Engineering Success

Effective lighting, soothing music, and clear digital signage are just three of the many ways that Chad Lei sends his greetings to guests of The Venetian Macao. The Assistant Chief Engineer handles all audio and visual facilities, which are pivotal to the extraordinary sojourn that the hotel strives to deliver.
“With our state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, we take the hotel experience to a new level,” said Lei, who joined the company in 2007. “Consider Sands Cotai Central, for example. It is filled with interactive technologies to enhance the visiting experience for both leisure-seekers and business travelers.”

Opened in April, the latest Sands China Ltd. resort features hotel brands Conrad, Sheraton and Holiday Inn, and offers nearly 6,000 hotel rooms, 1.2 million square feet of retail, entertainment and conference facilities, and over 20 dining establishments upon completion in early 2013.

“With the continuous expansion of the company, we have access to the latest systems. Regular training is provided to ensure that we are all fully familiar with operation and maintenance. Such knowledge lets us stay at the forefront of the industry, which is instrumental to our career development,” said Lei, who is responsible for foreseeing the manpower needs for his team, and instructs supervisors and managers in their respective divisions to start hiring.

“We’re happy to train new recruits with no previous experience, especially local talent, as long as they share our team spirit and passion. Though we do not deal with guests directly, there are many opportunities for us to meet them on the job. Therefore, besides technical skills, we put great emphasis on etiquette,” said Lei.

“But the best part about the job is that you get to know a little bit about everything—from audio and visual equipment and walkie-talkie devices to centralized lighting systems and the integrated services digital network. This is so the team can be flexible and versatile.

“Given the rapid development of Macau, engineers and technicians are always in demand,” Lei stated. As they gain experience, qualified engineers often get into management. There are numerous properties needing management expertise. In addition to Sands Cotai Central, Sands China Ltd. also owns Sands Macao, The Venetian Macao and The Plaza Macao, which makes it the largest premium hospitality provider in the city.

“There always are new additions and alteration projects occurring on our properties; the company is constantly expanding and upgrading the use of existing space to better meet the needs of guests,” said Gordon Ng, Director of Facilities.

Engineers who become project managers deal with external contractors and consultants to keep each renovation project on schedule and within budget. These management positions usually require eight to ten years of experience in the field.

“Besides technical training, we also receive training in management and communication skills to enhance the team’s efficiency, as well as anti-corruption seminars to constantly remind all workers about our code of conduct,” said Ng.

“In our weekly meetings, anyone with thoughts on how to improve the current facilities is invited to share them because the management is open-minded and welcomes new ideas. This is one of the management philosophies that I really appreciate. It creates a positive working environment.

“However, what I like best about the field is that it never gets boring,” continued Ng. “It is dynamic and challenging.  To see an area being transformed into a furnished and cozy space from a bare concrete pad gives me a great sense of achievement. And that is what drives me to push the envelope.”

Want to learn about job opportunities with Venetian?
Visit http://hotels.macauhr.com/venetian

Keyword:  Macauhr, Venetian, Engineering, Sands Cotai Central