The 2013 "Macao Occupational Skills Recognition System" (MORS) Gold Pin Competition Award Presentation Ceremony was held today at the Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT). Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of Macau Government Tourist Office, Ms. Teng Nga Kan, Deputy Director of Labour Affairs Bureau, Mr. Lei Pou Loi, President of Macao Hotelier Association, Mr. William Wong, President of Macau Retail Management Association, Mr. Samuel Yeung, Chairman of Macau Hotel Association, and Mr. Johnson Chan, General Manager of Grand Lisboa Hotel presented awards to the winners. This year, there are 11 sessions of competitions altogether, including Assistant Cook (Western Kitchen), Bartender, Chinese Cook – Cantonese Cuisine (Intermediate level), Chinese Cook - Dim Sum (Intermediate Level), Concierge and Bell Attendant, Front Desk Agent/Customer Relations Officer, Security Officer for Tourism and Gaming Industry, Retail Sales Officer, Room Attendant, Waiter/Waitress (Chinese Restaurant Service) and Waiter/Waitress (Western Restaurant Service). The final round of the competitions was held on 19, 20 and 25 November at IFT and Grand Lisboa Hotel respectively. The competition adapted a process of elimination, with 3 rounds of contests for each competition. The first 2 rounds of contests were held in forms of written examination and skill evaluation according to the fundamental knowledge covered in the MORS training manuals. Participants without MORS certificates needed to go through the first round. In order to be admitted to the second round, the contestants must reach a minimum score of 75%, and compete with those who possess the certificate. Contestants with excellent performances in the second round from each competition will be invited to join the final and given the certificates. Contestants aimed at the 2 winning positions in each competition. Juries formed by over 30 respectful executives from the industry observed closely and assessed the contestants for the final winners. Winners would receive a MORS Gold Pin, MOP6,000 cash award and a scholarship of MOP2,000 for THS training courses. Launched in 2001, Macao Occupational Skills Recognition System (MORS) is a joint effort of the Tourism Industry of Macao and IFT with the main objective to upgrade human resources in the industry through the introduction of a certification scheme for a number of professions. At this moment, skills standards are introduced for the following occupations: Assistant Cook (Western Kitchen)
Bartender
Chinese Cook – Cantonese Cuisine (Elementary)
Chinese Cook – Cantonese Cuisine (Intermediate)
Chinese Cook – Cantonese Dim Sum (Elementary)
Chinese Cook – Cantonese Dim Sum (Intermediate)
Concierge and Bell Attendant
Customer Relations Officer
Front Desk Agent
Retail Sales Officer
Room Attendant
Security Officer for Tourism and Gaming Industry
Travel Consultant
Waiter / Waitress (Chinese Restaurant Service)
Waiter / Waitress (Western Restaurant Service) To reward and demonstrate outstanding MORS recognised professionals, IFT has been organising the Gold Pin Competition since 2002. Participants can be Entry-level Professionals sent by each training centre or they can be entering by themselves. There are 30 organisations, 404 participants taking part in the competitions this year. Gold Pin Competition final round contests examine contestants on their practical skills and details are as follows: Assistant Cook (Western Kitchen) Contestants are to be given a 1.5 kg whole chicken (on the bone), 1 chicken supreme off the bone and a 'black box' of assorted ingredients and other general ingredients during the competition. Contestants will have 2 hours to produce one main course dish with the given ingredients. Contestants will have access to the black box half an hour before the start of the competition. During this half hour, NO cooking or preparation will take place – the half hour is solely for the purpose of 'idea generation'. A final recipe of the contestants chosen dish will also be required to submit. Jury team assessed the contestants on various criteria from kitchen management skills, hygiene and safety practices, workflows, technical skills, creativity, dish presentation and flavour. Bartender Within a time frame, contestants had to create a cocktail for 2 persons with the theme of Christmas. The jury team assessed the contestants on technical skills, creativity, presentation, flavour, speed and consistency of the drink. Chinese Cook – Cantonese Cuisine (Intermediate level)
Contestants brought in their own ingredients to prepare 2 dishes (one assigned by IFT with the main ingredients of pigeons and another one was secret dish designed by IFT), the time frame for preparation was 90 minutes. Jury team assessed the contestants on technical skills, creativity, organisational skills, hygiene, taste, presentation and consistency. Chinese Cook – Dim Sum (Intermediate level)
Contestants brought in their own ingredients to prepare two types of dumpings and created a dim sum designed by IFT. The time frame for preparation was 2 hours. Jury team assessed the contestants on technical skills, creativity, organisational skills, hygiene, taste, presentation and consistency. Concierge and Bell Attendant
A total of 3 rounds of quizzes and a final presentation were adopted in the final round. Contestants are requested to prepare a power point file (without any animation) to sell one of your hotel's restaurants. 2 minutes will be given to each contestant. Questions were designed to test the contestants' job knowledge, information about Macao, tourist attractions, current events, language competence, etc. Front Desk Agent/Customer Relations Officer
A total of 3 rounds of quizzes including the language proficiency test and presentation were adopted in the final round. Questions were designed to test the overall knowledge of a Front Desk Agent or a Customer Relations Officer. Jurors assessed them through their group management skill, language skill, presentation skill, level of difficulty, etc. Retail Sales Officer
Finalists were asked to do a product presentation/demonstration. Their skills to handle complain were also been assessed. Room Attendant
The participants were tested about their techniques of making up beds. The jury team assessed the contestants on their knowledge, speed and quality of work. Security Officer for Tourism and Gaming Industry
Quiz Bee and a fire control technical skills competition was adopted in the final round. Questions were designed to test the contestants' job knowledge, skill, guest relations, language and listening competence, etc. In the fire control technical skills competition, contestants will be asked to do one of the tasks assigned by IFT and judges will base on skills, speed, procedure, Occupation Safety and Health to score the contestants. Waiter / Waitress (Chinese Restaurant Service)
Contestants were asked to share/spilt a special dish of food equally on trolley and to serve afterwards in 20 minutes. Assessment was based on technical skills, knowledge, speed and service quality. Waiter / Waitress (Western Restaurant Service)
Contestants were requested to perform a western restaurant table set-up with Christmas theme within a certain time frame. Juries based on performance related to the evaluation standard of the candidates' grooming and their western restaurant table set-up skills. IFT is a public institution of higher education that offers tourism, hospitality, heritage and events management degree programmes, as well as professional training courses. The main objective of MORS is to upgrade human resources in the Macao tourism industry through the introduction of a certification scheme for a number of professions, to the general public, so as to benefit Macao in a more competitive future. MORS Gold Pin Competition 2013 – Gold Pin Winners
(* please find attached file)