Dreams Fulfilled : For Many, Jobs at New Hotel Mean Escape From Unemployment

In the early 1960s, when Theamous Bailey was 6 or 7 years old, he would play in the lobby of the U.S. Grant Hotel on Broadway. Bailey always dreamed that he would someday work in the grand rooms he scampered around in as a child.

Today, at age 30, the native San Diegan is in the process of fulfilling that dream.

When the 75-year-old hotel re-opens Sunday after extensive renovations, Bailey will be there to serve guests as one of 26 banquet waiters. He will be one of nearly 250 employees at the hotel who were hired through the Jobs for San Diegans Program, sponsored by the Private Industry Council and the Employment Training Consortium.

Most of the 250 employees, which comprise 71% of the hotel’s work force, were formerly unemployed or come from disadvantaged backgrounds, said Chris Venner, managing director of the Grant.

“We had projected that about 51% of our work force would be hired through this program,” said Venner. “We were so pleased with their overall quality that we hired a higher percentage.”

Venner said the employees are working in every phase of the hotel--from front desk to the kitchen, from maid service to the switchboard. They were chosen because of their willingness to learn and their eager attitudes, said Venner.

For many, it is their first experience working in a luxury hotel.

Bailey had worked at a catering company and as a cook’s helper, then as a parking supervisor at the recently opened Horton Plaza. He quit, however, for the chance to work at the Grant.

“I’ve actually fulfilled two dreams at one hit because I always wanted to work at the Grant and I always wanted to be a waiter at the Grant,” Bailey said. “I like working with people and I like being able to help people enjoy themselves and seeing that all of their needs are met.”

All of the employees hired through the consortium have undergone a seven weeks of training to instill basic hotel skills, including how to present and serve food, menu selection, pricing, how to handle money, use of computers, and how to take food orders.

The employees even spent three days touring San Diego to gain a working knowledge of the city so they will be able to give tourist tips to hotel guests, Venner said. The training sessions also stressed motivation and service.

“We wanted to stress what it takes to be a conscientious employee and what to expect working in a place like this,” Venner said. “We are trying to bring a higher level of service to the San Diego area. Within a year we plan to be a five-star or five-diamond hotel.”

Louise Thomas, 33, was hired as a switchboard operator. In just over a month, she has already been promoted to assistant supervisor in her department. She is also one of 21 new employees who have been selected to help train her colleagues.

“I feel really good about being selected to work at the Grant,” Thomas said. “This is someplace I look forward to growing at. The training program and the hotel experience in general have helped to dig out a zeal that I never had before.

“I’m real excited as the opening date approaches,” she said. “None of us can wait.”