zoOceanarium Group, a specialist in the new generation of aquarium and zoological facilities, took over operations of Children’s Aquarium Dallas in September 2021. In order to efficiently deliver the guest experience that the company has become known for, personalised hands-on and hands-wet fun, the manpower model had to be reimagined. This reimagined model gave rise to a new philosophy.
Children’s Aquarium Dallas at Fair Park offers interactive experiences for all ages. One of its highest priorities is to provide unique, one-on-one interactive, fun and educational experiences that connect guests with the aquatic world and nature. Children’s Aquarium Dallas combines technology, education, and amazing animal interactions with a unique One Team philosophy that the staff embrace to accomplish the company’s mission.
A new philosophy
The Aquarium was operated as a Children’s Aquarium by the Dallas Zoo from 2010 until 2021. As with many large zoological facilities, the Dallas Zoo has a very structured labour force that is several hundred strong. As part of that system, the Children’s Aquarium had structured roles which specific departments filled and there was rarely any overlap. Typically positions followed a more traditional setup in this previous management system.
At Children’s Aquarium Dallas, team members across the board all share responsibilities in ensuring the institutional priorities of guest engagement are paramount. The One Team philosophy means everyone across all divisions, such as guest experience, custodial, animal staff, maintenance and management, embraces the notion that not only are their specific job responsibilities utilised to accomplish the mission but also that every staff member is trained across traditional divisions.
As guests visit, they may meet one of the attraction’s fantastic aquarists working in the Mining Sluice showing guests how to pan for gems and fossils or assisting children to make their colourful creations come to life on a 16ft ocean-themed projector screen with the popular Fish Draw experience.
In fact, every animal team member spends several days shadowing and working side by side with the guest experience team upon their initial employment training. Visitors are just as likely to come across a manager operating the gift shop or see a guest experience associate assisting the life support and maintenance team to keep the facility fully operational.
Grow your own
Integral to embracing the One Team philosophy, the Children’s Aquarium Dallas also focuses on growing their own. While all team members are trained across multiple divisions, many take that cross-training a step further and specialise in full-time dual-role positions, created to harness the team’s talents in bringing the attraction’s mission to the forefront of the guest experience.
One such successful program is the apprentice aquarist position where time is split evenly between front-of-house guest experience and animal care responsibilities. The position harnesses the unique knowledge and experience of the animal care team with the communication skills and passion of the guest experience team to create a powerful connection with the visitor.
Tia Burdick, aquarist, says: “Working on the guest service team strengthened my public speaking skills and transitioning to the aquarist team expanded my animal knowledge base. The combination of the two allows me to give our guests a deeper understanding and appreciation of the aquatic world.”
Alycia Cardoso, who is an apprentice aquarist at the Children’s Aquarium Dallas, embraces her dual roles: “It’s a special opportunity that helps further my experience and knowledge. It helps me to more thoroughly communicate with our guests.”
Another position being implemented includes the apprentice life support technician, which shares the responsibilities of guest experience and facilities life support operations.
Important skillsets and values
While these unique cross-departmental positions and organisational-wide cross-training efforts are excellent examples of the aquarium’s efforts to grow talent internally, the process starts as early as employee recruitment and hiring.
As hiring managers search for new team members, their focus is not solely on traditional predefined skillsets for specific positions but takes a more universal approach looking for a myriad of skill set combinations that include adaptability, flexibility, a positive proactive attitude, and passion to connect with guests.
Institutional-wide cross-training, creative team positions that cross traditional boundaries, and growing team members, combined with a mission of guest engagement, all lay the foundation for the One Team philosophy at Children’s Aquarium Dallas.
Earlier this year in another blooloop article, zoOceanarium Group’s Tami Brown, discussed why it is important for team members to be engaged with the mission of attractions.
