Bulletin

Issue: October 2005

News

Hospitality management work trial pays dividends

Two La Trobe students in Tourism and Hospitality Management, Robyn Gray and Marissa Kyriacou, have secured full-time corporate traineeships with the Intercontinental Hotel Group.

Work placement scheme opens doors to
the future: Ms Kyriacou, left, and Ms Gray.

Their success follows participation in the University's Management Work Placement Scheme which, Ms Gray says, has helped her understand the expectations that an international hotel has of employees.

The scheme's co-ordinator, lecturer in Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Ms Sonia Francis, says the University has links with key hospitality organisations to help second year Hospitality Enterprise Management students experience life as hotel managers.

She says sixty hospitality operations in Melbourne - from international and boutique hotels to suburban pubs - are involved in the scheme, with La Trobe students working alongside a manager. For example, Ms Gray undertook her placement at the Hotel Y, with Sales Manager, Gary Stickland.

While students gain valuable insights into the industry and career choice, Ms Francis says many obtain part and full-time jobs as a result of their placement experience. And the scheme has been so successful that a similar one has been introduced for third year sport and leisure students in the sporting industry.