The Diploma and Bachelor Degree programmes by the School of Hospitality and Service Management (SHSM) were designed not only to guide students in developing the required technical skills but also the opportunity to learn soft skills such as critical thinking skills through curriculum design, case studies, and industry speaker sessions. This puts the 2 programmes in very high regard. For instance: Accommodation and Revenue Management have equipped Salena with the fundamentals to progress into her current role in reservations and revenue; the Food-and-Beverage-related curriculum has provided her with the understanding of floor operations and management in restaurants; and the Human Resource Management guided her on effective communication styles with internal and external stakeholders. The syllabus enhanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills to facilitate future workplace navigation.  

Even though the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the hospitality industry, encouragement and advice from lecturers as well as refined lecturing methods and an updated curriculum enhanced her confidence to venture into the hospitality career pathway. It was an absolute pride when she received her first full-time employment with Sunway Group as a Sunway Management Associate. Insightful guidance and constant constructive feedback from Ms Rita Lo on contemporary industry practices inspired her, boosted her confidence, and facilitated the transition into the revenue management field. She was also very grateful to Associate Professor Dr Daniel Chong for his dedication during the teaching and learning of Wine Studies. Despite facing sensory challenges in identifying wine aromas, he was patient in offering guidance and the appropriate resources that enabled her to excel.

Salena’s interest in food and beverage developed when Ms Merry Lum introduced her to the field’s concepts and operational aspects. She always admired how Ms Vijaya Malar presented complex ‘people management’ key terms into relatable phrases with an interesting yet thorough teaching approach. The industrial training exposure received also played an important role in exposing students to professional experiences. She has Ms In Sze Yunn to thank for in the screening of resumes and providing administrative support. The list goes on and she also mentioned that the academic and administrative personnel in the School have put in tremendous effort in enabling a fruitful and seamless learning journey for the students. 

Some of the soft skills acquired during her journey as a student were empathy and communication skills. These essential skills guided students to be prepared to face different challenges in the workplace. Furthermore, in the working environment, different people possess different working attitudes and strengths. It is important to understand these elements as it allows the development of effective strategies. The University also acts as a platform to nurture leadership skills, ranging from managing group assignments to leading project teams. Significantly, she realised that leaders do not necessarily need to be eloquent, but instaed possess the ability to listen, consider others’ opinions, and develop effective decisions. 

Overall, it was a memorable experience at the University. On top of having all the world-class facilities, dedicated lecturers and administrators, to form synergetic learning outcomes, students need to possess the right learning attitude and urgency to seek new knowledge. Similarly, excelling in the working environment will not be a walk in the park but with the right learning and working attitude, one will eventually achieve their career goals.