In alignment with its purpose, Hyatt Corporation cares for people so they can be their best. And, while the company lives this mission in various ways, one notable example is its RiseHY program, a global initiative established in 2018 to bring hospitality jobs and Opportunity Youth together.
“In the travel and tourism industry, we are fortunate to support one out of every 10 jobs worldwide, yet often, people in underserved communities lack the paths they need to find these opportunities,” said Malaika Myers, chief human resources officer for Hyatt, in a short video promoting RiseHY.
Myers went on to share that, around the globe, more than 40% of young people are either unemployed or living in poverty. Additionally, in the U.S. alone, there are 4.9 million Opportunity Youth, a term Myers described as “young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not working or going to school and therefore are disconnected from our economy.”
Myers expanded on how RiseHY can change lives, stating, “At Hyatt, we’re in a unique position to be part of the solution because hospitality is an industry where people can truly rise from entry-level roles to create meaningful, life-long careers.”
As an example, the video shared the story of Maketh, who began his RiseHY journey as a dishwasher in the early 2000s and now works as an executive steward, leading a team of 20+ employees. “You don’t need experience to do it, you just get in there and start working as normally,” Maketh said.
Also chiming in on RiseHY’s impact was Gilbert, a general manager in New Brunswick. “Sometimes you don’t know what you want to do in life, and all of a sudden, you get to a place where you feel that you’re cared for and then you start understanding a little bit more about what you can do and your potential,” he said.
It’s clear the program has done a lot of good, but Hyatt isn’t finished yet. Instead, the hotelier set RiseHY’s loftiest goal to date: to hire 10,000 Opportunity Youth by 2025. Here’s how Myers said the brand is making good on its promise. “First, we’re bringing more attention to the types of jobs Hyatt and its hotels offer,” she said. “With the help of virtual reality, young people will experience, sometimes for the very first time, what life is like inside a hotel. They’ll be able to spend a day in the life of our colleagues including culinary roles, housekeeping and more.”
Additionally, the company is working with community-based organizations to match candidates with entry-level jobs that best fit their unique skills and qualifications. Myers shared that the help of these community-based organizations, especially Youth Career Initiatives and Grads of Life, allows the brand and its hotels to provide on-the-job training programs and full-time employment to participants.
“With each hire we add to our collective impact on the societal challenge,” said Myers. “And by enabling more Opportunity Youth to rise, we will ensure Hyatt and its hotels have a diverse, inclusive pipeline of colleagues for years to come.”
Originally appeared in the Spring 2024 issue of The Compass magazine.
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