Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center Awarded Workforce Employer of the Year Award
Press Release
For Immediate Release
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
NAWDP Communications Coordinator
Amanda Grigsby
Phone: 417.204.2954
Email: amanda@nawdp.org
Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center Awarded
Workforce Employer of the Year Award
West Plains, MO (December 4, 2020) – The National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) has awarded Gracie Vega and the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center (Marriott International) the Workforce Employer of the Year Award. The annual award will be presented at the 2020 NAWDP Virtual Youth Symposium on December 9.
The Workforce Employer of the Year Award recognizes a private-sector employer or employer consortium that partners and collaborates with local workforce partners to create a positive impact in their local area and, as a result, has benefited other employers, workers, and the community. Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center earned the prestigious award by developing several innovative programs in cooperation with Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County (WTSC) to promote long-term career opportunities within the hospitality industry. These programs include the Veteran’s Initiative Program that assists Veterans transition from the military to hospitality careers and a partnership with Arlington Independent School district for a pilot program to promote student career pathways in the hospitality industry.
Vega, the resort’s Human Resources Director, has been the driving force in developing the resort’s workforce programs and changing the negative stereotypes associated with careers in the hospitality industry as being “dead-end jobs.” She has also been instrumental in creating the Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County (WSTC) Hospitality Council to solve the industry’s talent shortages and create career pathways in hospitality for both students and transitioning job seekers.
“Gracie Vega and the Gaylord Texan Resort are perfect examples of an organization that is invested in their employees and bettering their community,” said Melissa Robbins, NAWDP Chief Executive Officer. “Gracie’s ability to develop partnerships and bring the right people together has made a lasting impact on Gaylord’s employees and the hospitality industry as a whole.”
Founded in 1989, NAWDP is a national professional association representing individual workforce development and human resources practitioners who connect jobseekers, educators, and companies to advance the American economy. NAWDP’s mission is to promote the workforce development profession by providing training and resources to its members, improve the effectiveness of the nation’s workforce development programs, and enhance public-private cooperation in the pursuit of full employment.
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