COLLEGE LIFE
Students JORDAN and PAULINA are preparing to join the tourism industry after they finish college. Here they tell us all about their courses.
Name: Jordan Rohan
Age: 20
Course: Higher Certificate in Culinary Arts
Duration: Two years full-time, with an option to go on to study for a BA in Culinary Arts and Masters.
College: Athlone IT
What does the course involve?
Culinary arts provides a wide variety of classes such as nutrition and menu planning, culinary industrial demonstrations, pastry and baking, culinary practice, and food service. In first year you are required to do a work placement. There is such a great variety of choice for placements given the chef shortage and as many of our lecturers are well connected.
What’s the best thing about the course?
One of the best things about studying culinary arts in AIT is that we are like a family and everyone is trying to push everyone to the best of their ability. We compete regularly in national competitions, including at CATEX and World Skills Ireland. Participating in these competitions is a great way to meet other chefs and get involved with the chef community.
What are the hours like?
About 26 hours a week which means you can still work part-time at weekends if you wish.
Where did you go for your placement?
I travelled to France to work in Lacotel Hossegor, near Biarritz. I worked mostly on starters and desserts and did the occasional main course. It was hard work, long hours and every day was a challenge but I will never forget the time I spent on my placement. When you work with people for a long time they become like family and now that I’m back at college I still get the occasional texts and emails from the team, asking me how I am and what I am up to. Sometimes we also exchange photos and recipes of the dishes that we make.
Are there any other opportunities to travel with your course?
AIT offers various international field trips. In first year I visited Dubai and France with the Institute on week-long residential field trips. Later this year we will travel to Kuala Lumpur where, among other things, we will learn about fusion cuisine with a focus on South East Asian ingredients.
What is AIT like?
I wouldn’t study anywhere else. I love the camaraderie on our course and in the college. We look out for each other and help one another.
What are your career goals?
I’d like to get as much out of my course as I can and gain as much experience as possible in my career so that one day, hopefully, I can return to AIT as a lecturer.
The Hillgrove Hotel
Name: Paulina Laskowska
Age: 20
Course: Degree in Business in Tourism with Event Management (Level 7)
Duration: Three years full-time with option to add a fourth year (Level 8)
College: Institute of Technology Sligo
What does your course involve?
It’s quite a diverse course. First year is all about understanding the concept of tourism and we spent a lot of time looking at adventure tourism businesses around Sligo. Second year includes a four-month placement that you can do here in Ireland or abroad. As I was already working in the Hillgrove Hotel in Monaghan I chose to undertake my placement there as I knew I would find it beneficial to work with the management team.
Third year covers subjects like business, law and entrepreneurship. I’m really enjoying business and law. Once you understand the basics of law it is very interesting. There is an events element to the course and you learn how to run an event but that side of the industry is not for me. I am far more interested in the business of tourism.
What’s the best thing about your course?
The variety. You learn so much about different aspects of the industry and about business in general.
What don’t you like?
Nothing to be honest! I like it all but I have struggled most with marketing technology, I am just not technologically minded.
What are the hours like?
We do 24–30 hours over four days (Monday–Thursday).
Can you work part-time while you study?
Yes, I still work in the Hillgrove Hotel on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. During my placement I got to work with the managers in different departments in the hotel, including the restaurant, bar and reception and I still do that at the weekends now, working mainly with the Restaurant Manager or helping out the Duty Managers. I learned so much on my placement and I love the variety of working in a role like Duty Manager.
What do you plan to do when you finish your course?
I’d really like to travel and I’m hoping to go to the US to work in the tourism industry there, ideally in a luxury hotel.
What is IT Sligo like?
I really enjoy it. They are investing more in the campus and trying to improve it. Every year you see more students coming in.
Is there much of a social life?
Yes, there are plenty of clubs and societies to join, covering everything from surfing and sailing to cheerleading, which I have done for the last two years. It’s not as easy as it looks but it’s great fun.
Would you recommend the course and IT Sligo?
Definitely. If you’re interested in business and in tourism then this would be a good course for you. I have learned a lot on the course and I think everyone else would too.
What are your plans for the future?
I’d like to travel for a while and work my way up the ladder in the hotel and tourism industry, maybe to become a General Manager one day. My ultimate goal is to own my own B&B or restaurant – that’s the dream.