Bristol Community College Prepping Students For Casino Success

Written By Steve Ruddock on August 14, 2017 - Last Updated on June 3, 2022
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With one casino open, and at least two more on the way, the state is going to need workers to fill key roles within the Massachusetts gambling industry.  One place the triumvirate of casino corporations in Massachusetts – Penn National, MGM, and Wynn – will begin searching for employees to fill specific roles is Bristol Community College (BCC).

Back in June, BCC became the first Massachusetts school to receive its Gaming School Certification from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. With Massachusetts emphasizing local hiring’s, BCC graduates will have a good chance at landing at one of these Massachusetts’ casinos.

When it received its certification, MGC Chairman Steve Crosby said:

“Preparing a local workforce to meet the demand of casino hiring is central to maximizing economic opportunity and job creation in the Commonwealth. It is exciting to note this milestone as we strive to achieve the Gaming Law’s intent of establishing a highly-skilled and diverse workforce for the state’s emergent gaming industry.”

MGC Director of Licensing Paul Connelly added:

“BCC worked collaboratively and constructively with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission throughout the duration of the application process. BCC worked to ensure that all regulatory requirements were met, including hours of instructions, and the inclusion of responsible gaming education, CPR, and a focus on the Massachusetts rules of the game.”

CATCH program is now up and running

BCC has since launched its Culinary Arts, Tourism, Casino, and Hospitality (CATCH)  casino management program. This program consolidates some of BCC’s premier areas of study under one program. It specifically targets jobs in the casino and tourism industry.

The new Casino Management program at BCC prepares students for positions in the following areas:

  • Culinary Arts: Prepares students to work in entry-level positions in a variety of food service operations in non-food preparation positions.
  • Tourism Management: Prepares students for a broad variety of entry level positions in the tourism industry.
  • Casino Management: Prepares students for a variety of positions within a full-service casino, including the ability to deal two table games.
  • Hotel Management: Prepares students for a variety of positions within the hotel, motel, hospitality, and cruise-ship industry.

BCC’s catch program requires students to complete a core curriculum at the school’s Fall River campus. After that, they move into a specialized area, such as:

  • Casino Operations
  • Casino Loss Prevention
  • Gaming and Social Policy
  • Introduction to Casino Games

Specialized courses will be taught at the recently opened BCC Taunton classroom and casino training lab.

“Under CATCH, you will receive an education and invaluable real life experience in all of the disciplines of the Institute,” the BCC website states. “You will graduate from CATCH as a well-rounded professional ready step into the casino floor, the kitchen or hotel office.”

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Steve Ruddock

Steve Ruddock is a veteran of the poker media, contributing to offline and online publications centered on the regulated US online gambling industry. These include OnlinePokerReport.com, PlayNJ.com, USPoker.com as well as USA Today. Steve is based in Massachusetts and is also a poker player.

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