>>> MASSACHUSETTS CASINO CAREER TRAINING INSTITUTE IS A WORK
FORCE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION THAT HAS PARTNERED WITH HOLYOKE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE, SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND
MGM TO RUN A 10-WEEK TRAINING COURSE IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN
SPRINGFIELD.
PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS LEAVE WITH SKILLS NECESSARY TO BECOME
DEALERS AS WELL AS OTHER AREAS OF CASINO OPERATIONS.
PRODUCER ALEJANDRO CAMERON VISITED THE INSTITUTE'S MOCK
CASINO FLOOR TO BRING US THIS REPORT.
>> IT'S A TRADE, IT'S A TOOL THAT YOU CAN USE ANYWHERE, AND
FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
>> WE'RE JUST IN OUR THIRD WEEK HERE OF THE SCHOOL HERE.
BUT WE HAVE DONE THIS PROGRAM IN PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY IN
MARYLAND AND A COUPLE OTHER LOCATIONS WHERE WE'VE DEVELOPED
SOME CASINOS.
BUT WE'RE JUST IN WEEK THREE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE TAKING BABY
STEPS.
>> THAT WAS GOOD.
>> SO THE PURPOSE OF THE SCHOOL IS FOR PEOPLE TO COME HERE AND
GET THE TRAINING THEY NEED SO THEY CAN BE DEALERS.
THEY COULD DEAL POKER, BLACK JACK, CRAPS, ROULETTE, ALL THE
GAMES THAT MGM WILL HAVE AVAILABLE ONCE THE CASINO OPENS.
THEY CAN GET THE SKILLS THEY NEED SO THEY ARE EMPLOYABLE BY
MGM ULTIMATELY.
>> WE WANT TO REVITALIZE WHATEVER AREA WE'RE GOING INTO,
SO OBVIOUSLY DOWNTOWN SPRINGFIELD BEWANT TO EMPLOY THE
PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND WE'VE GOT TO GIVE PEOPLE THE
SKILLS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO SUCCEED WITH US.
PEOPLE CAN REINVENT THEIR LIVES, HAVE A SECOND CAREER, WHATEVER
THEY CHOOSE, BUT THE DRIVE IS TO REALLY SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY,
BRING BACK THE ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT SHOULD BE HERE AND EMPLOY
THE PEOPLE.
>> I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO THIS IN MY YOUNGER DAYS AND I NEVER
DID IT.
NATURALLY YOU HAD TO GO TO LAS VEGAS.
BUT THEN MGM CAME HERE TO SPRINGFIELD AND I SAW AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO, SO I FIGURED LET ME
TAKE A SHOT AT IT.
>> WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF TWO 10-WEEK SESSIONS, THE FIRST ONE
HAS A BLACK JACK CLASS, THEN WE'LL START A SEND SESSION OF 10
WEEKS WHICH WOULD EITHER TAKE CRAPS, ARE ROULETTE.
>> I LOVE IT.
MY EXPERIENCE HERE HAS BEEN MORE THAN I THOUGHT.
AFTER BEING HERE, STARTING MY SECOND WEEK, IT'S A LOT MORE
EXCITING, A LOT MORE INTERESTING THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE
BEEN TO START.
>> ONCE THEIR DONE AND NAY GET THEIR CERTIFICATE, EL WE'LL HOW
HOW -- AUDITION FOR MGM AND MAKE A
DECISION ON WHETHER WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEM.
>> IT GIVES ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO START SOMETHING NEW AND
DIFFERENT, AND I'M VERY EXCITED.
>> IT A VERY EXPERIENCE ORIENTED TRAINING, THEY'RE HANDING CARDS,
THEY'RE IN ACTIVE PLAY THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
EACH WEEK THERE'S A QUIZ TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE LEARN AND IF
THEY NEED EXTRA HELP THE SCHOOL IS OPEN ON SATURDAYS FOR PEOPLE
WHO NEED THE EXTRA HELP.
>> THE SECOND DAY WE GOT HERE THE ELEVATOR DIDN'T FUNCTION, SO
ACTUALLY HAD TO USE THE STAIRS, AND IT WAS NINE FLIGHTS UP.
AS I GOT IN THE DOOR I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY THEY WERE GOING TO
SEND SOMEBODY DOWN TO SEE IF I COULD MAKE IT BECAUSE I HAVE A
LITTLE BIT OF A KNEE INJURY.
I SAID REALLY, JUST TAKE YOUR TIME.
>> WITH THE STUDENTS I JUST LOVE WATCHING THEIR ENTHUSIASM, EVEN
FROM DAY ONE FROM THE BEGINNING OF CLASS AT 8:00 A.M.
TO BY 11:15 AND THEY WERE ABLE
ACTUALLY TO HOLD THE CHECKS AND HANDLE THE CHECKS AND IT WAS
LIKE WOW.
SO FOUR HOURS MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE I. JUST LOVE WATCHING
THEIR ENTHUSIASM, THEIR PROGRESS, THROUGH THEIR EYES.
>> THIS IS TRULY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS IN SPRINGFIELD AND
SURROUNDING AREAS TO GAIN SKILLS SO THEY CAN GET A JOB WITH AN
INTERNATIONAL COMPANY.
THE CLASSES THAT YOU TAKE HERE ARE EXTREMELY AFFORDABLE AS
COMPARED TO OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY THAT TEACH GAMING AS
WELL.
AND MGM HAS ANNOUNCED A TUITION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM, SO IF YOU
COME TO SCHOOL, PASS TWO CLASSES, TAKE THE AUDITION, AND
ARE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED BY MGM AND STAY WITH THEM FOR A YEAR,
NAY WILL REIMBURSE YOU ALL THE COST OF EDUCATION.
AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY REMAKE YOUR CAREER.
>> GOING TO BE ABLE TO WORK ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD FOR MGM
WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
OPENS UP LOTS OF DOORS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR MYSELF AND MY
FAMILY.