest populated countries all within five hours of flying time, and you have a middle class growing extremely fast. More people have the means to travel not only on business but also on leisure,” said Mr Abbott.

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