Laid-off casino workers keep busy in culinary union training classes

Mathis Winkler

Friday, Oct. 26, 2001 | 8:34 a.m.

As thousands of laid-off casino workers stare at a tight and competitive job market, some are using their free time to take classes at the culinary union's training academy.

Myrna Casden prepared food in the room service department at the Mirage before she lost her job Sept. 17. Two weeks ago she began a four-week training course to become a food server.

She took the course "partly to do something while I'm not working, but also to upgrade my job," she said. "If you're a food server, you make more money."

Casden hopes that she'll have a better chance to find a new job once the casinos start rehiring workers laid off in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.

"I think it'll take awhile (to get a job,) since nobody's hiring," she said. "But I will do this training now so that when things get back to normal, then maybe I'll get a job."

Steven Horsford, the academy's executive director, said union officials always encourage people to receive extra training.

"Right now, everybody's thinking about it," Horsford said. "It's a great time to remind them that training's available. Whatever you think you lack in a job, now is the time to go and develop skills. The more things you can put in your resume, the more likely it is you can go back to work. Quickly."

The academy, which is mostly funded by the gaming industry, trains about 2,500 people each year. People can learn to become cooks, food servers, cashiers and housekeepers.

The number of classes in housekeeping have declined, however, as casinos have few openings in that field. Instead, academy officials encourage people to think about other casino jobs for which they can train, Horsford said.

Maria Contreras, for example, barely worked a week as a housekeeper at the Luxor before she was let go on Sept. 14.

She was told that she could be recalled if she's needed, but "I have no time to wait," she said.

Instead, she enrolled in the academy's four-week cashier training course, a skill she hopes will help her get another casino.

Antonio Lezama also remains on call for the Excalibur, where she was a kitchen worker until Sept. 18. He said he first went to the union to see about job openings, but instead decided to further his career.

Now, Lezama is training to become a cooks' helper, which is one step above his previous job in the kitchen hierarchy. If his employer won't call him back by the time he has completed the course he'll probably stay at the academy to become a fry cook, he said.

"I think this is better -- to prepare myself and not stay washing dishes," he said.