Two training sessions for Bridex volunteers

PREPARATIONS for the upcoming Brunei Darussalam International Defence Exhibition and Conference 2009 (Bridex 2009) is crucial especially in respect to its workforce. Two training workshops were conducted to provide a more efficient system and workflow for a better and memorable Bridex experience.

The sessions were held at Holiday Lodge, Jerudong one of the participating hotels for Bridex 2009. The first was held for the Delegate Coordinators and the second especially conducted for volunteers who were representatives from five different departments involved in Bridex 2009: the IT department, Administration department , Marketing department, the Finance department and Operations department.

The organisers of Bridex 2009 stated that with the training given it is hoped that the participants of the training workshops are able to acquire the right attitude when coming into the new industry of exhibition management as well as being able to manage the extreme stress that will follow, be more professional and most importantly be more highly efficient in conducting each of their individual tasks.

Forty chosen volunteers, who hold the position of delegate coordinators, attended the first said workshop where they were briefed on their crucial role by Marina Yahya, the deputy exhibition director of Bridex.

She highlighted the key important criterias that these coordinators should have. Such criterias as stated by Marina are the importance of the knowledge background of Bridex, knowing the profile of the delegations participating in the conference, recognising and knowledge of VIPs involve in the programme and a vast knowledge of the host country's tourism, in this case, Brunei Darussalam.

Their objectives were also highlighted as a scenario was conducted with the volunteers taking different roles to reenact the situation of what a delegate coordinator will face.

Team building and unity was the theme for both of the workshops conducted and exercises were conducted to boost the confidence as well as sense of unity among the participants in both sessions of the training workshop which was facilitated by Ethan Tan and Pauline from The Eighth Pinnacle, a company based in Singapore.

These facilitators are well experienced in the field of hospitality and in the world of service industries.

The participants were briefed on "Professional Service Skills" which guides them on how to present themselves in terms of appearances. It also touched on the aspects of professionalism and the overall key of making a good first impression. Secondly, a group activity focusing on team work was aimed at strengthening the relationship of the participants. A similar activity was also conducted on the second day. Some of the activities conducted were simple basic exercises designed to boost the listening skills and confidence in presenting themselves to another person.

Mohd Don Omar, senior manager, Head of HR and corporate services of Royal Brunei Technical Services (RBTS), was present during both of the workshops, told The Brunei Times that "the roles of delegate coordinators and the members of the different departments involved in Bridex 2009 is crucial as they are dealing with the foreign as well as the local delegates personally during the exhibition and their involvement plays a major part in making Bridex 2009 a success".

These volunteers were initially chosen from around hundreds of hopefuls who applied to be part of Bridex from the previous "Career Fair" held at ICC. "I am now more confident with the few tips given by the facilitators," said Ak Yazid from the IT department.

The Brunei Times