Students' 'Super-Marriott' takeover runs like a dream

: Created: 13 March 2020

The cohort of 13 were chosen from dozens of other hopefuls earlier in the term after senior managers from the hotel group came along to conduct speed-interviews. They were offering our students work-shadowing roles in General Management, Door, Porter and Concierge, Housekeeping, Sales, Marketing, Finance, HR and Events, Engineering, Culinary and Food and Beverage. The aim of the exercise is to help launch meaningful career opportunities in the hotel, events and tourism sectors.

Right now, London's hotel, restaurant and catering services, leisure and sports industries are preparing for a major boom in the visitor economy and job growth is forecast to grow by 2.9% over the next six years meaning 3,500 new jobs. Employers will need to look closer to home in order to find reliable and highly trained staff to cover the shortfall caused by the UK's exit from the EU.

Multi Property Director of Human Resources at the London Marriott Hotel County Hall, Alex Dimsdale has been working with College curriculum managers as well as its work experience team to create relevant and highly beneficial positions within the Hotel. The main focus will be to show the students how their work contributes to offering guests a five-star experience and make them aware of all the routes into becoming senior and executive managers.

Alex said: "We have created a unique partnership with the College that enables us to open the doors of opportunity to those who made it through to this stage of the project. Each individual student has been given a chance to take on responsibility and show us what they can do. They have worked alongside experienced professionals who have donated their valuable time and expert knowledge, guiding them throughout the week in a wide variety of different disciplines.

"I have to say, after talking to the students today, we have achieved a high level of success. Each one will be going back to College next week with greater insight and vision, and above all, much more confidence and optimism. We are all delighted with the results so far and will be collaborating further to offer similar opportunities in the near future."

The students began their week with an induction session in one of the Hotel's function rooms given by members of the HR department and other section managers. In it they were taught about the Group's ethos, house rules and expectations, health and safety regulations and emergency procedures before getting down to the essentials of providing top of the range customer service.

Executive Assistant and Project Manager, Jemma Wade, along with HR Officer Laura Ossentjuk took the students on a detailed tour of the luxury hotel, including all service and workshop areas, kitchens, storage units and staff café, their Gilray Restaurant and all food and beverage facilities, swimming pool and gymnasium and of course the accommodation itself.

Jemma told the students: "To be a success in this industry you have to develop a mindset that enables you to become a 'people-person'. It helps to remember our three Bs; they are Be Impeccable, Be Engaging and most of all, Be Yourself. In all lines of work here, we want you to be creative, talk with confidence, make conversation, smile and be friendly. It also helps if you can remember the names of our guests and which room they are in - not an easy task at all."

After a series of role-play and confidence building exercises the students finally met with their respective managers and mentors and set off to work.

Travel and Tourism Level 3 student Lois Buckland has been shadowing the Hotel's General Manager taking part in day-to-day operational business meetings regarding marketing, finance, HR, and even one to discuss the Hotel's response to the current coronavirus pandemic.

"This has been a very eye-opening week for me and one I won't forget in a hurry," says Lois, "I wanted to do something like this and really challenge myself. Nothing extraordinary is ever going to happen for you if you simply stay in your comfort zone - and this week certainly has been extraordinary."

Other students taking part have also lots to say about their own personal work experience challenges this week. Here's just a few:

Lucy Durell, 18, is a Hospitality Level 2 student hoping to become a professional pastry chef. She said: "I've been given the biggest welcome here and the staff are just lovely throughout. It's almost like working for a family business - everybody is supportive, amiable, polite and helpful. I've learnt lots this week and sad that it's got to end."

Noureldin Ahmed, 19, is studying Entry Level 3 ESOL. He is over the moon to be given the chance to take his first step into the hotel business. He is working as a Porter but would like to become a hotel manager one day. He said: "I've loved it. The training we got at the beginning of the week has been very useful - this isn't just a job carrying people's cases, it's more about being sociable and ensuring your customers are being taken care of. Everybody starts somewhere in this business and learns the ropes before really taking off."

Nick Ackland, 17, is also studying Travel and Tourism and has been privileged to don a traditionally smart Crombie coat and welcome guests as they arrive. He said: "There's a lot more to this job than meets the eye. I worried that I might get bored and fidgety but it's been anything but. Working alongside and observing my two bosses Alba and Mark has led me to consider this as a potential career; I hadn't even considered it before. You really need a big personality and be chatty, funny and reassuring. You also need to know how to get things done and act quickly in certain situations."

Angela Tasarra, 19, studies ESOL at Level 1 and wants to progress to an Accountancy course at the College next year. She is working with the Housekeeping service. She said: "What I've learnt above all else during this programme is how to see the bigger picture of working in such a prestigious hotel like this. Whether you are in housekeeping, concierge or general manager, you fulfil an important role and are a crucial cog in the engine."

Heidi Eaves, 17, studies Level 2 Business at our Bexley Campus. She was very keen to embrace every opportunity this programme would bring and is impressed with how much she has learnt in just one week. She said: "I hope one day to work as a paralegal but don't really want to go through the university system to get there. I'd much rather go along the apprenticeship route where I can learn everything I need by actually doing the job from day one. That's pretty much how I operate and so this work shadowing programme has been truly amazing."

If you think you have what it takes to become a professional and build a successful career in the hotel, tourism and leisure industries, we'd like to hear from you. We have a great range of courses to get you started. Apply now.