Practical training a part of SEGi’s programmes to make graduates industry-ready

A LITTLE TEAM BUILDING... Students trying out one the events at the resort under the team building programme.

TESTING THE FACILITIES...Students assessing one of the outdoor facilities of the resort.

KUCHING: SEGi College Sarawak is ensuring that its hospitality students have as much hands-on experience as they do academic knowledge so that graduates will be industry-ready when they graduate.

The initial phase was to have Hotel Management and Tourism Management students work in hotels and tourism-related enterprises as interns to chalk up working experience and to have a better understanding of the occupations that will be made available to them.

“We have taken steps to incorporate additional hands-on experience for our students,” said SEGi College Sarawak’s Faculty of Hospitality Senior Programme Coordinator Carleen Teo.

“For example, our hospitality students are now posted to different departments in hotels for practical training over a short duration of time such as house-keeping or in the food and beverage department.

“This will widen their scopes as they can see the practical aspects of the programme they are undertaking.”

Similarly, 32 students took a field trip to the Lundu Retreat Resort, over 100km from Kuching, to experience and assess the establishment as a viable tourism location as part of their programme two weeks ago.

Accompanied by lecturer Ting Hui Bun, the students were able to see in actuality the different types of tourism products offered by the resort and its surroundings.

“This way the students are fully exposed to a real resort and tourism environment within which they can compare actual pros and cons rather than visualizing it from afar,” said Ting.

“By experiencing what a normal tourist would experience, students will be able to assess and make recommendations to improve the products and services of the establishment. This kind of learning is not available in books.

“We increase our students’ understanding for tourism and hospitality products by having actual locations and establishments such as the Lundu Retreat Resort within which they can practice their knowledge.”

Teo said the Faculty of Hospitality was among the first of many faculties in SEGi to incorporate this additional form of learning and it has proven to be a success.

“As a result, last year’s graduates found that they were able to gain employment easily,” she said. “Most found jobs within a week and eight were working prior to their graduation ceremony.”

She said her faculty will continue to incorporate in-house and out-bound practical training for the students so that SEGi’s graduates will become the most desired of employees among the hotel and toruism sectors. -- ends