More students start training to be hotel managers |21 March 2009

The programme is at advanced diploma level, with three years at the academy and the fourth year at degree level at either the International Hotel and Tourism Management College in Austria or Shannon College of Hotel Management in Ireland.

Students who began the course last year are now on internships in various hotels.

On Monday, a group of 20 new students were at the academy in the presence of senior STA managers, principal Flavien Joubert, the chairman of the STA committee and hotel managers.

In his welcome speech, Mr Joubert advised the students to train themselves to be always inwardly happy, regardless of external circumstances. 

“Circumstances change, and will keep changing, but you as a management student, you have an objective,” he said.

“You have made a promise to yourself, to your parents, to your partners that you would like to be a hotel manager one day, and this you must not change.”

He also advised them to try to stay healthy at all times, and to use their time and energies wisely. He urged them be emotionally mature, responsible and focused on essential matters.

STA committee chairman Roman Kopacek, who is also general manager of the Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort, spoke about a career path in the hotel and catering industry.

He promised the management students he will support them as a mentor and as the general manager of the Hilton, which belongs to one of the biggest and most prestigious hotel companies in the world.

Mr Kopacek, who is also a director of the Seychelles Tourism Board, assured the students that everything possible will be done to ensure Seychellois become hotel general managers.

Deepak Balgobin, the training manager of the St Anne Resort and Spa, spoke of the challenges waiting for would-be Seychellois managers in the hotel industry.

He said there are now four management students from the first group doing their internship at the St Anne Resort. The management is happy with their performance, and already he feels they can become hotel managers.

In this year’s group there are 10 students coming directly from Seychelles Polytechnic with the required A-levels. The other 10 are former A-level students and diploma students in business studies and ex-diploma hotel and tourism school students with four years’ experience, nominated and sponsored by hotels such as Labriz Silhouette.