Hotelier & Caterer Publication

To Train Or Not

As far as information on the Sheraton hotels is concerned, you could either check their website www.sheraton.com or directly obtain the details from the property you are presently working in.

IHTC Address

Dear Sir,

I read the interview done with Mark Goette, president, International Hotel and Tourism College, Switzerland, which was published in the issue dated May 7, 2001. I am interested in taking the course offered by the institute. Kindly give me their address, telephone number or e-mail address.

Nisha Purushothaman
By e-mail

Hi Nisha,
You can either get in touch with Mark directly (banset@yahoo.com) or get in touch with their representatives in India. Their address is: International Hotel And Tourism College, 1211, Maker Chamber V, Nariman Point, Mumbai - 400 021, E-mail: mph@im.eth.net, www.ihtc.ch.

Details On IHM

Dear Sir,

I am 23 and associated with the Patkai Tea Company, Margherita in Assam, as the managing director of the company. I am interested in taking up a course in hotel management at the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition (IHMCTAN). Could you kindly send me the details. Looking forward to your reply.

D Charan Kaushalya
Via EHC website

Hi Charan,
The eligibility criteria for the diploma programme offered by the various IHMs affiliated with the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology, New Delhi is 22 years. So you would not be able to take their diploma course. What you could do is try out some other institute which has age relaxation for their courses or take up the PG courses offered by the IHMs. If you need more details on the location of IHMs throughout the country (21 IHMs), you can either mail them at nchm@ndf.vsnl.net.in or check their website www.natlcouncilforhotelmgt.com.

In case you need more information on various other institutes offering hotel management programmes, we suggest you use one of the search engines (google, yahoo etc) and type in the search box national council for hotel management and catering technology. It will show you various sites that have a list of reputed institutes, besides IHMs, in India and abroad and the programmes offered by them.

Work Or Pursue Further Studies

Dear Sir,
We are catering students doing our BSC in catering science from a recognised university from Tamil Nadu. We use el&bs publishers books of UK for our course. We would like to work abroad or pursue our masters abroad or work for top class hotels of India. After doing my degree where will we be placed in the hotel industry. Will doing MBA help us any further?

Dear Friends,
This is for your information that any course that you do (or any one else) will initially make you eligible only for entry-level positions or hotel operations trainees (HOT) depending on your performance in the written tests, group discussions and personal interviews. This at large across the hospitality industry stands true because individual hotels have their own agendas. This is very much true even with candidates with a degree or a post graduation or masters programme, unless it is done from very reputed institutions for example OCLD (the Oberoi centre in Delhi).

Regarding working abroad or pursuing masters abroad, I believe working would be a better option. If you can get an opportunity to go abroad and work, nothing like it. This is because, the kind of exposure you can gain working there will give you a broader outlook to the industry. And if you are lucky enough to join a good hotel/chain, your further training requirements will also be taken care of by that particular hotel/chain.

You have not specified the area of interest that you would like to pursue your MBA in. It is very essential to identify that, as it will make you focus on a particular aspect of the industry. MBAs in hotels are preferred only in the administrative departments and at higher level management positions. If you come across a programme that offers you a perfect mix with at least 10 to 12 months of industrial training, it would be a good deal. But, if you are interested more in the operational part it would not prove that helpful.

If you haven’t been able to decide the area that interests you, it is better to join the industry after the completion of the course programme. As the industry being a touch and feel kind, will definitely help you in arriving at the right decision.

Websites, Mgmt Trainees, Placement And More

Dear Sir,

I would be grateful if you could answer few of my questions mentioned below:

Your answers to the above questions will be highly appreciated. Looking forward to your reply.

Harpreet Singh, By e-mail

Dear Harpreet,
You have not given any information about yourself viz whether you are a hotel management student or a person already working in the industry or some one who is just curious on knowing about food and wine.

