Graduate Success

As the AIHS approaches its 10th Conferring of Degrees Ceremony, we can proudly look back on success of our past graduates. Compare the results for yourself: Nicholas Zilber, Kimberley Lester, and Nicole Bates.

Nicholas Zilber

I started at the school in February 2003 in an intake of about 25 people.

The thing that attracted me most to the school was the variety in the courses; you’re studying everything from macro economics and accounting, to food and beverage service and front office management.

The small class sizes are another benefit. I really got to know my lecturers and they were always available to assist or even just to chat.

Another valuable benefit of studying at the hotel school are the connections that I’ve made and also that I was able to use the connections the school has to secure myself some great positions while I was studying. For example for my externship placement, the W Hotel in Sydney called the hotel school looking for a new Bell Attendant. The student placement office set up an interview and to my surprise they offered me a front office agent position.

Right now I am at the InterContinental Hotel in Dallas, Texas, USA as Front Office Assistant Manager, another role I was able to attain through the student placement office at the hotel school. My role involves supervising and overseeing Front Office including front desk, concierge and switchboard. This role also doubles as Duty Manager so I am responsible for overseeing the entire hotels operations in the absence of the senior management team. It is hard work but very rewarding and something I am passionate about.

Kimberley Lester

The decision to enroll in the Australian International Hotel School was always a very easy one for me, especially after experiencing Career week during my final year of high school.

The Australian International Hotel School has an intimate family feel even before I fully immerse myself in day to day campus life. The lecture and tutorial sizes were very small compared to other universities, with Lecturers taking a personal interest in not only my academic achievements but my personal well being. The multicultural environment was fantastic, giving me the opportunity to experience first hand other cultures, attitudes and ideas that have certainly benefited me now that I am working outside of Australia.

For my externships I worked in the Grand Bay View in China’s southern province of Gongdong along with two other AIHS students. This was the first opportunity I had to put into practice the skills and theories that we had previously studied, and was certainly a fantastic practical learning experience that I will never forget.

My graduate position was as a Guest Service Agent at the Sheraton Mirage in Port Douglas. Living and working in paradise was amazing, truly heaven on earth, and the skills and experience I acquired working on in the Front Desk team have given me a fantastic foundation which I know I will continue to draw upon for the rest of my career.

I am now working as a Guest Relations Manager at the Sheraton Shenyang Lido Hotel in North Eastern China where I have been for almost a year. While the environment certainly cannot compare to Port Douglas, I love the lifestyle that living in China brings, and the people from all walks of life that I meet through my work.

Nicole Bates

Where to begin… The Australian International Hotel School (AIHS) was both an experience and an education.

When I first looked at joining the AIHS I decided to attend careers week of September 1998 to see if the program would suite my expectations of university and where I wanted to go in my life’s journey. Careers week 1998 was the deciding factor; I interviewed and was accepted for the February 1999 intake.

After attending two semesters I requested for my internship and first externship be oversees. After exhausting all my options I joined the Britannia Hotel in Manchester, UK. During my eight months abroad I was transferred between all departments, became the General Managers Personal Assistant, House Keeping Supervisor where finally I ended up as the Conference Coordinator for the hotel. I guess this is where my passion for event management initiated.

After returning to AIHS to complete my final semester, I interviewed with Hyatt Hotel Canberra where I was hired as the Business Development Coordinator for the National Museum of Australia. Shortly after joining the Hyatt, I was transferred to the Hotel and quickly learned accommodation and catering sales. Within three months I was promoted to the Catering Sales Executive for the Australian War Memorial where I was responsible for all catering sales of the venue. After meeting other Directors of Hyatt’s, I was transferred to Hyatt Regency Coolum as the Special Events Executive for the property. Events, which I worked on, included the Lexus 4WD Launch, Break Free trade shows… and many weddings. Within six months, the position of Catering Sales Executive, Parliament House for Hyatt Hotel Canberra became available.

After five years with Hyatt International, I decided to move on and further develop my career and joined Artistic Catering as the Sales and Event Manager for the Deck at Regatta Point.

Artistic Catering is a Melbourne based company and needed an experienced sales manager for their venues in Canberra. I accepted this role and within twelve months became the Venue and Event Manager for the ACT. During my two and half years at the Deck, I organised many different events, including the Australia Day Live Concert for 35 000 attendees, New Years Eve celebrations in the heart of Canberra for 15 000 and many other special events and functions. This then lead me to my current position as Regional Sales Manager for Artistic Catering based in Melbourne. My role entails many different aspects for the company. From managing our $5 million sales of various different sites including, Canberra, Geelong, Mornington Peninsula and Sydney, I am now responsible for all marketing, advertising, event management, account management and business development.

Would I be here without the AIHS… probably not.