Half of the academic year is devoted to practice, which students undergo in many countries around the world
I received my first higher education in Moscow at the International Institute of Economics and Law. But my subsequent work in a bank seemed routine; I wanted something more energetic and interesting, and I began organizing corporate evenings and events at one of the capital's sports and recreation complexes. This job influenced my decision to start a career in the hotel and hospitality industry.
I understood that I was choosing a profession that was not easy (after all, you have to work when others are relaxing), but interesting, where no two days are alike. But I also knew that to achieve success, climb the career ladder, and eventually hold a high position, I needed specialized education.
Searching for a School
The idea of studying abroad came after attending the "International Education Fair" in 2007. There I met representatives of the agency "VEDA." They told me about the structure of education abroad and about different universities with programs in hospitality.
The choice of a Swiss school was not accidental. All European countries can be roughly divided by university specialization: in some countries, marketing is taught better; in others, entrepreneurship or, say, banking; in others, humanities. Switzerland is the best country for education in hospitality. It is no coincidence that the world's first hotel was opened here, and the very first school of hotel management also appeared in Switzerland in 1893.
I chose IHTTI School of Hotel Management, one of the most prestigious educational institutions for hotel management. A diploma from this school expands opportunities when choosing a place of work and provides a significant advantage for employment.
For those who are still looking for a place for future study, I advise paying attention to university rankings: it is important that the university you choose actually holds a high place in international rankings and is valued by employers. For example, IHTTI is part of the Swiss Education Group, an association of leading Swiss hotel management schools, known worldwide as a leader in training high-class specialists in the hotel and tourism industry. After all, a diploma from Swiss schools is rightly a passport to the international hotel business.
However, before making a final decision, think: will you feel comfortable in new conditions, without family and parents (some students enter foreign universities as early as 17). The ability to adapt is an important aspect of successful study abroad.
In addition, you need to learn English in advance. After all, the greatest difficulties in the upcoming studies may arise precisely due to poor knowledge of English (problems in understanding material, perceiving lectures, difficulties in expressing one's own thoughts). Moreover, knowledge of languages is an integral part of the hospitality industry. By the way, the necessary language course can be taken at the school at the institute or at any other language school that provides a diploma/certificate in English upon completion. English is important when studying at any foreign university, and for those planning to study specifically in Switzerland, I also advise learning French or German: communication outside the university will likely be in one of these languages.
Student Life
The annual tuition at IHTTI costs about 15,000 Swiss francs. Students live and study in the former Eurotel hotel. The building belongs to the institute and has a service level like a good operating hotel, including a private bathroom in each room, hairdryer, TV, telephone, internet access, and much more. By the way, Neuchâtel, where IHTTI is located, is a picturesque city with ancient architecture, a castle, small neat cobblestone streets, and is striking for its variety of landscapes. Next to the institute is a large and very beautiful lake, vineyards, and the Alps are visible in the distance. Geneva is an hour's train ride from Neuchâtel. The trip to Zurich takes no more than two hours.
As I mentioned, the institute provides students with three meals a day (included in the tuition) at one of its two restaurants located in the same building – Les Amis and Chatterbox. So we don't have to think about where to go for lunch, where to have dinner, or how much it will cost. In the evening, the institute's lobby fills with students, and music plays. The school also has several bars, different in style and atmosphere. On Fridays, the Les Amis restaurant hosts themed evenings and small theatrical shows telling about the customs of different countries.
Academic Routine
During the study process in Switzerland, we master the work of the restaurant department and the front desk department, learn to plan menus and organize various events. In addition, the program includes subjects such as "tourism and travel," "business," "geography," "logistics," "general management," "human resource management," "marketing," "finance," "pricing," "information technology," and French or German. As you can see, all subjects are necessary for future work in the hotel industry, no "fluff."
All IHTTI instructors are practitioners with extensive international experience, having worked on cruise liners and in well-known hotel chains around the world. Students receive a very large amount of new knowledge, and sometimes it is difficult to remember everything at once. Perhaps that is why theory is combined with practice here, which helps to better absorb the material. For example, in a Wine Tasting lesson, students are provided with up to four different types of wine for tasting. However, parents need not worry: no more than two tablespoons of each variety are given for tasting, especially since the wine is not drunk; after analyzing the taste, the drink is spat into a special bucket, as required by the rules. And in a Menu Planning lesson, the instructor explains, for example, the difference between the weight of raw, frozen, and cooked meat, and students spend the entire class weighing, recording results, and solving problems.
It is necessary to study not only during lectures and practice but also to do homework. Sometimes it seems that there is not enough time (there are many assignments for each subject), but in fact nothing is complicated; all that is needed is creativity, enthusiasm, and an understanding of the essence of the matter. It is worth noting that the curriculum at IHTTI School of Hotel Management successfully combines academic and practical classes. It includes carrying out a variety of projects (both group and individual), for example, creating a five-year business plan for opening a new hotel, its management, advertising, and sales.
Going to a Resort
An undeniable advantage of our education is the 50/50 system. One half of the academic year is devoted to theoretical classes, the other to a six-month internship, which can be completed both in Switzerland and in any other country in the world with a developed hotel and tourism industry and an interest in foreign interns. As a rule, students complete their internship in their chosen profile (specialization) abroad. At the same time, the institute helps them find a place.
Those who distinguish themselves during their internship have a chance to receive a permanent job offer from the same company. Another significant advantage is that the internship is paid. For example, in Switzerland, students can expect about 2,000 Swiss francs per month, which is quite good.
I completed my first internship at the five-star hotel Coral Beach Resort in the United Arab Emirates (in my opinion, the UAE is one of the safest and most prosperous countries with a highly developed hospitality industry). Hotels here have a particular need for Russian-speaking staff—80% of guests speak this language.
During the six-month internship, I had a wonderful opportunity to show and test myself in several positions: waiter in à la carte service in Italian and fish restaurants, hostess in a buffet restaurant, wedding organization and banquets, assistant cook (I baked fresh rolls and muffins for breakfast at the hotel), secretary of the Food & Beverage department. So, working as a secretary, I not only prepared reports for the F&B manager every morning about the previous day and profits, but also attended meetings and gatherings of both the department and the entire hotel.
In this position, I gained the opportunity to make decisions, propose new ideas and alternative options in certain situations and projects. At the same time, I had to organize my own work and independently find solutions to situations related to, for example, customer complaints. All this helped me understand the structure of the department, get acquainted with the scheme of interaction between employees and clients, as well as see and understand what true hospitality should be.
I hope that the next internship will give me the opportunity to improve my knowledge of hotel management. I would like to complete it directly in Switzerland.
The Main Thing Is Skill
People working in tourism and hospitality must understand that their work is, first of all, working with people, with hotel guests. The task of a hospitality employee is to surround the guest with care and make every effort to leave only pleasant impressions of the hotel and the vacation as a whole.
It is important to remember that here, as in any other service industry, the customer is always right. Therefore, when communicating with hotel guests, it is very important to follow the rules of etiquette and avoid familiarity, even if the guest treats you friendly, to be able to sense a person's mood, anticipate possible expectations or objections from the guest, and try to resolve any situation with minimal damage to the company's image. After all, the last thing hotel employees want is for guests to have any negative memories of the hotel.
Even if things don't work out for you at first, don't be upset. With experience comes confidence in the correctness of your actions. After working half a year of internship in the Emirates, I understood the policy and structure of department interaction in the hotel and became much more confident in what, how, and by when I should do things. I believe that knowledge, enthusiasm, experience, and skills will indeed bring success.