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'Employees need to be passionate about the industry'
 Gayatri
Vijaykumar speaks with the principal of IHMCT, Kovalam, Atul
Kumar Budhraja, about the opportunities the institute offers to students
How has hospitality education changed over the
years?
We have become more competent and equipped to deal with
the hospitality industry. More multinational companies have come into
the scene bringing with them more employment opportunities. There have
also been changes in terms of salary packages and the type of training
offered.
What opportunities are available to students
passing out of hotel management institutes today?
Students passing out of the institute get placed with
hotels, airlines, cruise liners, fast food chains, etc. Some also turn
entrepreneurs after they gain some experience. Students are also absorbed
in the sales and marketing divisions of hotels. Opportunities are also
available in the retail sector.
What do hotels demand from employees today? What
steps does your institute take to ensure that students are well-equipped
to tackle the challenges?
Hotels mainly expect the right kind of attitude from
the prospective employees. Students need to have a sense of belonging
not only in terms of the hotel but also the industry. Hotels expect their
employees to be flexible and be passionate about the industry; they are
demanding and employees are expected to put in long hours.
In order to meet these demands, we provide professional
skill development courses apart from industry training. The students are
groomed both professionally and on a personal level. We also call guest
lecturers to conduct seminars.
What direction will IHMCT take to meet the challenge
of providing trained manpower?
IHMCT plans to increase the current student intake from
120 to 180 in the three-year BHM course. We will also add two new courses
- a one and a half year diploma in Bakery & Confectionary and a six-month
crafts certificate in F&B. The seats for both these courses will be
100.
On the infrastructure front, we plan to provide a mock
set-up of a hotel for training and also plan to set up a hotel on campus
for which we have already acquired land and are awaiting for approval
from the ministry.
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Established
in September 1990, the Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology
(IHMCT), Kovalam, is rated as one of the best institutes for hotel management
in India. It has been accredited with the ISO 9001:2000 certification from the
Bureau of Indian Standards and is affiliated to the National Council for Hotel
Management & Catering Technology, New Delhi. 
