Significance of Practical Training in Hotel Management

Summary

Practical skills are important in hotel management programs. Theory is great, but it only gives the basics of anything. When I speak of training as being practical, this involves participation - engaging with guests, preparation before dishes, training after dishes, managing team members in housekeeping. It is within practical skills that we see the making of a hotelier. Consider this: You may want to become a chef or front office manager, but engagement in a practical environment builds your confidence, time and stress management, technical skills, and communication skills. Employers want candidates with the theory of hospitality, but employers prefer candidates with real life, practical experience from training. So, if you are going to study hotel management or cookery, check that your course includes practical training - it will be what takes you from student to real life professional.

To work in any industry, you need the correct training to be successful. When it comes to making your mark in the hospitality industry, practical training cannot be overstated for any aspiring chefs. Sure, you could learn theories of hospitality in a classroom, but the skills you really develop in a kitchen, at a front desk, and on a housekeeping floor. Those experiences become the most impactful tool in hotel management.

In this blog, we will look at why training, particularly hands-on practical experience, is so important and in fact valued for anyone looking to undertake the various hotel management, culinary, baking, or cooking courses. If you really want to pursue a profession as a chef, hotel operations manager, etc., it is certainly the bridge between education and practice.

What is Training in Hotel Management?

Training is the development of specific skills and knowledge required to perform a particular job. In hospitality, specifically in hotel management, it’s important to have relevant industry skills and knowledge. Every department requires a set of professional skills so relevant training should be in the form of work placements programs.

The Importance of Practical Training in Hotel Management

There is a considerable difference between learning recipes and theories versus working them out in a kitchen practically. It is practical experience that gets you truly job-ready for your future. Here are some examples of how practical training enables you to develop practical skills in a real-world setting. 

1. Builds Real-World Confidence

Guest complaints are commonplace in the hospitality industry. What you learn through proper practical training is how to deal with situations like these in a calm manner and with a smile on your face.  

2. Develops Technical Skills

Through cooking and culinary courses students get a chance to learn everything from chopping to plating and serving the dish. 

3. Familiarity with Hotel Processes

Students can become familiar with every area/unit of a hotel from the front office to housekeeping to kitchen. Students work with real hotel equipment, software, and guests, which provides them with the opportunity to understand theoretical practices used in hotels.

4. Teaches Time Management Skills and Stress Management

Everything in hospitality is urgent. Days are busy and students are under enormous pressure even on practical training days. Training helps students practice being effective under pressure and continue to deliver exceptional guest services all the time. 

5. Increases in Employment Opportunities

Hotels require trained professionals. Employers prefer hotel management candidates who have undergone practical training during their hotel management program, which increases the likelihood of finding jobs that pay better salaries.

To enter this dynamic industry, students must have practical, hands-on, industry-relative experience. Employers in hospitality seek professionals that have been trained to deal with real-time issues, adapt quickly, communicate well and create memorable guest experiences. This is why practical training is not an option; it is a must for anyone wanting to establish a great career in hotel management. 

How Hotel Management Training Enhances a Person’s Skill Sets: 

Yes, absolutely! Hotel management training develops personal skill sets, builds your overall personality and develops you into a real hotel professional that can manage hotel operations: 

• Technical Skills: From using the hotel computer reservation programs to knowledge of food safety best-practice protocols.  
• Soft Skills: Communication, teamwork, guest handling skills and guest services Skills. 
• Adaptability: Experience working in a number of different departments and jobs to be able to work any job required of the hotel, restaurant or hospitality industry. 
• Specialization: Culinary Skills or Front Office Management? The ability to specialize will allow you to consider and choose a path to follow. 

Training is the soul of hotel management. It develops your skills, builds your confidence and leadership competencies in the hotel to fully prepare you for a professional career in the hospitality industry, as simple as cooking delicious meals or managing a luxury resort, all is developed through training.

So, if you're looking to enroll in hotel management courses, cooking courses, or culinary courses, make sure they teach you practical knowledge, because that's what really distinguishes you from other people and contributes to your path and skillset in the hospitality industry.

FAQ’s

Q1. Why is practical training important in hotel management?
A: It is the bridge between learning the theory in the classroom to working in the operation of a hotel. You will experience how to deal with guests, how to manage your time when under pressure and the practical side of the operation provides you immediate experience of human emotions.

Q2. Can I become a hotel manager or chef by studying theory alone?
A: No. Theory gives your studies and the foundation of your skills but your real skills like cooking skills, dealing with guests, and problem solving only come through practical experience.

Q3. What kinds of practical training do hotel management students get?
A: Students work in kitchens, front desks, housekeeping, and learn hotel systems and equipment in an internship or workshop setting.

Q4. Will practical training help me get a job?
A: Yes! Employers prefer trained people who have worked somewhere that they can adapt from day one.

Q5. What is practical training for personal development?
A: Self-confidence, communication skills, leadership, adaptability, and shape your personality into that of a professional for the hospitality industry.

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