Schenectady

After 12 weeks of training on table games including blackjack, craps, baccarat, roulette, Asia poker and pai gow poker, 200 dealers graduated Wednesday in advance of the Feb. 8 opening of the Rivers Casino & Resort.

The dealers ranged in age from their 20s to their 60s, equally divided between men and women. Each will work one of three around-the-clock shifts for minimum wage plus tips — a pay model similar to restaurant servers.

Irregular hours and modest pay did not deter hundreds who initially applied for a dealer position or the 30 percent or so who washed out during three months of classes because their hands were too clumsy for shuffling, they lacked basic math aptitude or their attendance was spotty.

As each person received a diploma and was offered a slice of graduation cake, there was cheering among new dealers like Kelly Jordan, of Cobleskill, a 51-year-old massage therapist who raised two daughters now in their 20s. She wanted to augment a part-time, in-home massage business that was less wear and tear on her body. Free training — as opposed to shelling out hundreds of dollars for private instruction — was also a big draw.

"I wanted a change, and a job opportunity like this doesn't come along very often," Jordan said. "This was a good fit for me. I'm outgoing and sociable, and I like the fast-paced entertainment aspect of the job."

Jordan is not a gambler and described herself as risk-averse. Her husband was supportive, and her work experience as a bartender prepared her for dealing with unruly customers. "I look at it as an exciting new adventure," she said.

"I give my teachers props because they gave me all the tools I need to be a successful dealer," said Treasure Clayton, 48, of Schenectady, who raised five daughters as a single parent and started Project HOPE to combat teen suicide and drug addiction in the city.

"Schenectady needs jobs because unemployment leads to depression and drug addiction," said Clayton, who worked previously at a Florida casino and considered relocating to Las Vegas for a casino job. "This is a great thing for our community. Personally, it's a new adventure in my life. It's a blessing."

Dorothy Bennie, 59, of Clifton Park, has loved casinos ever since she and her husband, Stephen, honeymooned in Las Vegas 37 years ago. She is a regular at the Saratoga Casino, where she once won a $8,000 jackpot on a slot machine. Becoming a dealer is a dream job for the mother of two grown children who sells home mortgages and prepares income taxes.

"I'm not the type to just sit at home," said Bennie, who plans to retire from the mortgage industry within a year. "I'm a night person and I like getting in on the ground floor at the casino. I'm glad I didn't have to move to Vegas. I don't like the desert."

It's a first job for Nick Kaiser, 22, of Waterford, who graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in finance from State University at New Paltz.

"I like being part of the night life," said Kaiser, who volunteered for the graveyard shift and who once won $400 at blackjack.

"This looks like a lot of fun and an exciting place to be."

pgrondahl@timesunion.com • 518-454-5623 • @PaulGrondahl