The first blackjack class graduates from Northampton's casino table games classed finished its training on April 23rd, 2010, with the hope of landing dealer jobs at Mount Airy. The casino facility will be prepared to launch casino table games the 1st week of June 2010 but it is up to the state regulators to tell the establishment when it can open.
92 students originally registered for the first three classes of blackjack, with 87 still on the roster on April 23rd, 2010, according to Paul Pierpoint, the dean of community education at the Northampton Community College.
The collage would not know how many will graduate from the blackjack course until it sees all the attendance records and evaluations but Pierpoint believes that all eighty-seven students will graduate. Mount Airy Casino Resort
President George Toth expects to hire most of the graduates right away-as long as they pass the license requirements. Toth said that those individuals that are not yet up to the required skill level can continue to polish their skills until they reach an acceptable level.
Students spent weeks studying and practicing basic blackjack skills-like card and chip handling-and put them together for the final classes of the six week, one hundred twenty hour course. The prospective dealers must pass a written and performance test on blackjack dealing and procedures. They are even required to learn CPR.
But the chances of the student to be hired by the casino facility will be decided by their performance in the whole class. The assistant shift manager at Mount Airy Casino and casino table games trainer, John Collins, said that they will judge the student's work ethic, willingness to learn the game and their motivation.
Pierpoint said that the gambling classes fit well with Northampton's mission. "If a prospective employer needs to hire a bunch of individuals because they are expanding, one of the main purposes for the community college is to help train individuals for these kinds of jobs.
The college frantically put together classes when casino table games were approved by the state legislature this year. Northampton referred to the casino curriculum from Atlantic Cape Community College in southern New Jersey and turned to Mount Airy casino for instructors.
When the casino facility does launch casino table games, Toth expects a 60/40 split between experienced casino dealers and new graduate dealers.
Thursday, May 06 , 2010
Tim Arnell