By Seth Daniel
Jobs have been the center of the Wynn Boston Harbor movement in Everett since day one, and Mayor Carlo DeMaria won over some of the harshest skeptics in Everett with the promise of long-term, full-time jobs.
Those jobs are now just a 30 months away, as the Wynn development is running ahead of schedule and set to open in June 2019, and by all accounts, hiring will start long before that.
Now, DeMaria is concerned that Everett residents will be ready and qualified to fill the thousands of jobs that are set aside in the Wynn development for those with an Everett address.
In his State of the City address, DeMaria spent more time talking about workforce development and training for Wynn jobs than he did on most anything else.
“As Mr. Wynn has said, if potential employees had personality, he could train them, and as you all know, we are not short on personality in Everett,” said the mayor on Jan. 9 in his State of the City speech. “I ask that our residents be trained by the company, and for those who require more advanced training in order to be hired, I ask for opportunities to let them start working on getting the skills that they will need to get these jobs in 2019.”
In response, Wynn officials this week said they applauded DeMaria’s initiatives and reiterated their commitment to getting Everett residents ready for the hirings that will take place in only a little over a year from now.
“All of us at Wynn Boston Harbor applaud and support Mayor DeMaria’s initiatives,” said Bob DeSalvio, president of Wynn Boston Harbor. “He wants thoughtful development around our resort on Lower Broadway, and so do we. He wants his residents to have solid careers providing memorable guest experiences, and so do we. We’re proud that several of our first hires and vendor awards at Wynn Boston Harbor were filled by Everett residents and we know that number will increase as our workforce ramps up and the commitments of our host community agreement take shape. Ultimately, we hope that anyone in Everett who wants to be part of the Wynn Boston Harbor team will find a role with us and our $2.1 billion resort will drive even more growth, development and jobs to this already amazing city. “
Specifically, DeMaria said he would like to have a website that gives job descriptions for positions that will be coming to Everett’s casino in 2019. He also said he hoped to get the qualifications for those jobs posted, with a link to training programs or educational programs nearby that provide the training one would need to be qualified for any particular position.
“Guest experience is at the heart of a resort’s success, and well-trained employees will be the ones to deliver,” said the mayor in his speech. “It is smart business sense to ensure that we have a ready workforce in Everett given the competitive nature of recruiting and retaining employees within greater Boston’s hospitality industry, and investment in training is needed now.”
As far as the clearinghouse goes, Wynn officials said there is a company-wide website already in operation that lists positions and job requirements at all Wynn properties, including Wynn Boston Harbor.
That clearinghouse is called the Wynn Talent Network. Those interested can view jobs at any resort in the Wynn portfolio – scanning requirements and salaries for positions in Everett or Las Vegas regarding everything from part-time room attendants to visual merchandising experts.
Currently, the only job posting for Everett is for a project engineer with the Wynn Design and Development team.
While that is part of the call from DeMaria, he went further in his State of the City to ask for something like a training center – almost a Wynn University of sorts.
DeMaria has hinted at that in the past when the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) held a public meeting in Everett last fall. During that meeting, DeMaria talked about using some of the grant money from the MGC funds to create some sort of job force training initiatives.
In his State of the City, he indicated that his office has already begun coordinating with several groups like the Metro North Regional Employment Board and the Career Resource Center in Chelsea.
One thing is for certain, the time is ticking and there is only so much time that Everett residents will have to be prepared and qualified for the barrage of jobs that will be coming their way in 2018 and 2019.