Travel & Tourism students from Stratford-upon-Avon College recently immersed themselves in hospitality training at a top local hotel.
Students on the Level 3 course took part in a Takeover Day at The Grand Hotel in Birmingham. This event takes place across the country and is hosted by the charity Springboard. It aims to provide a pipeline of talent to the hospitality and tourism industry and the event welcomed a range of students from the area.
The students had a presentation about the industry, information about recruitment opportunities and took part in a range of interactive workshops and talks with the various Department Heads. This included Food and Beverage, Conference and Banqueting and Housekeeping.
Students enjoyed taking part in the range of practical activities
Not only was this a great experience for the students to learn from industry professionals and learn in a practical environment, but two of the students were given “Rising Star” awards at the end of the day as they were nominated by the Department Heads at the hotel for their outstanding contributions.
The ‘Rising Stars’ were Elizabeth Dorman who won a dining experience, and Mixhela Xhepi who won a book and was recognised for her efforts and excellent attitude by every department head.
The students were pleased to win their prizes
Travel & Tourism Lecturer, Jane Pendleton, was proud of the students’ achievements: “We were so proud of our students winning the awards as their curiosity, enthusiasm and outstanding contributions during the day were recognised by the industry professionals.”
She highlighted the benefits for the students overall: “The trip was beneficial because the students were able to experience first hand the range of roles available and the standards expected when working in a 5-star city centre hotel. They were also able to gain a valuable insight into what it takes in terms of day-to-day operations and how all the departments work together to create a memorable guest experience.”