Your questions are quite general. You could have easily gathered information on a few of them yourself by using search engines on the Net. Anyways we have done it for you and have found a few sites that would meet your requirements on wine. The sites are:

www.refdesk.com/food.html (this will give you details about thousands of other sites which will answer most of your questions) www.decanter.com, www.wineloverspage.com, www.winefool.com, www.tulleeho.com.

Regarding details on management trainees programme, please refer to the story published in the Avenues section page 6. It will give you all the information you need on the same.We have managed to get details on just three placement agencies at the moment. We are expecting more details very soon. Meanwhile you can note down the addresses/contact numbers which are as follows:

Kumar Abhisheik, Placement Consultant,
Professional Search Services, Prabhadevi,
Phone: 437 7272

Sanjay Kelapure
Corporate Pride Consultants Pvt Ltd
Placement Division
Pulakit, 6B/158, opposite Kala Pradarshani Park,
Off link road, D N Nagar, Andheri (West),
Mumbai - 400 053. Telefax: 26303170 || Tel. No. 26303180
E-mail: pride9@vsnl.com
Website - http://www.corporatepride.net

Ashish Sharma, placement consultant
Apt Consultancy Pvt Ltd
Four Bungalows, Flat no 9
Andheri East, Tel no:6343664, 6340526

From Sales To Training And Human Resource

Dear Counsellor,

I have completed my three-year diploma in hotel management and catering technology. Currently, I am working at an entry level sales position with a five-star hotel which is managed by one of the top hotel companies in India.

After working in the sales department for more than a year now, I feel that I should shift to the human resource and training department. I find myself more comfortable with this section of management.

As said earlier, I am a diploma holder and can go through MBA entrance tests. Are there any good training institutes that consider diploma in HMCT as equivalent to graduation and qualify one to get admission for the courses. I am currently 21 year old and can still continue my education.

Is there a possibility for me to move into HR or should I continue working in the sales department for a few more years and then move to HR. Are there any short-term course in this field. I would prefer to continue education that taking a distance education course.

Please help me in arriving at a right decision. Your assistance in this respect will be highly appreciated.

Ashwin Gokhale,
By e-mail

Seems like you have a very important decision to make.

First of all, the basic requirement for any of the worthwhile MBA courses is graduation. What I suggest is that without delaying any further you should enroll yourself for a distance education degree programme and complete your graduation. Even if you don’t use it for MBA, it would definitely help you later in your career.

While you are completing your graduation you could further direct your career towards your area of interest ie HRD or training. Along with technical qualifications one definitely needs to have a flair for HR and training.

You might also want to find out for yourself whether you want to move into training or HR. Both, though interrelated, do call for different set of skills. Having personally worked in operations for two years before moving into training, I can assure you that the movement is not impossible.

However, getting into the market and looking for a job in the field, without any prior experience would be difficult.

Instead, if you approach your present organisation and convince them of your ability to handle the role, the transition could be much easier. If your interest lies in HR, I suggest you do not spend another year in sales. Formal education in the field would also be required which could be pursued after you have completed your graduation. And believe me, if you put in your best efforts things have way of working out in your best interest.

All the best,

Sheetal Singh

(The advisor is working as assistant training manager with the Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Mumbai)

Cornell University Website

Dear Sir,

We are regular subscribers of your magazine. There was an article published by you on Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. You had given their postal address but there was no mention about their website or e-mail address.

We would be very grateful if you could provide us with the required details.

Your prompt reply will be highly appreciated.

M Nivitha, librarian
Shevaroys Institute of Catering Technology & Hotel Management
Tamil Nadu
By e-mail

Dear Nivitha,
There were two articles published by us on the programmes offered by the Cornell University and the second article had their website address at the end of the story.

Anyways, if you need any details about the programmes offered or any other details on the university you could get in touch with Mara Begley or Chuck Mardiks, their e-mail addresses are Begley@kwepr.com and Mardiks@kwepr.com respectively.

You could also visit their website www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/chr for any details on the educational programmes offered by them.

Hope this meets your requirement.

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