600+ Trinidad and Tobago nationals will take to the sea for the first time as employees/crew of RCG-Royal Caribbean Group.
Just more than a month since thousands flocked to the company's recruitment drives in Trinidad and Tobago, Royal Caribbean has confirmed that a total of 602 candidates had been hired so far.
The cruise company received ~6000 applications following recruitment exercises in Port-of-Spain (Trinidad), San Fernando, and Scarborough (Tobago) last month. The recruitment caused a stir, prompting RCG to add an extra screening date at the National Academy of Performing Arts in Port-of-Spain.
Royal Caribbean Group said it came to T&T with a team of 20 people who had conducted interviews over 4 days. 2 days at NAPA, 1 day at the Southern Academy of Performing Arts, and 1 day at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex in Tobago. Those exercises had generated an overwhelming response.
RCG announced that 822 people had been interviewed in those 4 days. It has been confirmed that after the interviews, Royal Caribbean cruise ships will now be staffed with Trinidad & Tobago nationals in positions like bar servers, bar utility, chefs, restaurant staff, housekeeping, guest services, and catering. People are also being considered for special positions like casino staff, security, electricians, and IT. However, the individuals will now require follow-up interviews/screening due to the nature of the positions.
Royal Caribbean said that while just 822 of the ~6000 applicants had been interviewed, the remaining applicants would still have the chance to be employed as they now formed part of a "wider tourism employment database."
According to Royal Caribbean Group, people who had registered but had not been interviewed in person were now scheduled for virtual interviews.
The Ministry of Tourism is due to facilitate the exercise, the cruise line said and will set up a secretariat in order to support candidates who wish to undergo the employment screening.