Office of Career Development

Internship
Externship
Career Expos
Industry Visits
Casual Work
Graduate Positions

Internship

Both undergraduate and postgraduate students have an internship(from July 2008 the Intership will be integrated into the first 2 terms work in Years 1&2) as apart of their program. The internship has on the job training at the Hotel Kurrajong. This program is unpaid and students must meet a competency based assessment criteria.

Students rotate through all the departments, including Front Office, Food and Beverage, Functions, Kitchen and Housekeeping.

The Internship may be the first introduction for some students to the industry or it may be, for an experienced student, an opportunity to gain further expertise and experience, as they have direct access to their supervisors and managers during their training period. It is important for students to understand that this program is highly participative and they will gain more if they engage fully with their colleagues in the workplace.

Externship (Industry Placement)

Externship is the time when students work outside of the school, in a paid hospitality position. Undergraduate students will undertake industry placements including a research project task). Currently there are 3 terms of Paid Industry Placement-from July 2008 there will be 4 terms of Industry Placement over the first two years of the undergraduate program.

The process of finding work placements begins on Internship, with résumé writing, cover letters and finding out where students want to go and having them research potential employers. The Career Development Manager will assist in making these documents professional as well as finding contact details for targeted employers.
Students will send out résumés and cover letters to their targeted employers during the internship term. It is often an advantage to have an early introduction to the employer, as positions come available during the lead up to their Externship.

Career Expos
Students have opportunities to meet potential employers at two Career Expo’s during the year. The first Career Expo ‘Tertiary to Work’ is in Canberra and involves four tertiary institutions brining their students to meet potential employers in all industries. This is an opportunity for students wanting to move into fields other than strictly hospitality, for example, consulting, finance, government and human resources.

The second Career Expo is organized by the Association of Australian Hotel Schools (AAHS) and brings together students from nine major Australian Hotel Schools to meet hospitality employers at a venue in Sydney for one day. This is an excellent opportunity for students to discuss career opportunities, network and give their résumé to potential employers.

Industry visits

During the year, employers will come to the school to present to the students. For example, Starwood, Hyatt, Four Seasons and Toga Hospitality. This is an opportunity for organizations to showcase their company and opportunities to the students for externship or graduate positions. Students will generally attend a presentation and then have the opportunity to sign up for interviews/personalised career chats.

Casual Work

The Career Development Manager assist students to find casual work locally to support their studies. We encourage students to work in the industry with a reputable employer during their time at the school, as it enhances their experience and understanding of the industry. Often students will find an excellent externship position locally through their casual employer.

When students graduate, they will have experience at the Hotel Kurrajong and their Externship employment position and if they have been working casually, they will have that experience on their résumé as well. This enhances their chances of obtaining a suitable graduate position in their area of choice.

Graduate Positions

We are very committed to the outcomes for graduates of our programs. When students are approaching the completion of their course, they will be contacted by the Career Development Manager to discuss their plans after graduation.

Students will be made aware of the latest job opportunities, traineeships etc. it is very much a personalised process, where the student decides what they would like to do and how much assistance they require.

Students will also be directed toward websites such as this with Starwood Hotels in order to take advantage of special considerations afforded them by being graduates of the Australian International Hotel School. Some students do not want immediate assistance; however the offer is available for industry contacts etc in the time after graduation as well. Most students keep in contact with the Career Development Office long after they leave the school.