According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, Travel and Tourism is expected to increase its Gross Domestic Product contribution by $3.5 trillion to reach $10.4 trillion in 2023. It is expected that employment within the sector will increase by one quarter, supporting $338 million, or one in 10 jobs around the world. In India’s case, the contribution of the Travel and Tourism economy to employment is expected to rise 23 per cent, from 39 million to 48 million jobs, by 2022. By then, eight per cent of all jobs in India will be in the Travel and Tourism industry. In this regard, we throw the spotlight on Les Roches International School of Hotel Management based in Switzerland. A quick chat with Sonia Tatar, CEO, Les Roches-worldwide operations.
What courses do you offer?
We offer Bachelor degrees in International Hotel Management, Global Hospitality Management, Diploma in Hotel Management, Postgraduate Diploma in Hospitality Administration, Postgraduate Higher Diploma in Hospitality Management, MBA and MS in Hospitality Leadership. Details at www.lesroches.edu.
What is Les Roches’ USP? Why should students opt to study at the institute?
Our best academic and practical curriculum, coupled with professional internships, give our students the edge they need to succeed in this fast-growing field. Our programmes and graduates are highly valued by the industry, as evidenced in a recent global survey by the highly reputed UK-based research firm Taylor Nelson Sofres, which said that industry hiring managers from five-star hotels rank Les Roches among the top three hospitality management schools in the world.
We are highly accredited too — at the university level by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, US. Our branch campuses in Marbella, Spain; Shanghai, China; Chicago, US and Amman, Jordan, ensure that students truly get a global exposure. Promoting entrepreneurship is also one of our key mottos.
Could you tell us about specific skills students could pick from the programmes?
The combination of academic and experiential learning, coupled with real-life experiences and a strong personal development gives our students the necessary skill set and a head start when joining the industry upon graduation. The key to success for students entering the job market are their interpersonal skills, and these competencies are precisely what they will obtain at Les Roches.
Internships are an integral part of the Travel and Tourism business. How does Les Roches play a part?
Students are trained in both the theoretical and practical aspects of the hospitality industry, guaranteeing an in-depth understanding of all hospitality operations in our programmes. The training on campus is complemented by two internships (each with a six-month duration), during which students acquire valuable industry experience. This focus on both academic and applied learning helps students unlock their full personal and professional potential.
For employers, these trainees have hands-on experience in operations, they look and act professional, they are customer-oriented, and work in multicultural teams, which in itself is a great asset in such a globalised industry. The internships in turn provide valuable real life experience to our students and guarantee that they are fully and quickly operational once they graduate.
How is Les Roches doing with placements?
The Les Roches Career Development and Industry Placement Office on campus provides assistance to students in all aspects of their job search, from drafting CVs, to giving Skype interview tips and techniques, to securing internships during their studies and job positions upon graduation. These efforts reflect in our strong track record of high employability of graduates with currently 89 per cent of students either employed or with several offers on graduation day as per data available with us for 2013.
It must be difficult for expats to study in Switzerland, considering the costs involved. Do you offer financial aid?
Les Roches provides very limited scholarships to students, considering that we are a private institute and mostly sustain via tuition fees. We offer merit-based awards that cover 10-20 per cent of tuition fees.
What are your thoughts on advancements in the industry?
The United Nations World Tourism Organisation predicted that the number of outbound Indian tourists will reach 50 million by 2020 and the Indian government has identified a shortage of 1,50,000 hotel rooms in the domestic market. These estimates show India’s increasing importance in the Travel and Tourism industry. With higher growth rates, the Hospitality industry is experiencing an increasing demand for qualified talent who meet a very specific set of requirements — hospitality management skills (business and people management), practical industry knowledge and professional experience. A degree in hospitality management covers all three areas and opens doors to exciting opportunities and future careers in the world of hospitality.
shilpa.vasudevan@newindianexpress.com