Hospitality Trainee Becomes Manager at Sandals Royal

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – She does not admit to being a prophetess of any kind
but from a very tender age, Venecia Newry knew she was destined for a bright future filled with
accolades along the way.

In a remarkable story of determination and sheer will, the 33-year-old mother of two went from being a hospitality trainee to a laundry manager at the luxury included resort on Cable Beach, Sandals Royal Bahamian.

While she is elated to be the newest member of the management team at the resort, she shared that her intrinsic belief is what makes her story all the more awe inspiring.

“As a little girl, people used to say that my brother and I would never amount to anything and even as a child, I just knew I would defy those negative words. I felt deep in my heart that my life would be one laced with congratulations. I never had an ounce of doubt about my abilities even when everything around me could have caused me to think otherwise,” Newry said.

Newry’s glorious journey dates back to 2015.

The impressionable young woman was doing domestic jobs around Nassau to make ends meet then one day, opportunity knocked.

A relative told her about the Hospitality Training Program at Sandals and without hesitation she decided to give it a shot.

“I applied to the program and was successful. I was placed in the housekeeping department. It is a program that lasts for six weeks and I was working hard and doing everything I could to learn quickly. In my third week, I was assigned my own set of rooms, four of which were up for arrival. This was my first time doing it on my own, my manager saw that I had the passion and he asked me to jump in and I did just that,” she recalled as a look of pride wafted across her face.

Her manager and supervisors were impressed with what she was able to do with the rooms with only three weeks of training and offered Newry a job with the company upon completion of the program.

In fact, she was hired on graduation day.

It quickly became apparent that Newry was of such ilk that exponential growth wouldn’t be out of her reach. In a matter of about eight months, she was charting the course as a room attendant and was soon selected to become a supervisor within the department.

“I was a supervisor and a departmental trainer after just a short stint as room attendant. In my capacity as supervisor and trainer, I helped to develop people. My team was one of the top teams in the department. We went about our duties with excellence,” she shared.

At Sandals Royal Bahamian, Newry made an indelible mark becoming one of the most reliable and sought after team members. It comes as no surprise then, that she is perhaps one of the most decorated team members at Sandals Royal Bahamian, copping several coveted awards at the resort.

“I have won the General Manager’s Award twice, the Hotel Manager’s Award twice and the Supervisor of the Year Award twice. I have also won the awards for Sandals Earth Guardian and Sandals Foundation because of my commitment to the environment and to community outreach,” Newry declared.

News of Newry’s promotion spread quickly across the resort and was met with very positive feedback from her colleagues and leaders alike.

General Manager Adrian Whitehead lauds her for being an astute and resourceful leader.

“Venecia demonstrated a great level of leadership even before she was a manager. I’m pleased that she is now in a capacity where she can truly shine as the ardent leader that she is. I am excited about all she will bring to this role and just how much more she will help with the growth and development of those for whom she’s directly responsible,” said Whitehead.