Education

Hotel management in the UK

The hospitality industry is booming all over the world. There are plenty of well paid job opportunities in this field. Overseas education in this field provides more weightage in terms of future job prospects, salary and settlement options. Hotel Management is a field where practical knowledge is more important rather than just theoretical knowledge. For students who have a limited financial budget, yet have a desire to make a career in the lucrative overseas hospitality industry, there is a ideal program offered at Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College (EHWLC), one of the largest government funded colleges in the UK, with four campuses in south west of London - Ealing, Hammersmith, Acton and Southhall.

The college offers two post graduate diploma programs, one in Culinary Arts and the second one in Patisserie and Confectionery. These programs are specifically designed for students with a hospitality background, with either a Bachelor's degree in Hotel Management or a three years diploma in Hotel Management or Culinary Arts. Students with kitchen experience are also eligible.

The Culinary Arts program provides a fundamental education in safety, hygiene, and sanitation procedures and then advances to basic cookery skills. This proficiency in classic techniques provides the basis for progressive study in preparing specific dishes and specialties. The subjects covered include European, Indian, Thai, Chinese and vegetarian cuisine. The PG Diploma in Patisserie and Confectionery covers various modules like preparing and presenting different pastes, traditional desserts and cakes, classic and contemporary confectionary, variations on restaurant hot and cold desserts, artistic and decorative skills and chocolate techniques.

These programs also include a history of food, practical aspects of sound business management, and a background in human resource management. The course also covers how to create and cost menus, what to look for in purchasing food for commercial use, and how to best organise one's kitchen for maximum effectiveness.

EHWLC's PG diplomas are 18 months sandwich programs that include nine to 12 months of paid internship between two academic semesters of three months each. Students' progression during the work placement is monitored by an assigned course tutor. This program is available in January, April and September intakes. The total tuition fee (18 months) for this program is £4,900.