Advancement: Pascua Yaqui Tribe
Located adjacent to Tucson, Arizona, PYT operates two successful gaming operations that provide the Tribe critical revenue and tribal members hundreds of jobs. For years, the casinos’ management positions were held almost exclusively by non-PYT members, but the Tribe has set out to change that through its Supporting Tribal Employment Partnership (STEP) program. STEP grooms its participants to rise through the ranks through a “flexible” training regimen with the goal “to promote from within and have a tribal member prepared to take over a position before an opening occurs.” STEP – which features on-site workshops, on-the-job training, shadowing department heads, self-study, personalized coaching, and community college classes – has elevated dozens of tribal members to management positions since its inception. STEP’s top rung is its highly competitive Executive Succession program, which features intensive university-level coursework and participation in a student exchange program (18-24 months in duration) with other tribal casinos across the U.S. to learn “best practices and different management styles.” Under this program, the contract of Casino del Sol’s current CEO stipulates that she work herself out of a job by mentoring five tribal members to move into the casino’s executive management jobs – including hers – by 2020.
CONNECT: Miguel Roman, Director of Tribal Development, Casino Del Sol, Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Miguel.Roman@casinodelsol.com
Tribal Workforce Development: PASCUA YAQUI TRIBE
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