From a PIHMS student to a PIHMS lecturer and everything in between!

27 November 2022

Lan graduating with her Masters in Hotel Management at the PIHMS May 2021 Graduation

Lan’s journey

I joined PIHMS in 2016 as an international postgraduate student. Despite my previous experience in the hotel industry in Vietnam, PIHMS gave me a solid foundation to navigate that transitional period by equipping me with practical knowledge about the industry and immersing me in a friendly, culturally diverse environment.

PIHMS helped me secure my first job within the New Zealand hotel industry even before graduation. The recruiters came to PIHMS and interviewed students directly. As an international student from Vietnam, I was very excited to meet and talk with top managers from the New Zealand hotel industry. The day I met the top managers from the industry, I was recruited as a Management Trainee for Millennium Hotels and Resorts right after an interview. The 6-month trainee programme got me through different positions in F&B, Front Office, and Housekeeping. The operational training that I received at PIHMS allowed me to go through my trainee time with ease. Once I had finished my trainee programme, I was then given the opportunity to fill a manager position.

During two years of working in the industry, my week often included three morning duty manager shifts, two-night manager shifts and two days off to work on my Master’s thesis in the city library. Balancing professional life with academic life was hectic. However, I was lucky, and I managed to complete my Master’s Degree in Hotel Management with PIHMS on time. Then, another great event happened in my life: I had a chance to return to PIHMS to work as a lecturer. Being able to share with the next generations of hotel experts what I have experienced myself is an honour and a dream come true.

How PIHMS helped Lan!

My journey is just one among many examples of the effectiveness of PIHMS’ education model. I believe PIHMS students need to be affirmed of the advantages they have, and be encouraged to make full use of those; that is my mission now.

It gives you many options. You can easily find jobs almost anywhere in the world as soon as you are happy to adapt. You can also choose to “detour” to other professions because the way that hospitality hones your transferable skills is unmatched by any other industry. All the sweat and tears working back-to-back shifts under pressure to act quickly yet accurately, handling countless demanding customers and learning to collaborate with people from all walks of life will pay off nicely as you realise how much you have grown in such a short period of time.

“Being able to work in an academic environment that has a strong bond with the industry is a “best of both worlds” experience”

Hospitality workers have proved their resilience and adaptability as they tread their way out of such a chaotic period. As the pandemic is behind us, the industry is coming back, which means there is an avenue of opportunities.