Learning curve

Three Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management students talk about their first internship in European and Dubai hotels


Most students have enjoyed a long summer break, catching up with friends and family, staying away from lessons, just doing what they want to do. But not the first batch of students taking their Bachelors of Science degree in International Hospitality Management at the Emirates Academy of Hospitality, Dubai.

The 14 young men and women have worked right through summer, doing their internship at various five-star properties in the UAE and abroad.

Among them are Rami Moukarzel, 19, Lebanese, who worked at the Hyatt Regency Charles de Gaulle in Paris, France; Pieter Bruener, 22, German, who worked at the Hyatt Regency La Manga, Spain; and Sarah Shaw, 19, UAE national, who worked at the One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai.

Each internship was for 20 weeks and formed part of their second-year curriculum.

We spoke to the three students about their first work experience in the hospitality industry. They answered the same questions, speaking with different accents but one voice, sharing their love of the hotel industry and its many moods.

Highlights of the conversation:

My first day at work

Pieter Bruener: I worked in the F&B department, in three different bars. On the first day, I met the F&B manager at 3pm. He told me in five minutes what I was supposed to do. I went straightaway to work at the Piano Lounge.

The guy I was working with only spoke Spanish and that was my first contact with the language. He used hands and feet and everything to explain. Within 30 minutes I was serving my first customer.

Rami Moukarzel: I went to the human resources office and there were four new staff. We had a short introduction - in French. At that time my French wasn't too good! I learnt about the hotel chain and was shown around.

Sarah Shaw: I walked to the human resources department and met the quality and training manager. I read about the property and learnt about my programme. That day was mainly show-around and getting to know the organisation and the people.

How different it was from the Academy

Pieter: Now we had regular customers who paid for what they got. So I had to be very careful.

Rami: At the academy there's always a safety net. There you're a regular employee and have to meet expectations.

Sarah: Here they give you the ideal world of a hotel. When you're smacked with reality you realise how different it is. You realise the case studies you've learnt can actually happen.

My job

Pieter: I trained in two bars and then was in charge of the just-opened pool bar. I dealt with ordering, purchasing, training, inventory and money. I have done everything – cleaned the counter, polished glasses, cut lemon wedges.

Rami: First I handled a room-service shift. I made sure all orders went up in time and guests were satisfied. Later, I was in-charge of a section in a restaurant. I set tables for breakfast after dinner, polished cutlery, served banquets…

Sarah: I ran an operators' section after about a month. I answered phones, greeted guests, made sure they were connected properly. At reservations department I answered calls, gave room rates, made reservations on the spot. At reception I checked guests in and out, handled money etc.

The most difficult task

Pieter: I had to work with colleagues who spoke only Spanish. Teamwork was very important so I had to learn the basics of the language.

Rami: I did 14-hour shifts for the banqueting department. We were only five people, including managers, for a 400-pax banqueting hall. So everyone did everything. I did this for two months, sometimes for lunch and dinner. Once the table was laid, I'd go into another room and set that up for a meeting. I served during coffee breaks and then ran for lunch. I served food, cleared table… We ran non-stop – I lost four kilos!

Sarah: Sometimes we had 12 calls to answer between two people. And that too within three rings! You couldn't keep the phone ringing or anger a guest by speaking shortly.

What I learnt

Pieter: Learnt to be multicultural within a business environment. When you're in a different country with different customs you have to accept you're in a new environment and adapt immediately.

Rami: Learnt to take initiative. They didn't have the time and money to give us orientation lessons. I just had to pick up the trade and run with it.

Sarah: Learnt to not take anything personally. If you do something wrong they (the employer) has every right to shout at you.

How the academy prepared me

Pieter: I felt confident, because there was nothing new to know. We had been given good backgrounds in service, F&B, how to deal with customers.

Rami: There were a lot of trainees from other schools and some were not able to cope. I realised the Academy had given us a very good understanding of the operations as a whole. The Academy gave me a critical eye. It taught me not only how to understand, but to manage, organise and improve operations.

Sarah: The Academy gave us a lot of hands-on experience. So we actually knew what we had to do when we went on the job.

Where I want to be 10 years from graduation

Pieter: I can be wherever I want (with this qualification). I don't want to plan anything definite.

Rami: Managing my own hotel chain.

Sarah: I would love to be the first UAE national general manager of a hotel in Dubai, so changing inaccurate perceptions about the hospitality industry.

The Academy

• The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, part of Dubai based luxury hospitality group Jumeirah International, was established in October 2001. It is in academic association with the prestigious Ecole hôteliere de Lausanne in Switzerland.

• The academy offers degree programmes in international hospitality, travel and tourism management, approved and accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

• The students stay and study at the Jumeirah campus across the road from the Burj Al Arab.

• The Academy has a highly-qualified multilingual faculty and a multicultural student body.