Before choosing a college, definitely check on-campus recruitment and faculty…

Rachna Dikshit–  Head, Special Projects, AKG Group

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Birthplace : Mumbai.

Education:  Air Force Bal Bharti School Delhi, Hotel Management IAVM Mumbai.

Profession: Head Special Projects AKG Group.

 

Today, in Grihshobha’s “University of Life” segment, Rachna Dikshit from the hospitality industry is joining. After completing her 12th grade, Rachna Dikshit had three career options: journalism, English Honors, and hotel management. She chose hotel management, and now boasts 20 years of experience. Through this conversation, we offer advice and guidance for students considering a career in the hospitality industry:

What are the subjects in school that are beneficial for studying in the hospitality industry?

Chemistry is an important component of the hospitality industry, and the food business is closely related to chemistry. The interaction of flavors with each other is a chemical reaction, and that chemical reaction produces results. For example, there’s a book called “Lessons in Chemistry,” in which the main character, a chemist and scientist, demonstrates chemistry through cooking. The second subject would be language. Whether it’s Hindi, English, or any other language, learn your language well because in this industry, you’ll need to interact and communicate, so speaking the correct language will make it easier to communicate with clients.

What things should be kept in mind while choosing a college?

First, look into on-campus recruitment. Find out which companies and hotel chains come there to offer jobs to students. Second, find out who the faculty is, what they’re like, their experience, and where they’ve worked.

Third is internship program and also find out whether there is guest lecture or not, whether there is hotel visit or not.

For example, I studied at IHM, which is currently 50-60 years old. Their syllabus, training, and facilities are all perfect. They teach the color, size, and shape of tomatoes, the sharpness of cuts when cutting meat, and the thickness of slices—all of which are crucial to becoming an excellent chef.

A college that provides students with maximum exposure, practical knowledge, and teaching is a good college. Also, don’t skip classes because if a class teaches how to churn butter and you don’t attend, you won’t know it the next day. You can’t learn this from your classmate, who is already learning on his own. So, how can he explain the perfect technique to you?

Certifications and skills that help you advance in the hospitality industry?

The certification depends on your specialization and the scope you want in the future. For example, if you’re a chef, there’s the French Le Cordon Bleu certification. Similarly, there are certifications in wine and alcohol that give you a thorough understanding of them. There are certifications for inventory management. As for skills, communication skills are essential. Whatever language you speak, learn it thoroughly. Not incomplete Hindi or English. Whatever you say, say it completely and clearly.

Develop reading skills like loud reading used to happen in school, which helped us in our practice.

It used to be. Now you can practice at home, and there are many apps available today where you can practice with people. Practice writing, too. Proper speaking, communication, and writing skills are essential for the hospitality industry. Your patience is also essential. You must be patient in every situation.

What things should students pay attention to before entering this field?

Students pursuing a hotel management course or entering any role or service in the hospitality industry should keep in mind that while it may seem like a glamorous world from the outside, it, like any other sector, requires hard work. Discipline is paramount here. Clients can often become angry, so you’ll need to listen to their anger and complaints, and then say sorry with a smile.

Working hours are long, and you have to learn and master everything from cleaning to cooking. Only then will you truly understand the dignity of labor, and if you’re not comfortable doing these tasks, this industry isn’t for you. Therefore, be sure to take an aptitude test before entering hotel management.

For those students who have gone into hotel management and are no longer interested in it, I would say that once you complete the course, you should change your career because there are many career options even after this course. And if you are not at all interested in this course, or are very troubled, then leave the course because firstly, a student’s unhappiness is not good for his studies or his health. Secondly,

When you give up one thing, you’ll pick up another. What other career sectors are available with a hotel management degree?

If you have done hotel management then you can work in every sector because here you have learnt discipline, communication, you have learnt to adapt and all this is required to work in any industry, so with this you can make a good career in aviation staff, event management, call centre, guest relation in big MNC, many such options.

Can the career scope in this industry reduce due to technology or AI?

I don’t believe these pose any threat to the hospitality industry. Today, humans serve, clean, cook, and manage every hospitality industry, and they will continue to do so until robots come along and take over these tasks. The arrival of robots in this field is not yet apparent, especially in India.

Secondly, after COVID-19, homestays, restaurants, and holiday properties have all expanded significantly, which is good for jobs because not everyone in hotel management can find a job in a five-star hotel. Five-star hotels are very few, and the number of jobs available in them is even lower. Therefore, more people can find jobs elsewhere. And most importantly, whether it’s the hospitality industry or teaching, medical, or surgical, these are all jobs that require human connection and human interaction, which I don’t think any AI technology can replace.

Would you like to say something to girl students and their parents?

Education is essential for every girl. Their education should never be interrupted for marriage, their brother’s education, or any other reason, because for them, education is their capital. This will help them become financially independent. Girls, save whatever you earn for yourself. Support your family, but save money for yourself too. Saving for yourself is not selfishness.

CAREER TIPS

  • Before choosing a professional college, be sure to check out campus recruitment. This will give you an idea of ​​the companies offering jobs there.
  • Guest lectures and hotel visits are mandatory in the internship program.
  • When studying hotel management, pay close attention to even the smallest details. A small mistake can lead to significant losses.

 

– Rajni Prasad