Meet Ely, Cashier Shift Manager. She joined us as a Table Games Dealer in 1999, and has had a long and successful career where she held various roles and worked her way up in our Gaming department. Ely recently returned to SKYCITY Auckland after moving to work at SKYCITY Queenstown early in her career. When asked what she enjoys about work, she says “The one aspect I enjoy most about working at SKYCITY are the people I work with - no matter a person’s heritage, we can foster a friendly and positive environment that reinforces our team-working attitude and capabilities.”
April marks the 20th year working at SKYCITY for Ely – HUGE congratulations and THANK YOU for all your hard work! Keep on reading to get to know Ely.
What other roles have you held at SKYCITY?
I began my work with SKYCITY Auckland as a Dealer in April of 1999, where I continued with this role until I was promoted to a Dual Rate in August of 2002, then shortly after to a Gaming Supervisor in June of 2003. Afterwards, I moved to Queenstown in 2004 for the sake of my family and continued my gaming career working for SKYCITY Queenstown Casino. From November of 2005 I worked as an Assistant Casino Shift Manager, and eventually progressed to a Gaming Shift Manager in October of 2013. I worked at this role for several years, until an opportunity arose to return to SKYCITY Auckland in July of 2018, as my now current role of Cashier Shift Manager.
How long (in total) have you worked at SKYCITY?
My career with SKYCITY began in April 1999, meaning that I am soon approaching my 20th year working at SKYCITY.
Can you tell us a bit your role?
As a Cashier Shift Manager, I work closely with the cashiers so that we deliver satisfactory service not only to external customers but also to other departments within SKYCITY that we provide services to. My responsibilities include optimising efficiency within the Cage Operations by solving any problems that arise in a day-to-day basis and supporting the cashiers by ensuring smoothness of operation within the workplace.
What do you enjoy most about your current role?
The one aspect I enjoy most about working at SKYCITY are the people I work with - no matter a person’s heritage, we can foster a friendly and positive environment that reinforces our team-working attitude and capabilities. Even when I first began working at the Cage Department, there was never a moment where I didn’t feel welcome despite me coming from the Gaming Department, which made it much easier for me to transition and adapt to the new role I had to undertake.
What sorts of challenges do you encounter?
Within my role, the different challenges I encounter on a day-to-day basis all involve ensuring that the Cage Operations shift runs smoothly. I must balance the overall workload within our department so that everything is done quickly and accurately. Any problems that arise during my shift must be solved effectively and requires initiative to provide an immediate solution no matter the situation at hand.
What did you do before you joined SKYCITY?
I used to work with NZ Safety, which was an engineering job that involves assembly and manufacturing.
What do you enjoy about working at SKYCITY?
As I am still relatively new in my current role, I am given many learning opportunities wherein I am required to come up with solutions to everyday challenges within the Cage Operations. This requires having to think on my feet and utilise my initiative to ensure that I have solved any issues in the best possible manner. Additionally, working here at SKYCITY Auckland involves collaborating with many different talents and personalities achieve our goals as a team.
What would you say to anyone considering joining your team or applying for a job like yours?
We work in a customer-oriented environment with challenging problems to solve every day. Our Cage Operations team members have great communication and mathematic skills and present themselves as friendly yet professional towards all customers. If this sounds like you, then you would feel right at home with our team, and we’d be happy to hear from you.
Which of SKYCITY’s employee benefit(s) do you enjoy most?
The employee benefit I found to be most beneficial for me was the great Career Support that SKYCITY provides. Our company has a Career Development Support Team which allows employees to better themselves in the workplace through free in-house or on-the-job training, management resources and having priorities for new vacancies being given to existing employees. This has personally helped me because I was able to transfer to a different department within SKYCITY and further my career in a different direction. Additionally, SKYCITY provides help to employees for issues persisting outside of the workplace, doing their best to ensure that everyone is happy not only at work but also at home.
Is there anything about SKYCITY that makes it different to other work places?
SKYCITY has been different to the other companies I’ve worked previously because they have supported me beyond just the bare minimum – providing additional training so that I can be the best person I can, both in and out of the workplace. From personal experience, I have felt that I am a member of a family here at SKYCITY, rather than just another employee. Many times, I have experienced other people going above and beyond to support my growth here within the company and I am incredibly grateful for that.
Where were you born/raised and how long have you lived in Auckland?
I was born and raised in the Philippines and arrived in New Zealand in August of 1995. I came to New Zealand to search for more career opportunities and to provide a better environment for my family.
What do you do like to get up to outside of work?
I love baking during my days off, because I consider it to be very relaxing and fulfilling. For me, baking is my stress-reliever and means I get to share something special with my family and friends that we can all enjoy. From time to time, I also like to play volleyball and bowling.
Thank you for sharing your story and for all your hard work Ely! Congratulations again on your 20th year at SKYCITY.
If Ely's story inspired you to join us, check out all the opportunities we have at SKYCITY on our Careers website!
