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The beginning
“When I was deciding which degree to take, I chose Hospitality Management because I really wanted a practical management course. And there’s no better place for that than at a hotel management school! During my studies, my favourite modules were the practical ones as I felt that was when my social characteristics could really shine, and hospitality, in whatever form it comes, is extremely important to me. What appealed to me was that in this study programme there is a lot of opportunity for growth. You start with operational tasks and develop towards a management position, which means you get to quickly improve your professional skills.”
Project groups
“I worked in a lot of project groups and this is where I clearly saw the international aspect of the study programme. Collaborating with different nationalities and people from various cultural backgrounds, means you not only learn a lot about those cultures but you also learn about the importance of teamwork. It really taught me a lot and I carry it with me to this day. By analysing and working on cases and discussing solutions in a group context, I also learned how to receive and handle feedback – and how to properly give feedback. This is something I still reap the rewards from in my current job.”
It finally clicked
“In my third year, a couple of things finally fell into place. In previous years, I’d followed various modules such as Research and Planning, Revenue Management, and French (which wasn’t my strongest subject), but during my third year, it all came together for me. I finally understood that the knowledge from these different modules would help me develop further and become more proficient in my job.”
South-Africa
“In my third year, I decided to go to South Africa. I’d been wanting to go there for quite some time and in my third year, the opportunity arose. It really felt as if I didn’t go then, I probably never would – especially for as long a period as the six months I was going to be able to go for. It turned out to be an exceptionally good decision for me to go.”
“When I returned to the Netherlands from South Africa, I saw more clearly how important it was for me to finish my course. My 6 months in South Africa gave me so many new impressions and insights that I felt it was time for me to take a new step.”