Program gambles with success

Niagara College certifies blackjack, poker dealers

Torstar News Service file photo

Many blackjack dealers in Ontario receive their training at Niagara College's casino careers dealer training program.

Through Niagara College's casino careers dealer training program, people who are not interested in gambling their own finances but love the casino's atmosphere can join the profession as a blackjack dealer or even a poker dealer.

Working at a casino is in high demand amongst career-seeking students, says Shirley Tomovic, development officer at Niagara College.

"It's become quite popular, especially because it's a possibility for a job. And there's not a great deal of training, as far as time is concerned," Tomovic says. "Blackjack dealers, poker dealers, roulette dealers, they're all well-paying jobs and well-respected jobs, and the casinos certainly have good benefits for their employees, too."

For 10 years, Niagara College has been offering Casino Dealer Training in the areas of blackjack, poker, roulette and baccarat.

"In 1997, Niagara College, together with St. Clair College in Windsor and Georgian College in Barrie, formed the tri-college partnership called the Gaming Education Consortium," says Tomovic. "The three colleges as a group, developed the gaming curriculum which became recognized as the necessary training standards for all other Ontario based Dealer Training schools."

Tomovic says the program's enrolment trends are directly related to the hiring needs and availability of jobs at local casinos.

Last year, Niagara College trained hundreds of individuals for a big hiring campaign for the grand opening of the new Niagara Fallsview Casino. Beyond that, the college normally runs three programs of Blackjack and Poker annually.

The gaming instructors at the college for the Continuing Education Dealer Training courses are all dual dealer and supervisor associates from the two Niagara based casinos including Casino Niagara and Niagara Fallsview Casino.

"The training is classroom-based in our state-of-the-art Casino Lab located at our Maid of the Mist Campus in Niagara Falls," Tomovic says.

Students enrolling in the program must be a minimum of 19 years of age and/or secondary school graduates.

Upon successful completion of the Casino Training program's courses, including the final table testing, graduates receive Niagara College Continuing Education Certificates of Achievement.

The two local casinos, Casino Niagara and Niagara Fallsview Casino, recommend that applicants have, as a minimum for a job interview, certification in both Blackjack and Poker.

"Our hands-on training programs stress the skills and methods in basic play strategy with an emphasis placed on the math skills and dexterity required in blackjack and poker dealing procedures," Tomovic says.

For more information call 905-374-7454 or visit http://www.niagarac.on.ca/.