Published: 30 November 2023
From 6 – 10 November, tourism and hospitality students enhanced their learning by taking part in a range of industry insight events, as part of the inaugural Hospitality Week at UoSiL.
The week of activities, organised by David Coronado, external training partner, aimed to boost student employability skills and industry knowledge, and provide a deeper understanding of the professional landscape. This included visits to a range of hotels and event venues – including ExCel London, as well as employability workshops.
The week started with a presentation on campus from the Institute of Hospitality - with Sam Coultstock, Head of Professional Development, and Lisa Bright, Professional Development Officer, providing an informative presentation on the information, knowledge, and networking opportunities available to our students through membership the Institute.
On Tuesday, a group of students had the unique opportunity to visit the ExCel conference centre during World Travel Market - a key global travel industry event that fosters growth and development.
During the visit, students had the privilege of meeting with two distinguished professionals in the field: Jamie Harvie, Head of Event Management for ExCeL London, and Rebecca Gilbert, Senior Event Manager. They provided valuable insight into organising some of London's most prominent events, such as the Adobe Summit, MCM Comic Con, and World Travel Market itself.
Hospitality Week continued with students visiting key hotel chains, including Marriot and Hilton, which included tours covering the hotel operation and events management – further enhancing the students’ industry knowledge and insight. The week then concluded with an employability workshop focusing on CV building.
"I will submit my dissertation in December and so opportunities to explore jobs and network with professionals in my industry is very important.
The events during Hospitality Week let me learn about graduate schemes & meet senior team members at different companies." - Jaison Jose, MSc Tourism & Hospitality
Reflecting on the success of Hospitality Week, David said:
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the industry professionals who contributed to Hospitality Week. The extraordinary opportunities across the week allowed our students not only to learn from experts but also to gain inspiration for their future hospitality and events careers.
This experience has enriched their educational journey and will undoubtedly contribute to their future success in the industry!”