Shannon College of Hotel Management

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Delivering World Class Placement Opportunities
A view from Shannon College of Hotel Management
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Background

• Shannon College was founded in 1951 by Dr.
  Brendan ORegan.
• Its educational ethos is based on the
  traditional Swiss hotel school model featuring a
  strong emphasis on practical industry experience.
• Placements have been central to its ethos for 57
  years.

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• Starting with an un-validated diploma and
  unrecognised school, which included over
• 2 years of placements..to today delivering BBS/
  B. Comm (Level 8) degrees validated and
  recognised by the National University of Ireland
  that still include 2 placement years.

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Purpose of Presentation

• How we endeavour to deliver world class
  placements based on our experience of 57 years
  of change in
• Students and society
• Hospitality industry
• Academic requirements
• and an ongoing Curriculum Review

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What is a world class placement?

• A general term for a high level of competitive
  performance as defined by benchmarking and use of
  
• best practice
• (source bridgefieldgroup.com)

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Suggested Criteria for identifying world class
placements with our comments and questions etc.
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• Integrated in an academic programme which has
  specific objectives and learning outcomes

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• Using hotels which feature best practice
  operations, systems and management.
• Finding them
• Gaining access
• Building relationships
• Problem solving
• Arriving at an established, mutually beneficial
  relationship based on trust

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Optimum Preparation for Placement at College

• Selection interview
• Training / Education?
• Recruitment by hotels
• Preparation / briefing
• Timing issues

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Opportunities for Advancement for Students

• Portfolio of hotels
• Types of placements
• Development philosophy of the hotels
• Matching students with the hotels
• Immigration / visa issues
• Rigidity of programme v/v opportunities

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Students Exposed to Best HR Practice

• Induction
• Terms and conditions
• Welfare
• Training
• Development, feedback
• Equality practices
• Management practise and style

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Language

• Academic considerations
• Relationship to quality of placement
• Importance for interview, career development

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Students Diversity of Experience

• Objectives of the programme
• Expectations / objectives of the students

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• Acquisition of Life Skills
• vis a vis
• Hand Holding

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Support on Placement

• Contracts
• Appropriate level of support
• Emergencies
• Parental involvement
• Disciplinary issues in employment
• Welfare / counselling
• Changing places

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• Assessment of performance
• Objectives of the programme
• Who assesses?
• Mark/grade
• v/v Pass /Fail
• v/v Recognition of achievement on placement
• v/v Weighting of marks awarded

• Assessment of learning outcomes
• Diaries/workbooks
• Presentations
• Examinations
• Orals
• Language improvement
• Sharing of experiences

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Challenges

• Students have less developed coping skills than
  in previous decades
• Standardisation of the training the student
  receives
• Different employment legislation in different
  countries
• Low pay scales for trainees in many countries
• Costs involved in running the placements
• Litigation

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Conclusion

• "Education is a social process... education is
  growth....education is not a preparation for
  life education is life itself.
• John Dewey