Blog

Q&A with Heather Joung Heather Joung Lead Game Designer, AGS How did you find your start in the industry and how did you arrive at your current position?  After graduating from university with a degree in math, I because a math teacher, but quickly got burned out and realized that teaching just wasn’t my passion. I then went to work for the State of Colorado as a data scientist but found myself wanting to do something more creative. A friend of mine told me about a role at IGT that required a math degree, so I interviewed and was hired as a junior game designer there. After leaving IGT, I moved to Australia and worked in the online space for a company called Virtual Gaming Worlds, before coming across the opportunity at AGS. I love my role at AGS; being able too use math AND be creative are the best of both worlds; I’m creating the story with the numbers. And I love the fact that me and my team are creating an actual product that people can go and enjoy; it is so meaningful. What excites you most about working in the gaming and/or hospitality industry? I [...]

Q&A with Josephine Dalton Josephine Dalton General Manager People Transformation, Star Entertainment Group How did you find your start in the industry and how did you arrive at your current position?  I have enjoyed an extensive career spanning 20 years working in people and talent areas for a variety of sectors including local government, telecommunications, tourism, hospitality, gaming, global packaging and manufacturing, and fashion. I was attracted to the hospitality industry as it seemed like such a fun, fast-paced and very guest-focused sector. I originally started out at Australian Leisure & Hospitality Group. I then began working for the formerly known ‘Jupiters Hotel & Casino’ – now ‘The Star Gold Coast’ – in 2008 and have remained working at The Star Entertainment Group ever since. I love helping organisations get the best out of its people, and vice versa, and I’ve spent a large portion of my career at The Star thanks to fantastic career growth across many people and talent streams. I’m currently the General Manager People Transformation leading The Star Entertainment Group’s future talent attraction and retention strategy, as the company and its consortium partners continue to forge ahead with exciting $5billion plus expansion plans on [...]

Q&A with Danielle Barnes Danielle Barnes General Manager, Springwood Sports Club How did you find your start in the industry and how did you arrive at your current position?  When I started in hospitality, I was not looking for a career. I had experience working in cafes and restaurants, and I loved being around people. I was looking for a role I enjoyed, that also allowed me enough flexibility to study at Uni. My start in Clubs was not actually inside the Club at all – as part of the promotions team, I was out on the road, at beaches and holiday parks, talking to locals and connecting with businesses. Over the next ten years, I dipped my feet into almost every department within the organisation – Catering, Beverage, Member Services, Gaming, Fitness & Aquatics, Operations and Marketing. In March this year, after a decade with Mingara Recreation Club, I accepted the role of General Manager at one of our sister clubs; Springwood Sports Club. What excites you most about working in the Gaming and Hospitality Industry? The gaming and hospitality industry is fast-paced and ever-changing. I love the role we play in our customers’ lives, and the [...]

Q&A with Mandy Chen  Name: Mandy Chen Current Position: Gaming Operations Supervisor How did you find your start in the industry and how did you arrive at your current position?  I first joined Treasury Brisbane in 2012 as a food and beverage attendant in Luke Nyguen’s Fat Noodle restaurant. I made the decision to transition to a career in gaming to build on the experience I gained in the restaurant and service industry. I had the opportunity to work as a Croupier at Treasury in 2013 and was promoted to a Higher Duties Dealer Dealer/Floor Manager just four years later, having developed strong technical skills and excellent guest service. Following that, I was promoted to my current position as a Gaming Operations Supervisor in 2019. There are no short cuts to developing a career in gaming and operations. It’s paramount to take opportunities when they arise and believe in yourself and your skills in order to achieve everything you set out to do. What do you consider to be the biggest achievement of your career, so far?  Since having joined the Gaming team at Treasury Brisbane, I have competed in the Croupier of the Year competition in 2017, 2018 and 2019. In [...]

Q&A with Kim Anderson   How did you find your start in the industry and how did you arrive at your current position? In 1993 I was completing my final year of a Diploma in Primary Teaching. At the time, teaching roles were competitive, and I was about to be married. With a mortgage and an upcoming wedding, full-time employment was important. Crown Melbourne was opening a temporary Casino and had advertised for Croupiers in the Herald Sun. My father who was always fascinated by mathematics had seen an advertisement in the Herald Sun and suggested I apply. After a rigorous recruitment process, I was hired as a Craps Dealer. Becoming a part of the gaming industry I was fortunate enough to progress to a Higher Duties Dealer and obtain additional game training. In 1997, when Crown Melbourne commenced operations at the current Southbank site, I was promoted to Game Supervisor. From 1998 my journey of motherhood began. My children born in 1998 and 2001, respectively. My return to the business was in a part-time capacity. My passion for the industry and drive to progress in my career remained, despite limited opportunity and care giving responsibilities. In 2012 Crown [...]

How did you find your start in the industry and how did you arrive at your current position?   I originally started my career in Sydney in publishing at SRA then McGraw-Hill Book Company where I designed brochures and catalogues. From there I moved into a Finance support role then a Marketing role within Polaroid Australia. I had also completed study in the area of IT and was able to help support Polaroids team move into Microsoft Office products at the time. My husband was part of a teaching scholarship which took him to the Newcastle Region. It was there I began with Aristocrat and the Gaming Industry. With Newcastle being a regional office, I was fortunate enough to have exposure to all areas of the business including sales order management, inventory, installs and logistics which gave me a cross functional view of the company and the gaming industry. With that exposure and my ability to pick up on IT software application processes quickly I was seconded to train the sales team with the Configuration tool and CRM and from their enlisted to work on a Project to incorporate the Australian National Sales Support Function into one team which resulted [...]